Conservative Judaism/American Judaism

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Expert: - 5/22/2006


Question
Rav Lerner,  There are hundreds of hispanic radio stations, thousand christian radio stations, black radio stations yet in america there are no Jewish radio stations, TV stations, a daily english language newspaper. WHY?  Is it because Jewish leadership is made up of spies trying to get US Jewry to assimiliate?

Answer
Dear Sally,

While I appreciate your observation, may I respond as follows:

1. Although you speak out of a conspiracy theory, others believe that Jews control the very institutions and media operations which you listed - which is not true.

2. Jewish leadership is not composed of turncoats or collaborators plotting assimilation. The American society has been unusually open to Jews who hve earned their way into that society. Others could have done so well.

Rabbi Dov

Conservative Judaism

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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

Expertise

Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.

Experience

I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)

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