Last night, USY teens at their International Convention, reaffirmed their commitment to indating, while restating that commitment in their own positive language. The change was from: "It is expected that leaders of the organization will refrain from relationships which can be construed as interdating" to "The Officers will strive to model healthy Jewish dating choices. These include recognizing the importance of dating within the Jewish community and treating each person with the recognition that they were created Betzelem Elohim (in the image of God)." At discussions that reportedly went on until 2.30 in the morning, USY leadership and USCJ senior leaders including Rabbi Steve Wernick clearly reaffirmed our Movement's values and expectations regarding Jewish dating and the continued expectation that leaders in our youth movement will date Jews.
We are proud of our young Conservative Jews who are continuing the eternal Jewish practice of reasserting and restating values and norms of Jewish tradition in language that inspires them positively to adhere to these values. We are dismayed by the mischaracterization of these policies in the press and express our support and our appreciation for our young people in their desire to walk with us on a Jewish path of deep engagement with our tradition. This year's USY convention reminds us that Conservative Judaism is a journey both countercultural and courageous, and one that continues to reap familial, moral, spiritual, and communal satisfaction that inspires and amazes us.