International Seminar for Halakhic Study, Fall 2021

The CJLS is sponsoring the International Seminar for Halakhic Study, a movement-wide seminar in which Conservative/Masorti congregations, communities, and schools will come together to study a specific teshuvah of the CJLS. During the Jewish year of 5782 (2021-2022), the recommended day for the International Seminar for Halakhic Study is Sunday, October 31, 2021 (25 Marheshvan 5782). This year's teshuvah is Adoption by Rabbi Nate Crane. Click here for Rabbi Crane’s 8-minute video that you may show your community and a text sheet and guide to help your discussion.

The purpose of the International Seminar for Halakhic Study is to show how our halakhic decisions develop from our spiritual values and ethical ideals, to emphasize the importance of halakhah and the study of halakhah among Conservative/Masorti Jews, to create a sense of a global community among Conservative/Masorti congregations and schools, to raise the profile of the CJLS in order to encourage RA rabbis to teach the teshuvot of the CJLS, and to inspire RA rabbis and communities to feel part of the CJLS process and the spiritual and ethical creativity of the Conservative/Masorti movement. It is designed to generate energy and excitement around the Conservative/Masorti halakhic process that defines our movement’s approach to Torah.

Participants may gather in a congregation or regionally with congregations coming together to study (or whichever way it works best for your community). Rabbis who are educators may want to schedule the program for a weekday when school is in session. Participants will engage in a number of the key texts of the teshuvah. After studying the teshuvah, the rabbi and participants will discuss the merits of different approaches. (We anticipate that a number of rabbis may feel that a different day works better for their communities, so we have prepared the materials in advance.)   

Please register your congregation, school, community, or organization below. If you have any questions, please contact Ilana Garber.