The leaders of Conservative Judaism will gather in Boston December 6-10, 2019 to tackle the future for a collaborative convention of USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly. As we move towards the next decade, it is more critical than ever for the two organizations to come together to address the ways that our movement approaches Israel, the Jewish family, spirituality, hatred and systemic injustice, and the myriad of other topics that will shape the Jewish future.
Leaders, thinkers and doers shaping Judaism today and in the next decade are invited to submit workshop proposals around three core questions:
- The Future of our Synagogue: The synagogue model is rapidly changing before our eyes. What do our leaders need to know to be prepared to think about how prayer, education, social justice, physical infrastructure, and financial and membership models must change going forward to help congregations thrive?
- The Future of our Jewish Community: The twenty-first century Jewish community is diverse, with growing numbers of multi-faith, multi-racial, and blended families, and will only become more diverse in the future. What are models for leaning into these trends to maximize engagement while ensuring rich commitment to Jewish practice and peoplehood?
- The Future of our Jewish People: The Jewish communities in North America and Israel can feel further away than ever, yet in a time of increased anti-Semitism there is increased need to bridge the divide and deepen our commitment. What are trends that all of us can learn from to be a part of the solution?
The convention will include a variety of opportunities for presenters to teach and inspire, including workshop sessions, panels, and table talks during meals.All sessions must empower participants to do meaningful work when they return to their communities.
We will strive for balance in our presenters in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, geography, background and institutional affiliation. All proposals will be reviewed by a committee of professionals and lay leaders from across North America. Applications are due by Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 5:00pm ET.
Please contact Rabbi Joshua Rabin with any questions.
