Everything about The Rabbinical Assembly totally explained
The
Rabbinical Assembly (RA) is the international association of
Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards for the Conservative movement. It organizes conferences and coordinates the Joint Placement Commission of the Conservative movement. Members of the RA serve as rabbis, educators, community workers and military and hospital chaplains around the world.
Rabbinical graduates from
Jewish Theological Seminary, the
American Jewish University (California) and The
Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies (
Jerusalem,
Israel) are automatically members of the RA; Rabbis whose ordination is from other seminaries and
Yeshivas are also admitted.
The
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) is the movement's central body on interpreting
Jewish law and custom; it was founded by the Rabbinical Assembly in the 1920s. It is composed of 25 Rabbis, who are voting members, and five laypeople, who don't vote but participate fully in deliberations. When any six (or more) members vote in favor of a position, that position becomes an official position of the Rabbinical Assembly. When more than one position is validated, each congregational
Rabbi functions as the
mara de-atra (מרא דאתרא, lit. "master of the house" in
Aramaic, the mara de-atra serves as the local authority in Jewish law), adopting for their congregation the position he or she considers most compelling.
The
Rabbinical Assembly of Israel (Israeli arm of the RA) has its own decision making body, the
Va'ad Halacha.
Responsa by both the CJLS and the Va'ad Halacha are equally valid, although the Va'ad's emphasis is on issues pertaining to Israeli society. The CJLS and the Va'ad don't always come up with the same answer to a question. In such cases a rabbi is free to decide which responsa to adopt.
The RA publishes books,
prayer books, and the quarterly journal "Conservative Judaism".
RA members converse online via
Ravnet and in person at the RA conventions.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Rabbinical Assembly'.
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