As Jews, we all wear a number of different kippot. One of the kippot I wear is that of an international vice-president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). Being a lay leader of a religious organization has provided a fascinating opportunity to discuss, prepare and work on the implementation of a strategic path and plan for USCJ, as part and parcel of setting a course for Conservative/Masorti Judaism itself.

In my view, we must continue to strive for diversity. In nightmares, everything is the same. Diversity engenders creativity; sameness engenders stagnation. The diversity that is fostered by the tenets of Conservative Judaism flourish and blossom into passionate discussion between friends, striving together to achieve, to transcend the mundane. To do good. 

The passionate discussion to date has renewed the desire of Conservative Judaism to move further and ever more purposefully to engage Jews with Conservative Judaism through inreach, outreach, lifelong education, and the nurturing of new forms of kehillot (sacred congregations). This must take place hand in hand with the continued evolution of our Conservative Judaism tfillah and world view, guided by and in collaboration with our rabbis. 

The implementation of the fruits of our discussions in each of these areas will be the building blocks for a renaissance of Conservative Judaism in North America and an ever-faster-paced spread of the message of our continental movement into a worldview of Judaism together with our counterparts in Masorti Israel and Masorti Olami.

Intellectual honesty is the lodestone of Conservative Judaism. It allows us to be free. It allows us to see. It allows us to create. That honesty allows us to form, tighten, dissect and literally turn over and over the bonds of our human relationships, our relationships with God, and most certainly our relationship with the real and vibrant world that exists.

That, to me, is the very clear message and gift of the Conservative movement to Judaism. It is both the pivotal strength and core strength of Conservative/Masorti Judaism, and it is very much needed for our Jewish world of the future.

My challenge to Conservative Judaism, and my vision of the fix for what ails it, is a call to action in every Conservative home, school and kehillah. Specifically, that we not merely remind ourselves of our personal bonds and relationships, but that we use our lodestone of intellectual honesty to push those bonds and relationships further and deeper into our own world and, most certainly, into the entire world. To do good. 

We have the power, the desire and the people to accomplish this. Let’s start it. Let’s continue it. Let’s do it.

Howie Sniderman is an Edmonton lawyer and is international vice-president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.