When the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism recently announced its rebranding, affirming Conservative Judaism as “dynamic and authentic,” it had the potential to be a turning point for the movement. Its earlier tagline, “tradition and change,” not only was uninspiring, but also failed to capture the very humanity of our people's search for meaning and connection at the heart of Judaism.
This new phrase — more than just a word shift — contained a message of a living, breathing Judaism; for me, the phrase “dynamic and authentic” most closely expresses what I believe Judaism has been for centuries, and how the Conservative movement can be the best resource we have for accessing Judaism's dynamic rhythms, its authenticity of connection.
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