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27-517: The Jewish Chautauqua Society was conceived and founded in 1893 by its chancellor, Henry Berkowitz of Philadelphia , and modeled on the mother Chautauqua of New York . In 1897 the first assembly was held in Atlantic City , and this focusing of the work has so greatly prospered that the original session of two weeks was extended to three. The creation of departments for study and entertainment were similar to those of other Chautauquas . More than this,

54-505: A formal apology issued by the CCAR in September 2022, that included the following language: "With sincerity of heart and intention, the CCAR apologizes for the hurt that our organization and our ethics system have caused. We acknowledge that there have been times when we failed to meet our own high standards and we are deeply sorry. We apologize, and we are committed to working diligently for

81-469: A better future." While these efforts have been praised by many, some critics argue that they do not go far enough to address underlying issues within the ethics system. For instance, concerns have been raised about the continued use of lay investigators and the reliance on fellow rabbis to determine the fitness of an offender to return to their role. However, it is worth noting that similar practices are commonplace in other professional organizations in

108-431: A central focus of her presidency. In 2018, Rabbi Hara Person became the first woman to be the chief executive of the CCAR and also pushed for higher ethical standards and accountability. In 2021, the organization voluntarily commissioned a legal firm to review its ethics processes and propose improvements. This initiative resulted in several recommendations, including increased transparency regarding ethical infractions and

135-605: A field secretary, a board of trustees, and an educational council. This article about a subject related to a Jewish organization is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Henry Berkowitz Henry Berkowitz (March 18, 1857 – February 7, 1924) was a Reform rabbi, educator and author. Henry Berkowitz was born in Pittsburgh in 1857, the son of Louis and Henrietta (Jaroslawski) Berkowitz, both born and married in Prussia and immigrated to United States in 1847 on

162-590: A national Jewish state in Palestine . At the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) convention in Cincinnati in 1899, well before the establishment of the modern State of Israel, he listed three reasons for his opposition: (1) he remained hopeful that the world would accept Jews; (2) he believed Zionism was more sentimental rather than practical; (3) he claimed Zionism would make Jews shift focus from religion to

189-651: A publishing house for Reform Judaism that publishes the movement's prayer books as well as a variety of publications about contemporary Jewish life. From time to time the CCAR publishes platforms that are intended to layout the contemporary framework for North American Reform Judaism. The publication of platforms began in 1885 with the Declaration of Principles, later known as the Pittsburgh Platform , which established Reform Judaism in North America, and built upon

216-491: A senior rabbi of a Texas synagogue was reprimanded for sexual misconduct and allowed to move to another senior rabbi position in North Carolina, where he was censured for sexual misconduct within 36 months of his new placement, and neither congregation was alerted to the allegations. In 2015, Rabbi Denise Eger was elected president of the CCAR. The first openly LGBTQ person to hold this prominent role, Rabbi Eger made ethics

243-474: The Paris Peace Conference, 1919 . Berkowitz married Flora Brunn of Coshocton, Ohio in 1883 with whom he had two children: Etta J. Reefer and Max E. Berkowitz. Berkowitz died in Atlantic City in 1924. Central Conference of American Rabbis The Central Conference of American Rabbis ( CCAR ), founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise , is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in

270-631: The United States and Canada . The CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world. Its current president is Rabbi Erica Asch. Rabbi Hara Person is the Chief Executive. The CCAR bylaws state that “the purpose of this Conference shall be to preserve and promote Judaism and to encourage all efforts for the dissemination of its teachings in a Liberal spirit; to advance the cause of Jewish learning; to foster fellowship and cooperation among rabbis and other Jewish scholars; and to serve

297-579: The Board of Recreation, and was a vice-president of the Universal Peace Union and Social Purity Alliance. He also helped create playgrounds in all the city. Berkowitz founded the Jewish Chautauqua Society in 1893, where he served as chancellor, which was his key contribution to developing American Jewish institutions and educations. When the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR)

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324-797: The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies (1901) and the Philadelphia Rabbinical Association (1901). In 1919, he was invited to speak at the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia , where he gave a prayer and a talk associating the fight for Korean independence from Japanese occupation with the freedom of the Jews from Egypt . In his speech, he compared the Egyptian Jews to independence activists for both courage of being rebellious to

351-479: The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) shed light on the sluggish investigative process and the lack of meaningful consequences for offending rabbis. This led to public criticism and increased scrutiny of the CCAR's handling of ethical issues within its ranks. Subsequent cases, such as the expulsion of a CCAR member rabbi in 2015 for sexual misconduct, further underscored these concerns. For example, in 2014,

378-570: The Protection of Children and Animals from Cruelty. In Kansas City, he helped create the first bureau of charities and corrections and participated in the meetings of the National Conference of Charities and Correction as a representative of the state of Missouri. In Philadelphia, he was a member of the Mayor's Vice Commission which dealt with the prostitution among East European immigrant girls and of

405-640: The University of Cincinnati in the same year. In 1887 he received the D.D. degree from the Hebrew Union College. Berkowitz served from 1883 to 1888 at Congregation Sha'arai Shomayim (Mobile, Alabama) . In 1888 he moved to Congregation B'nai Jehudah' in Kansas City, Missouri . In 1892 he was called by the Congregation Rodeph Shalom (Philadelphia) . In this city he helped in the establishment of

432-475: The code. This system only holds jurisdiction over rabbis who are part of the CCAR as it is a voluntary membership organization. While the vast majority of CCAR rabbis have not faced accusations of ethics violations, instances of serious misconduct such as financial impropriety, plagiarism, theft, and sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, have occurred in the past. Historically, these matters were dealt with privately, often resulting in minimal repercussions for

459-600: The first woman to lead a major rabbinical organization and the first woman to lead any major Jewish co-ed religious organization in the United States. In 2015, Denise Eger became the first openly gay president of the CCAR. In 2018, Rabbi Hara Person became the first woman to be the chief executive of the CCAR. The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) has an ethics code which all members are required to uphold, and an ethics committee to handle complaints and discipline any member rabbi found to be in violation of

486-731: The founding ideas of Reform Judaism in Germany. While written before the CCAR was formally founded, the meeting was declared the continuation of the Philadelphia Conference of 1869, which was the continuation of the German Conference of 1841 to 1846. In 1937 the Columbus Platform was approved as the first official platform of the American Reform movement. The CCAR continues to rewrite platforms as Reform Judaism evolves: As

513-650: The influence of the society resulted in the London Jewish Study Society. The official organ of the Society, Menorah Magazine, was published in New York City; Assembly Record, as well as a special series of various publications, were published in Philadelphia. The Society was incorporated in 1899, and was administered by the following officers: a chancellor, a president, a treasurer, a secretary and director,

540-402: The largest organization of liberal rabbis in the world, the CCAR frequently comments on pressing issues of the day through public statements and resolutions . Some examples include: The CCAR is led by a volunteer president who is elected from among members as well as a paid professional executive. In 2003, Rabbi Janet Marder became the first female president of the CCAR; this made her

567-463: The membership criteria. The CCAR issues responses to religious questions for Reform Judaism known as responsa , as well as resolutions , and platforms . In keeping with the principles of Reform Judaism, their positions are non-binding on individual rabbis or congregations. It is also the publisher of CCAR Journal , a journal of Reform Judaism published quarterly. The group also runs the CCAR Press,

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594-650: The offending rabbis. At the annual convention in June 1991, recognizing the need for a more formalized approach, the CCAR adopted an Ethics Code and Ethics Committee with the aim of safeguarding congregants and communities from problematic behavior by rabbis. This committee was granted the authority to discipline rabbis, including the possibility of permanent suspension or expulsion. However, despite this step forward, investigations remained slow, and many offending rabbis faced little to no public consequences for their actions, often receiving private reprimands . A 1996 report by

621-531: The race and nationality of being part of a Jewish state. Berkowitz sentiments in this statement reflect a pre- Holocaust worldview. A petition signed in 1919 by Berkowitz and other US Jewish leaders was published in The New York Times , with the title "Protest to Wilson against Zionist State: Representative Jews Ask Him to Present it to the Peace Conferences." The petition was sent the same year to

648-476: The ship Corvo from Hamburg. After graduation from the Central High School of Pittsburgh in 1872 he attended Cornell University because he wanted to be a lawyer. Berkowitz decided to become a Reform rabbi because he heard a sermon by Isaac Mayer Wise and enrolled at the new Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion founded by him, where he graduated in 1883 in the first class. He also graduated at

675-448: The totalitarians and confirms the strength of that sympathy bond. He was rabbi at Temple Rodeph Sholem until 1922 when he fell ill. According to Encyclopaedia Judaica , he was a chaplain and also a tour-guide at army bases. This had led to heart condition and forced retirement in his later life. Rabbi Berkowitz played a part in the creation of numerous humanitarian organizations. In Mobile, Alabama he created The Humane Movement for

702-678: The welfare of its members.” Membership primarily consists of rabbis educated at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion . The CCAR also offers membership to those who have graduated in Europe from the Leo Baeck College in London ( United Kingdom ) and the Abraham Geiger College at the University of Potsdam, and other rabbis who joined the Reform movement after being ordained and met

729-610: Was founded in 1889 and he became a charter member. According to the same biographical sketch, he drafted a formula on meditating congregations and rabbis while he worked at CCAR as a committee chairman. Berkowitz published many works, with all his manuscripts are conserved at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati, OH. Berkowitz was against Zionism . He opposed those who insisted that contemporary Judaism demanded creation of

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