Membership Policies of Local or Regional Rabbinic Boards or Councils

Adopted by the CCAR at the 90th Annual Convention of
the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Phoenix, Arizona, March 26-29, 1979

Whereas, the Central Conference of American Rabbis recognizes that its members have always held, and continue to hold divergent interpretations of Jewish tradition; and

Whereas, the rights of rabbis to apply those interpretations must be safeguarded, and

Whereas, each and every member of the CCAR is a rabbi in Israel and is, thus, an interpreter and a teacher of Judaism;

Be it therefore resolved, that the CCAR goes on record as deploring the practice of some local or regional rabbinic Boards or Councils of denying membership to rabbis who are members in good standing of their respective national rabbinic bodies, and

Be it therefore resolved, that the CCAR rejects the authority of these local or regional rabbinic groups to discipline or censure CCAR members because of their beliefs or practices, and

Be it further resolved, that the CCAR calls upon its members to work to change these divisive local or regional rabbinic membership policies.