Beginnings
Last month, you'll recall, our cover carried a messianic rainbow and some messianic words. This month, as you'll soon see, we translate art and language into behavior. In keeping with the spirit of...
...I'm afraid not," answered the man...
...The juxtaposition of the two articles is not entirely coincidental...
...A good issue...
...The summer conference I attended was on the subject of "God, Covenant and Community," and it was a true delight, in this age of increasing divi-siveness, to see serious people grappling with matters of mutual interest and concern—and doing so with intelligence, civility and sensitivity...
...The man looked at the blood in astonishment...
...Interesting," said the psychiatrist...
...Its startling conclusions contradict the conventional wisdom about this vexing matter, and deserve the kind of response they will almost surely not get...
...I'm deceased...
...In keeping with the spirit of the season, a number of articles in this issue deal with matters religious...
...I find that hard to believe...
...asked the psychiatrist...
...I'm now off for a brief sojoum in Israel, and I expect that I'll be reporting on that trip anon...
...I shan't rush to judgment on this one, but I invite you to read the con and the pro as represented in these pages by Rabbis Petuchowski and Zimmerman...
...Well, one thing I know is dead men don't bleed...
...Remember the story of the man who wandered into the psychiatrist's office one day...
...In fact, saying nothing of them might be best—if saying what Sam Hux and Steve Whitfield have to say were not required to correct the record, given what others have already said...
...Meanwhile, east of Eden, the furor over the recent decision by the Central Conference of American Rabbis regarding "patrilineal descent" continues...
...That so soon after our Kafka/rainbow cover we should actually be able to have Wolf and Lamm lie down (as it were) together must presage great things, if not for humankind then at least for moment and its readers...
...Because (if the past offers precedent) we will prefer to go on believing the bad non-news instead of the good news...
...Uh huh," replied the psychiatrist...
...Founded in 1981 by the National Jewish Resource Center and the University of Denver's Center for Judaic Studies, and co-chaired by Rabbis Irving Greenberg and Stanley Wagner, it sponsors both regional meetings and national conferences...
...Are you sure...
...Until anon, then— which means until 5744, may that year be for all of us (and everyone else) a year of joy, peace, health, blessing...
...So do most people, but that doesn't alter the fact that I'm dead...
...Why not...
...he said...
...Which means that we here have enjoyed piecing it together...
...I'm happy, as well, to present Pini Herman's article on emigration from Israel...
...And our good friend, wise counselor and contributing editor, Harold Schulweis...
...Good," said the psychiatrist, and he grabbed the man's finger, nicked it with a razor blade, and, sure enough, there was a drop of blood...
...Read Pini Herman...
...Dead men do bleed...
...I confess that when I first read that henceforward, the CCAR would accept that the child of a Jewish father has as much claim to Judaism as the child of a Jewish mother, I was pleased...
...California on my mind, and in your issue...
...Early in the summer, I participated in an unusual Conference...
...Substance aside, my favorites are the two by Rabbi Arnold J. Wolf and Rabbi Norman Lamm...
...Can I help you...
...We owe special thanks to Chevra, as Rachel Adler's article in this issue was first presented at the June conference, and will be included in a forthcoming volume containing the proceedings of the conference...
...What do you know about dead men...
...Chevra is a new and little known organization in the Jewish community, but it does a much-needed job, for it brings together rabbis and scholars across denominational boundaries for intensive conversation on problems of concern to us all...
...What do you know...
...Consider the evidence...
...I beg your pardon...
...To say nothing of Albert Speer, or of John J. McCloy...
...I am so sure that if I were alive, I'd stake my life on it...
...Well, it turns out that there are some interesting reasons on the other side...
...Why not...
...The Chevra conference, Pini Herman, and one of the more delightful mornings I've spent in recent memory, chatting with Marie Syrkin and Trude Weiss-Rosmarin...
...As to making up your mind on the matter, good luck—and do share your thoughts with us, if you'd like...
Vol. 8 • September 1983 • No. 8
