Jewish Geography
practice” adopted by the Rabbinical Assembly, which also barred clergy from speak- ing during such ceremo- nies. The ban has long been framed by the movement as a matter of Jewish law, or halakha, which traditionally understands marriage as a cov- enant between two Jews. While the Conservative movement has historically embraced the idea that halakha evolves over time, leaders have argued that
denomination’s three main arms: the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), the Rabbinical Assembly, and the Cantors Assembly. “For decades, our move- ment’s approach to families where one partner is Jewish and the other is not was rooted in disapproval and shaped by fears about Jewish continuity,” the leaders wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “But today — as we connect with countless families who want to learn, participate, and be- long — we are committed to wel- coming people as they are.” The report also accepts responsibil- ity for the consequences of its previous approach: “Our move- ment’s historical stance has re- sulted in hurt, alienation, and disconnection from our com- munity. We deeply apologize.” The report does not itself change binding policy, and the working group has stopped short of recommending an immediate end to the ban on Conservative clergy offici- ating at interfaith weddings. Instead, it asks the movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) to clarify ambiguous terms such as “officiation” and “wedding,” and to consider whether rabbis might offer blessings or other forms of participation before or after a wedding ceremony. The group is also asking the CJLS to recommend new educational, pastoral, and ritual approaches aimed at intermarried families. The Conservative move- ment’s formal ban on offici- ating at interfaith weddings dates to a 1973 “standard of
officiating at interfaith weddings raises complex legal and ritual questions that go beyond con- cerns about continuity. The report contends, how- ever, that this effectively froze conversation for decades, even as intermarriage became wide- spread, and that halakha itself contains “expansive, creative” resources for welcoming inter- faith families. “What we stated in 1973 obviously did not deter intermarriage,” says Shirley Da- vidoff, a member of the working group and vice president of the USCJ’s board. “So moving for- ward, how do we really embrace these individuals?” The report is the culmi- nation of a nearly two-year process that included respons- es to a questionnaire from 1,200 people, listening sessions, focus groups, and commissioned papers from scholars and rabbis. It builds on a 2024 clergy-led review that maintained the offi- ciation ban but called for greater engagement with interfaith fam- ilies, expanding that work into a movement-wide process that included lay leaders and focused on repairing trust and widen- ing pathways into Jewish life. The 17-member working group included clergy and lay leaders from North America and Israel. The movement’s shift in positioning is being announced amid a broader rethinking of intermarriage. Reform and Reconstructionist move- ments have long permitted officiation at intermarriages, and individual Conservative congre- gations have increasingly test- ed the boundaries of doing so — including a high-profile case
“As we connect with countless families who want to learn, participate, and belong, we are committed to welcoming people as they are.”
20 SPRING 2026
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