Reform Judaism for Teachers module - Touro Synagogue

Resolution Adopted by the CCAR 13
SOCIAL ACTION (FOR CONGREGATIONS)
Digests of resolutions adopted by the
Central Conference of American Rabbis
between 1889 and 1974
1. See Rabbi, Freedom of, Sec.6 (1953) .
2. We recognize that, just as it is important to have ideas that work, so, too, is it necessary to put
ideas to work. We therefore strongly urge all our congregations to initiate programs of
social education and action among their members. We feel that only through the
organization of congregational committees specifically charged to develop social action
programs within their spheres of influence can a congregation completely express its
belief in God and in the brotherhood of man. To facilitate this end, we make the following
specific recommendations:
1. The formation of congregational committees to study national and local issues which are
of concern to the health and welfare of the community and the nation.
2. The periodic issuance of concise statements which reflect the viewpoint of the local
congregation on issues of the day.
3. The initiation by our congregations of actual projects within the community, designed to
remedy or to change existing situations needing change.
4. The cooperation of our congregations and congregational committees with other likeminded
local and national groups, both civic and religious, to implement their decisions
through joint endeavor. (1953, pp. 132-33)
3. However important the pronouncements of this Conference may be, the acid test of our
effectiveness in the field of social action will be the extent of activity in this area within our
congregations. We are enheartened by the increasing number of congregations which have
established Social Action Committees under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Maurice Eisendrath,
President of our Union, Mr. I. Cyrus Gordon, Chairman of the Joint Social Action Commission,
Rabbi Eugene Lipman and Mr. Albert Vorspan, Director and Secretary of that Commission.
(1954, p. 55)
4. We heartily recommend the cooperation and leadership of our colleagues in establishing Social
Action Committees in their Congregations. Toward that end, we recommend generous use of the
publications "Social Action in Review" in the columns of our Temple Bulletins, regular pulpit
messages in this area, and emphasis on Social Action in regional conferences or conventions of
the CCAR and UAHC. We also request our colleagues to maintain regular liaison with the Joint
Social Action Commission, reporting their progress as well as their reactions to the work of the
Commission. (1954, p. 55)
5. For a long time the members of our Conference feared that its pronouncements in the field of
Social Action went unheeded who was to hear? Who would follow us? The establishment and
subsequent revitalization of the Joint Commission on Social Action allayed, in part, our fears.
Their last vestiges were laid to rest by the action which was taken at the Union Biennial of
February, 1955. Following a tremendously stirring dialogue, "To Do Justly," the members of our
congregations took their stand with us on the Synagogue and Social Action. They passed
13 http://data.ccarnet.org/cgi-bin/resodisp.pl?file=soci.acti&year=1972
Union for Reform Judaism-Department of Lifelong Jewish Learning
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