Whereas a key measure of the strength of the Conservative Movement in North America is congregational presence in Jewish communities; and
Whereas the Conservative Movement has not been devoting sufficient resources to the development of new congregations in areas of new Jewish settlement;
Therefore be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly:
- strengthen the work of its committee on Congregational Development;
- coordinate funding and outreach activities of arms of the movement toward the development of new congregations;
- establish a program of developmental service for new ordainees of the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies;
- develop a program of advance seniority and/or tuition reductions for new ordainees committed to service in special pulpit situations including newly developing ones; and
- call upon the Joint Placement Commission to institute a program to utilize rabbinical students as well active retirees in serving developing communities.
Passed by the Rabbinical Assembly Plenum, April, 2003