Just as things are looking up in the Conservative movement, we were disappointed to read the Chancellor-elect’s remarks in a recent issue of the Jerusalem Post where Arnie Eisen is purported to have said:

The 1 million completely unaffiliated American Jews will probably be lost to assimilation and intermarriage no matter what happens, and therefore outreach efforts should focus on about 3 million Jews positioned between those who are committed to and those who are completely devoid of Judaism.

Just when we thought it was safe to go back into the water….The new leader of the Jewish Theological Seminary is prepared to write off 1 million Jews and their families—the potential for which could be disastrous for the North American Jewish community. In the midst of a monumental change for the Conservative movement, a time in which it is showing that it understands the changes that are taking place in the community and its population—even if late—I was disappointed to see the old rhetoric raise its head once again.

If Jewish history has taught us anything, it is to never give up. We at JOI are not prepared to write off anyone in the Jewish community and certainly not 1,000,000 souls. And who knows? Elijah the Prophet may be lurking among them.