Successes, Too
As the Rabbi of Congregation B’nai Israel in Northampton, Mass., I was certainly proud of the Lander Grinspoon Academy, our local K-6 day school, cited in a recent article as an exception to the trend of other Schechter-affiliated schools shrinking or closing (“What Does Schechter Decline Mean?” January 27). However, I also believe it is time to look at the bigger picture and curb our tendency to bemoan a supposedly compromised Conservative movement.
There are many reasons for the success of LGA, including visionary lay and professional leadership, excellence in teaching, a pluralistic religious philosophy and local demographics. But no less a factor in the success of LGA is its strong connection to the Conservative synagogue next door, whose members have supplied a majority of the school’s enrollment over the past 13 years. We should certainly investigate the factors behind shrinking participation in Jewish organizations nationally, but I believe that it is just as important to highlight our sources of vitality.
Justin David
Congregation B’nai Israel
Northampton, Mass.
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
