2
:: 27 Tishrei 5764 :: October 23, 2003
The New Standard
Columbus and Ohio Committee decides: only one minyan at Agudas Achim tion in 1951. “The committee decided to go back to A group of worshippers from its roots,’’ he said. Agudas Achim got the final word late Ruben said there are other synalast month: They can no longer worship gogues in Columbus that offer a with a mehitzah at the shul, and must mehitzah - Beth Jacob at 1223 College look for a new home. Avenue, Ahavas Sholom at 2568 The dozen or so members of the E.Broad Street. and Torah Emet – or decade-old group - the chavura minMain Street shul at 2375 E. Main yan, that had prayed with the sepaStreet. There are also independent rating wall between men and women groups that daven with their own sepa- received word late last month that the rating wall, including the Torah Center style of worship did not mesh with the at 2942 E.Broad Street. “Traditional” synagogue’s phi. “The problem is losophy. we’re fragmented,’’ “We’re looking at different The mehitzah Ruben said. “How many alternatives right now,’’said chavurot can there be?” has been a Eli Ganon, a chavura memAgudas Executive ber. “We’re really scrambling. periodic point of Director Josh Klynn We were under presumptions said the board wasn’t contention. that after the renovations, we planning to vote on the would get a room.’’ minyan question, but a Larry Ruben, synagogue board member who davpresident, said the ritual committee, ens with the chavura made a motion for then the full board, voted to make the the vote. change just before Rosh Hashanah, just Ganon and members of the chaafter workers completed more than $4 vura sent Ruben and other officers million worth of renovations. of the synagogue - as well as Rabbi “What was voted on was that there Moshe Dick - a letter insisting that was to be just one minyan in the synathe Orthodox synagogue must allow a gogue, period,’’ said Ruben. mehitzah to be faithful to the moveHe said the synagogue is honorment. ing its tradition. Even though it has “We’re saying the board has no jurisallowed alternative worship, it hasn’t diction over the mehitzah because this had a mehitzah in the main sanctuary is a religious issue,’’ Ganon said. since it moved from its South Side locaBy Ruth Portnoy
TH E N EW STAN DAR D
Ruben said the Orthodox movement has many flavors. “The rules have been a moving target for years,’’ he said. “I believe we’ve been members of the Orthodox Union without a mehitzah for years, and I don’t see it as a problem.’’ The main sanctuary has allowed mixed seating for years. However, the prayer service relies on the Art Scroll, an Orthodox siddur (prayer book), and women do not participate in the main service. A response to the letter also said that in 2001, more than 80 percent of Agudas Achim members approved a change to the synagogue’s constitution that would allow the board to hire a rabbi who would work without a mehitzah. Many Orthodox rabbis insist on separated seating. The mehitzah has been a periodic point of contention. Two years ago, about 30 families left over the matter and helped found Main Street Synagogue. Frank Nutis, who has been a member of the shul for more than 50 years, said he is saddened by the change, which he believes was the result of “a power struggle’’ over the renovated building. He sees Agudas Achim as a place where people who haven’t been raised with much observance can learn more.
“I don’t feel very good about it,’’ he said. “I think the city has lost a transitional synagogue that could bring tradition to more people… People have returned to Agudas because they could be brought in from different levels (of observance). That’s gone now.’’
Support our advertisers Tell them you responded to their ad in The
NewStandard An Independent Central Ohio Jewish Monthly
Please Join the Anti Defamation League and Value City Department Stores as we honor
Hank Aaron With the establishment of the ADL/Hank Aaron Diversity In Sports Award Presented By Value City Department Stores
Tribute Dinner November 20, 2003 6:00 p.m. Individual Tickets Corporate Tables
$250 $2500 - $5000
Call Meredith At 621-0601 or email mkaplan@adl.org for reservations and information Join us for dinner, special guests, including Hank Aaron, and a silent auction
Hank Aaron’s 715th Home Run Atlanta Stadium - April 8, 1974