Black Hebrews in Temple Bethel Congregation

.ראיונות עם שחורים עבריים מפילדלפיה, ארה"ב ; Rabbi Kenneth Carr is the Rabbi of the Reform Congregation Or Ami located in Philadelphia. As part of the Synaplex program, Or Ami conducted joint services with Congregation Bethel: two Friday night services were celebrated together, one at Or Ami and the other at Bethel. Remembering the influence that Conservative Rabbi Leonard Gordon had on congregation Bethel, Rabbi Carr was surprised by the great amount of English used during the service. A short reflection on Rabbi Gordon's model for the understanding of Bethel, seen as the response that Reform Judaism would have had to the Black Protestant Church as opposed to the German Protestant Church. Asked about the theology of Bethel, Rabbi Carr affirms that a strong sense of God governs the lives of the Bethel congregants. While the congregants at Or Ami think about God, the ones at Bethel feel God. Can Bethel be part of a Jewish denomination or Federation? Fundamental issues like conversion or Rabbinical ordination stand in the way. The lack of unity in Judaism today makes things more complicated. That is why initiatives like Synaplex are important because they promote engagement and mutual discovery. Can Bethel be a model for other synagogues? Bethel doesn't have an office, it is run by volunteers, there are no dues. Rabbi Carr notes that the high level of engagement and the sense of responsibility among members of Bethel are not matched in other congregations. Are Jews uncomfortable with the passion for Judaism that Bethel congregants show? Rabbi Carr describes his encounter with Bethel as uplifting. He liked the fact that the passion produced by Bethel members contaminated his own community.