“The question, however, is whether the Synagogue, itself, particularly in its present form, can cope with the crisis which faces American Jewry”

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The Synagogue is one of the major forces in Jewish life in America. The question, however, is whether the Synagogue, itself, particularly in its present form, can cope with the crisis which faces American Jewry. The crisis is well-known. It is the crisis of growing alienation, the erosion of values and meaning, loss of purpose in life and of the sense of roots. Can the Synagogue cope with these crises? If it can not, what alternative can American Jews provide?

Rabbi Irving Greenberg, The Rise, Decline and – – – of the Synagogue (Bronx, NY: National Jewish Conference Center, n.d. (1977-1978?)), 1.

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