TORONTO — Rabbi Steven Saltzman – a cello player, black belt in karate and former student of subatomic physics – is being honoured for his 20 years of service to Adath Israel Congregation on June 13.
Rabbi Steven Saltzman
The Denver, Colo. native who grew up in New York, was ordained by New York’s Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in 1977, when the Conservative movement had yet to admit women to rabbinical school, a change that happened the following decade. He also has a doctorate of Hebrew literature from JTS.
A staunch and vocal traditionalist, Rabbi Saltzman, who will be 60 in July, said his 1,800-member synagogue offers “an authentic, traditional experience of Judaism within the context of an open-minded approach to philosophical and theological issues.”
At Adath Israel – the only Conservative congregation in Toronto that does not allow intermarried Jews to become members – being open-minded “means that there is no question that cannot be asked and no position that cannot be explored, but it isn’t license to allow for any and all practice,” said the rabbi in an interview in his synagogue study.
Clarifying the shul’s policy on interfaith couples, he said, “We welcome [them] to daven with us, to study with us, to explore issues of Judaism with us, but until such time as the family is unified as a Jewish family, we’re not prepared to accept the membership of that family.”
There was “plenty” of flak after that policy became widely known as the result of a 2002 CJN article, Rabbi Saltzman said.
He recalled the aftermath with apparent equanimity, noting that criticism is standard “any time you stand up for something deemed by popular culture not to be inclusive.”
Early in his career – following a two year stint as Hillel director at Tufts University from 1977 to 1979, and a subsequent five years in Rehovot as rabbi of Adat Shalom Congregation– Rabbi Saltzman spent two years as assistant rabbi at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, Pa., which was already fully egalitarian.
In contrast, women at Adath Israel do not receive Torah honours, although they are permitted to read from the siddur and offer divrei Torah from the bimah. Bat mitzvah girls can read the Haftarah.
The rabbi’s philosophy has not changed, he said. His role at the Pennsylvania synagogue was to teach, assist the senior rabbi, and officiate at some life cycle events, not to set religious policy, he explained.
As well, he was there “to learn how to be a rabbi in the United States.” His mentor was Rabbi Gerald Wolpe, who died May 18 of cancer. Rabbi Saltzman recalls him as “a master rabbi” and “a very fine fellow.”
Rabbi Saltzman said he would still daven in an egalitarian setting, but “it’s just not the sort of davening I want to do on a weekly basis, and not the sort of davening I want to give to my congregants.”
He said he thoroughly enjoyed services at Holy Blossom Temple when he exchanged pulpits with Rabbi John Moscowitz. “I respect the passion and the religious sincerity and seriousness of that synagogue and those people, absolutely.”
In late 2005, Rabbi Saltzman proposed establishing a Canadian “sovereignty association” within the Conservative movement because of increasing ideological differences between the movement here and in the United States, where non-egalitarian congregations are more prevalent and openly gay students are admitted to Conservative rabbinical schools, a concept that became reality in 2007.
Adath Israel was one of three synagogues in Toronto that left the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism last year, although the reasons given at the time were not necessarily theological.
Rabbi Saltzman believes that in the United States, Conservative Judaism cannot “reasonably” be described as halachic. He said he considers himself Conservative.
His 20 years as senior rabbi of Adath Israel have been less about highlights than “a daily commitment to a congregation and to the people of this congregation, helping them when they have issues of life rituals, counselling, but, for the most part, teaching.
Top-of-the-list Jewish issues for him include increasing Jewish literacy – knowledge of Hebrew language, classical text and Jewish law and philosophy – as well as creating community in the synagogue.
One change he’s noted over the years is that about 60 per cent of brides and grooms whose marriages he performs have met on JDate or another online site.
The rabbi and his wife Fran – the first Jewish female officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, whom he also met on JDate and married in December 2004 – are offering a session on “Ethical Internet Dating” June 8 at the synagogue.
On June 13, when Rabbi Saltzman is honoured, Rabbi Dow Marmur, rabbi emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple, will deliver a guest sermon. A festive kiddush will also be part of the program.