Code of Ethics
BHC’s Code of Ethics incorporates seven fundamental principles:
- BHC is a place of belonging for all members, staff and guests;
- All discussions at BHC must be based upon the principle of civil discourse;
- Respect for personal safety and boundaries;
- Maintaining the confidentiality of all private personal information in the possession of the Congregation;
- Congregational leadership acting in an open and transparent manner;
- Congregants, clergy, and staff shall act solely in the Congregation’s best interest in all interactions with or on behalf of the Congregation, avoiding even the appearance of any impropriety; and
- Employment practices at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation shall be conducted in an ethical manner, consistent with applicable laws and Jewish values.
Adopted on January 8, 2024, BHC created the Code of Ethics in response to an initiative of the Union of Reform Judaism.
There are two additional components which are integral to the Code of Ethics. One is a Commentary which provides additional detail and guidance about the provisions of the Code. The other is Procedures for implementing and enforcing the Code of Ethics. The Procedures provide a mechanism for obtaining guidance on ethical issues and for addressing and resolving allegations of Code of Ethics violations in a fair and consistent manner, with due process to all parties involved in any allegations of an Ethics Code violation.
The initial 2024-5 members of the Ethics Committee are: John Singer (chair, Board Member and the Congregation’s designated Ethics Official), ML Doff and Sarah David. If you have general questions about the Ethics Code please contact a member of the Ethics Committee, Congregation president Linda Nathan, either of the Rabbis, or Executive Director Scott Katz. If you would like guidance on how the Ethics Code may apply to specific situations or have concerns about potential violations of the Code of Ethics, please contact John Singer, Linda Nathan, either of the Rabbis, or Scott Katz.
Ethics Code: Link
Ethics Commentary: Link
Ethics Committee Procedures: Link
All questions, comments, inquiries and complaints concerning the Ethics Code can be confidentially directed to BHC’s Ethics Hotline at: ethics@baltimorehebrew.org.
