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| Am Echad United's Dr. Irving Lebovics (Mishpacha) |
Achdus is a goal that seems to be more elusive than ever. Needless to say the disparity between diffent strata of the Jewish people is immense. The chasm between the most extreme segments of our people is unbridgeable. Devout Jews and secular Jews with little serious Jewish content in their lives have less in common than ether has with Evangelical Christians. Unity between these two groups is about as likely as unity between Christians and Satmar.
I would extend that same assessment to heterodoxy and Orthodoxy. Not gonna happen. Whether there should be interaction between us on matters of public concern affecting the Jewish people is another subject. (As a practical matter I think we should as did Rav Soloveitchik.) We will not however unite in a common bond with similar values. It is impossible for Orthodox Jews who believe in the inviolability of Halacha - Torah and rabbinic law - to unite with Jewish movements that either reject or distort what Halacha is.
This does not mean we shouldn’t interact with our fellow Jews that are not Orthodox or not observant in any way. Quite the opposite. We must interact with them as individuals. And demonstrate what it means to be observant. Not in any direct way which is counterproductive. But in friendship as models of behavior to emulate or at least to respect. If for no other reason than to stop the hemorrhaging of Jews out of Judaism that has become so rampant in our day.
But the abovementioned religious impediments make Jewish unity between heterodoxy and Orthodoxy an unreachable goal. But what about Orthodox Jews? Is unity possible there?
Possible? Yes, in theory. But as time passes, even this goal seems elusive. Just to note one obvious obstacle: Religious Zionists and Satmar could never be united. Does that mean that no Orthodox groups can unite? I have long argued that not only is that possible, but with a little bit of effort and tolerance, we can and we should. There is no reason that modern Orthodox Jews on the right (Centrists) and moderate Charedim cannot unite in common cause. Both communities are fully observant and differ only in matters of Hashkafa. While we disagree on those matters, each side can respect the other and be one people – united as observant Jews.
This is already happening on an informal social level. At least here in Chicago. We all live together in the same neighborhoods. We often Daven in the same shuls, and interact socially in a variety of ways. This phenomenon includes Centrists, Mizrachi (Religious Zionists), moderate Chasidim and non Chasidic Lithuanian type Charedim.
Much as I would like to, I do not include the more extreme segments of Orthodoxy on the right or the left. There are too many problems with both – for entirely different reasons - that makes unity a practical impossibility. But for the rest of us - there is no organization that we can call home. No organization that represents Achdus among observant Jews. Which is a very sad commentary on contemporary observant Jewish life.
As I always say, there is far more that unites us than what divides us. Why can’t we just unite under an umbrella organization that includes observant Jews of varying Hashkafos?
This question brings me to an article in Mishpacha Magazineby Jonathan Rosenblum. Back in 1997, Agudah’s executive vice president, the late Rabbi Moshe Sherer founded an organization for precisely that purpose. Am Echad was created as an organization that would unite disparate Orthodox organizations. It was an independent organization - not connected in any way to Agudah.
Even though Rabbi Sherer was a Kanoi - a zealous advocate - for the ‘Daas Torah’ philosophy of Agudah, he recognized that differences with more Centrist and other observant groups like the OU, and Young Israel as well as Chabad, did not preclude unity between us. A unity that would have benefits for observant Jewry by the mere fact that they would be united in common cause on issues that affect the greater Jewish world. we would all be promoting and fighting for the same religious values. (Although Am Echad did not include Mizrachi, there is no reason it shouldn’t have.)
It was a great idea, but it ever really went anywhere. After Rabbi Sherer’s death, Am Echad seemed to die a quiet death too. But it has been resurrected. And headed by Dr. Irving Lebovics in America and Lea Ahroni in Israel.
They were motivated by what they perceived was a distorted view that secular Israelis have of Orthodox Jewry. (Largely the fault of Charedi politicians which in my Which was exacerbated by a secular Jewish media that heard only one voice. The heterodox one.)
The issues they now deal with are issues I have discussed here many times and largely agree with.
I hope Am Echad United fulfils its potential as a uniting force in observant Judaism. And succeeds in their goal of projecting a more accurate and positive view of Orthodox Jews. Which is that as a group we are warm and welcoming to all Jews regardless of background – without being judgmental about their secular lifestyles.
Hopefully they will expand their reach to include speaking with one voice about condemning the evildoers among us that on the surface seem like devoutly religious Jews. And that they recognize the scourge of sexual abuse among our own and condemn not only the ‘religious’ Jews guilty of that, but also those that enable or defend them.
That would be a good start. Will they succeed? Or will our Hashkfic differences eventually get in the way? I hope not. Only time will tell.