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| Rabbinical students at Hebrew Union College (Tablet) |
No one is being exterminated. No Jew is being persecuted. No Jew is being sent to Auschwitz . There are no mass Jewish graves. But if the current trajectory of Jews abandoning their Judaism continues, then American Jewry as we know it may be lost.
Ironically the freedom that makes this country so great is in large part why there is this mass exodus. Since the destruction of the 2nd Temple, Jews have never had it so good. That makes assimilation easy and attractive. Without any real and sustained Jewish upbringing or education, ignorance of one’s Jewish heritage ensues. And easily replaced with the inviting assimilationist culture (and its values) in which one lives. There has been no better enticement out of our Jewish heritage that the freedom this country has given our people.
Even the uptick in antisemitism of the last few of years has not dampened the extent of the broad based acceptance Jews now have among the vast majority of Americans. To cite an example of this, the idea of a Christian marrying a Jew is so accepted that it is practically celebrated. Who can forget the celebratory atmosphere at the intermarriage of American ‘royalty’ - Chelsea Clinton to an identifiable Jew. In a ceremony filled with Jewish symbolism. To the great delight of the mainstream media,
But that event should be mourned. Not celebrated. It is indicative of the over 70% intermarriage rate.
That said, I do not see the demise of heterodoxy as tragic at all. Although they are not directly responsible for the great decline in their numbers, they have greatly contributed it. Not that this was their intent. In fact it was the opposite of their intent. As indicted by the very name used by one of heterodox denomination, Conservative Judaism. The idea was to conserve Judaism. Not to undermine it.
But undermine it they did by de-emphasizing Mitzvah observance since most of their members were not all that observant. In an attempt to keep them coming to the synagogue they focused almost exclusively on Judaism’s ethical side. In many cases ignoring th importance of ritual observance.(Perhaps out of fear that it would turn off the attendees.) But ethics are not an exclusively Jewish trait. Which ultimately made some of their especially younger members wonder what the point of being Jewish really is?
Is there any wonder why there is this high level of decline? if there is no substance to ones Judiaism other than the ethics often preached from the pulpit why would any Jew even think about keeping Kosher? Or Shabbos? Or Taharas HaMishpacha (if they even know what that is)? Of what need are rabbis?
Indeed there is yet another article lamenting the decline in enrollment in heteredox rsabbinc schools. From Tablet:
When Rabbi Irwin Kula attended the Jewish Theological Seminary Rabbinical School 40-plus years ago, his studies emphasized a text-based, academic approach. And when he was ordained in 1982, most of his class of approximately 40 rabbinical graduates—all white and male—took pulpit jobs.In spring 2023, JTS plans to ordain 12 rabbis and three cantors…
The current first-year class at the Conservative seminary is even smaller, consisting of seven rabbinical and five cantorial students. Nor is JTS alone. Non-Orthodox rabbinical schools across America are experiencing a significant decline in enrollment…
Interestingly these enrolment numbers are so low, that even with the decline in their members the demand for rabbis is greater than the supply.
That synagogue attendance is in decline is not new. It has been on a downward spiral for some time now. In recent years, the number of heterodox synagogues in greater Chicago shutting their doors or merging with other synagogues is huge. (All while the number of Orthodox synagogues in greater Chicago seem to be increasing exponentially!)
But then there is the following suggestion about how to turn things around from E Jewish Philanthropy:
“People are engaging with religion in a much broader way than they used to, congregational attendance has declined, and affiliation is decreasing,” said Wendy Cadge, founder of the Chaplain Innovation Lab, Barbara Mandel Professor of Humanistic Social Sciences and professor of sociology at Brandeis University, and co-author with Shelly Rambo of the book Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Twenty-First Century. “Rather than going to congregations, people are engaging in online groups, listening to podcasts, and spiritual entrepreneurs are making their resources available in different ways.”
Is this the salvation that many of us have hoped for? Hardly. But that is in fact what Emeritus Professor Steven Windmueller of Hebrew Union College thinks. He spells out a variety of ways in which Jews can ‘reimagine’ their Judaism. How sad it is that the only way heterodox rabbis believe they can save Judaism is by changing how we encounter it. Here is one of the many ideas he lists:
The growing presence of Jews of color and the significantly high intermarriage rate are contributing to the increased diversity of America’s Jews. Inclusion will be a major theme in connection with 21st-century Jewish organizing.
Does he really think that inclusion of intermarried couples will perpetuate Judaism into the future? He believes that a child of a Jewish father and non Jewish mother can still be defined as Jewish simply by identifying as such. But that is as ridiculous as a man becoming a woman simply by identifying as such. One can have compassion for people with gender dysphoria. But a man is not a woman just because they identify as one.
There is really only one way to perpetuate Judaism. I have said it before and I will say it again. It is called Jewish education. Without being educated about what Judaism actually is – there is little hope of perpetuating it at all, Without the substantive differences that makes a Jew unique from their fellow man, they are all just fellow human beings. A real Jewish identity only happens with a Jewish education. Which must include being raised by parents that practice what that education teaches their children. Preferably in an environment of likeminded peers. Both at home and in school.
If only all of these ‘experts’ would use their own imagination to realize what a Jewish education would mean for a Jewish future. then, maybe we could begin to turn things around. At least a little bit.