I was taking part in a "Jewish Professionals" discussion forum today, in response to the following article by my teacher Professor Jack Wertheimer in Commentary Magazine: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/article/the-ten-commandments-of-americas-jews/?goback=%252Egde_45992_member_122855793 Being challenged by some on the list who were bashing all forms of non-Orthodox Judaism, I was prompted to post the following reply, after calls from a participant wanting to specifically hear from Reform and Conservative Jews about what WE were doing to ensure Jewish continuity.
I share with you here a few thoughts I added to the discussion:
To quote Abba Eban, "The Jewish people have been
dying for 3,000 years, and God-willing they will continue dying for
another 3,000 years." He also said something to the effect that every
generation of Jews have typically been convinced that they were going to
be the last.
I can only speak for Conservative Judaism. We are alive and well in Atlanta, and the movement is growing here with now 7 vital Conservative shuls. Our Yeshiva programs in Jerusalem are growing, Masorti (Conservative) synagogues in Israel are growing, and more and more native Israelis (who want nothing to do with Haredi Judaism or the corruption they see in the Israeli rabbanut) are finding their way back to Judaism through our shuls. And all this despite the rampant attempts to de-legitimize non-Orthodox Judaism in Israel and elsewhere.
So I don't think the progressive movements in Judaism are in peril of disappearing just yet. In the 1950's, demographers also predicted the demise of Orthodox Judaism. They were wrong then, and I believe they are wrong now.
Just as egalitarianism created a real boost in Jewish engagement within our movement, I believe the push for more spiritual relevancy will have a positive impact in the long run as well. This often takes place now well beyond the walls of our individual denominations. New "Indie minyanim" for those 35 and under are sprouting up everywhere, and that's just one example. So yes, Judaism is undergoing a metamorphosis, but an enlightened, progressive Judaism is still here to stay.
Just think about how much Judaism has evolved from Biblical times, to the Greco-Roman period, to the Talmudic period, middle ages and finally today. We've had our Pharisees, Saducees, Karaites, Messianic movements like Shabbatai Tzvi and part of Chabad, Hassidim, Mitnagdim, etc. Even the term "Orthodox Judaism" didn't exist until the 1800's.
Judaism is not static today, and historically speaking it never was. I say, let Orthodoxy do their thing and let us do ours, since at the end of the day we are all working to build Jewish lives and Jewish communities for the greater glory of God, Torah and Israel. (And btw, yes I spelled out G-O-D because that's not God's name. Nowhere in the Torah does it say "vayomer 'God' el Moshe").
I can only speak for Conservative Judaism. We are alive and well in Atlanta, and the movement is growing here with now 7 vital Conservative shuls. Our Yeshiva programs in Jerusalem are growing, Masorti (Conservative) synagogues in Israel are growing, and more and more native Israelis (who want nothing to do with Haredi Judaism or the corruption they see in the Israeli rabbanut) are finding their way back to Judaism through our shuls. And all this despite the rampant attempts to de-legitimize non-Orthodox Judaism in Israel and elsewhere.
So I don't think the progressive movements in Judaism are in peril of disappearing just yet. In the 1950's, demographers also predicted the demise of Orthodox Judaism. They were wrong then, and I believe they are wrong now.
Just as egalitarianism created a real boost in Jewish engagement within our movement, I believe the push for more spiritual relevancy will have a positive impact in the long run as well. This often takes place now well beyond the walls of our individual denominations. New "Indie minyanim" for those 35 and under are sprouting up everywhere, and that's just one example. So yes, Judaism is undergoing a metamorphosis, but an enlightened, progressive Judaism is still here to stay.
Just think about how much Judaism has evolved from Biblical times, to the Greco-Roman period, to the Talmudic period, middle ages and finally today. We've had our Pharisees, Saducees, Karaites, Messianic movements like Shabbatai Tzvi and part of Chabad, Hassidim, Mitnagdim, etc. Even the term "Orthodox Judaism" didn't exist until the 1800's.
Judaism is not static today, and historically speaking it never was. I say, let Orthodoxy do their thing and let us do ours, since at the end of the day we are all working to build Jewish lives and Jewish communities for the greater glory of God, Torah and Israel. (And btw, yes I spelled out G-O-D because that's not God's name. Nowhere in the Torah does it say "vayomer 'God' el Moshe").
May all of us in our own way continue to grow MeChayil L'Chayil, from strength to strength
Rav Mark
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