Who likes weakness?

Growing up in the United States, the most powerful country in the world, tends to inculcate a feeling of power among its citizens. Most Americans, even those who criticize or protest against the more internationally assertive policies of our nation, come to enjoy, to varying degrees, the feelings of strength associated with being a part of a country unsurpassed economically, militarily, academically, creatively, and in many other ways. The United States, with all its warts and the major setback of the George W. Bush administration, remains a light unto the nations. In contrast, Judaism is the smallest of the "major" religions. In fact, its appelation as a major religion is more due to its historical position as a promoter of monotheism and a precursor to Christianity than to its current presence in the world. The entire Jewish population of 14 million represents one-fifth of one percent of the world's people. By adherents, Judaism ranks 14th among world religions, not only behind Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, but behind the likes of Sikhism and Juche as well. Not only is Judaism very small in number of adherents, but it is declining as a percentage of the world population with a 0.3% rate of growth compared to a world growth rate of 1.4%. One study predicted that the Jewish population of the United States would decline by a third within 80 years, given the current low Jewish fertility rate and migration patterns. All this leads to an American Jewish identity conflict. Feelings of being a member of an immensly powerful nation contrast strongly with feelings of being part of a small minority group, weak in numbers if not in accomplishment, and persecuted throughout recorded history. And there is considerable evidence of continued negative views towards Jews that will very likely persist into the foreseeable future. In addition to increasing physical attacks on Jews in Europe, a recent survey shows strong negative attitudes towards Jews in several European countries. The weak position of the Jewish people is largely due to its small numbers, which is in turn related to current religious policies that keep it small. The first is the Jewish Orthodox and Conservative tenet of matrilineal Jewish identification that excludes those with Jewish fathers from being considered Jewish without a formal, lengthy, and difficult conversion process. This also affects adoptees whose birth-mothers are not Jewish, even if the child is raised from infancy in the Jewish faith. The difficult conversion process also discourages other people who might be interested in Judaism from becoming part of it. Contrast this with the Christian churches whose affiliation requires no more than accepting Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior, and a brief baptism ceremony. Thus, Jewish religious policies perpetuate the numerical weakness of the Jewish people. It's thus not surprising that many Jews have a conflict between their identity as strong Americans and weak Jews. If Judaism is to survive and flourish, it will have to become more inclusionary. After all, the existing exclusionary policies do not date back to the bible, but were developed by rabbinical scholars well into the modern era.

Jewish Identity

A nice article on Jewish identity.

BlueFoodBlog: Are you Jewish?

BlueFoodBlog: Are you Jewish?

The bond among various kinds of Jews

The Jewish people is widely diverse, being made up of those who are members of synagogues and temples (Chasidic, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, or Reconstructionist), those who are not affiliated but practice Judaism individually or in small groups, and ethnic Jews who have a Jewish identity even though they are atheist, agnostic, or practice another form of spirituality, such as Buddhism or even Christianity. The latter group raises hackles among many Jews because Jews practicing other religions are usually regarded as apostates who disguise themselves as Jews in order to bring more Jews into the fold of their new-found religion. This is reflected in the bitterness frequently expressed against "Jews for Jesus."
So what binds this diverse group of Jews together?
1) Genetic relatedness - ("flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood"). Though genetically diverse, Jewish ancestry has been traced via the Y-chromosome. It is human nature to feel a degree of relatedness to those sharing one's genes. Evolutionary theory posits that we have an instinct to preserve and proliferate our genetic stock.
2) Shared history - Unfortunately, much of this shared history is negative and dates back thousands of years to include: serial conquests of what is now Israel by several different empires, capped by mass expulsion from the land; dispersion into countries in which they were weak, frequently persecuted minorities; and the massive genocide of the Holocaust. Yet some of the shared history is positive, such as the tradition of learning, intellectuality, and critical thinking both within and without the religious context (e.g. the great rabbis vs. Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud). Marx, the noted theorist behind Communism, actually came from a long line of rabbis. It is unfortunate that much of the identity of ethnic Jews centers around the Holocaust, while religious Jews have many more positive associations with their Jewishness.
3) Concern for Israel and Jewish survival - Most Jews, whether religious or ethnic, are concerned about the physical survival of the Jewish people. While it is true that there is an element of liberal Jews that condemns the state of Israel for its "aggression", even they usually have a gut-level concern for the physical survival of the Jewish people. Such liberal Jews are generally against any kind of war or violence and have the idealistic view that all people of the world can live together peacefully if they only try to understand each other.
4) Shared outlook - Because of their acculturation, Jews often have similar world views even if they vary greatly in their religiosity. Jews tend to be politically liberal and have most often voted for Democratic candidates for political office. Three quarters of Jews in the U.S. self-identify as moderates or liberals and only 19% voted for Bush in the 2000 elections. Jews in the U.S., whether religious or ethnic, have favored careers in science, medicine, education, and business while avoiding occupations such as construction, other manual trades and the military. Some of these cultural predilections may have their source in the Jewish religion, while others may have developed independent of religion, as they have for all groups of people who have lived somewhat separate lives from other groups around them.

Is there a spirituality gene?

I wonder if there is a spirituality gene. It seems as if there are a great number of people who are programmed to believe in god and in the tenets of their religion. It also seems as if there are a smaller number of people who are programmed to question beliefs and want evidence before they believe in something. It seems quite obvious that we can neither prove or disprove the existence of god or that one religion is right and all the rest are wrong. However, people who have an innate inclination towards spirituality don't seem to mind the lack of evidence and are perfectly content to rely on faith. On the other hand, there are scientifically-oriented people, some of whom are considered great geniuses, who believe there is no god. However, their atheistic beliefs are no more logical or evidence-based than is the belief in god. So both are religious in a sense, basing their conclusions on gut feelings and innate spirituality or lack thereof. Are these inclinations genetically based? Probably to some extent. No doubt the strength of one's education or indoctrination can contribute to the strength of one's beliefs. However, there also seem to be clear individual differences as to whether one is inclined to see everything in the context of god and religion or in terms of random development within the laws of nature. There is mounting evidence that personality is strongly influenced by genes. So, my guess is that there exists a spirituality gene. As an example, my sister's friend lost a son in a motor-scooter accident. The parents were devastated, but got great support from the congregation of the Jewish temple to which they belonged, which helped them recover as best as possible from their tragic loss. My sister, who is a prominent physician, said that she sometimes wishes she could believe in god and religion because she would welcome that kind of support if needed, but try as she may, she just can't do it. And she is the granddaughter of a rabbi. I feel the same way. I just can't believe or disbelieve in god, no matter how much I think I might benefit from it. It's just against my nature. Neither can I believe that any particular religion is the true right one.

Challenging Jewish matrilineal descent

I am a Jewish man married to a non-Jewish woman, and resent the fact that Orthodox and Conservative Judaism would require my offspring to be converted in order to be considered Jewish. As far as I'm concerned, if my children feel Jewish, they are Jewish. In actuality, there is no biblical basis for the matrilineal dictate. In biblical times many Jewish men married non-Jews, and the religion of their children was passed by the father. Judah, Joseph, Moses, David, and Solomon all married non-Jewish women, and their children were obviously accepted as Jews. In addition, passing of the status of Kohen continues to be patrilineal. The rabbinical switch to matrilineal identification occurred around 70 AD, around the destruction of the second great Jewish temple, and may have been intended to identify the children of raped Jewish women as Jewish. However, the rabbinical justification of matrilineality is based on a weak and convoluted interpretation of a bible passage banning intermarriage. Fortunately, both Reformed and Reconstructionist Judaism have come to accept patrilineal as well as matrilineal descent as a basis for Jewish identity and even accept as Jews adopted children raised to be Jewish, even when the religion of the children's parents is non-Jewish or unknown. The matrilineal rule is one factor that has kept the Jewish people small in number and weak. As an American, I have enjoyed growing up with a feeling of strength as part of my identity. I find no joy in feeling weak. I feel that if the Jewish people are to survive and thrive, it must make some changes, a major one being abandonment of the antiquated rule of matrilineal identification. It is unfortunate that Israel uses that rule because its small religious minority elects parliamentarians who form a swing vote almost always needed to form a government. Therefore, Orthodox rabbis have inordinate power in Israel over identifying who is considered a Jew. I would like to see the authority over Jewish issues in Israel shared over all the branches of organized Judaism, which would allow people to be accepted as Jewish according to the Reformed and Reconstructionist interpretations.

Israel and the ethnic Jew

As an ethnic Jew, I am 100% in support of Israel's right to survive as a Jewish state. In it's efforts to survive and thrive, Israel sometimes makes mistakes, just as any country does. The Arabs have several Arab states and no-one seems to question their legitimacy. Why can't Jews have a state of their own? It appears that people just accept it as a fact that Arab countries are under all-Arab and mostly totalitarian control, with rampant persecution of non-Arabs and non-Muslims. However, Israel, which includes Arab members of parliament and gives indiginous Arabs virtually all citizenship rights except military service, seems to be judged much more harshly. Europeans, who have been shown in a recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League to harbor considerable antisemitism, seem to expect Israel to allow any Palestinian Arab who wants to move to Israel to be allowed to do so and be given full citizenship rights. That would be the end of Israel as a Jewish state as Arabs would quickly outnumber Jews. A state controlled by Jews is the best way for the Jewish people to ensure its survival. If an ill wind blows in other nations, a Jewish Israel will always provide a haven for Jews who have to escape persecution. In Europe during the diaspora, the Jewish people became a passive lot, almost totally incapable of mounting its own defense. In contrast, Israelis have developed a strong culture of self-defense and have become very adept militarily. As to who has a right to the land of Israel and its surroundings, the answer is whoever has the strength to fight for it and defend it. It's as simple as that. The land has been fought over for thousands of years and control over it has changed hands many, many times. There is no disputing that both Jews and non-Jews have lived there for millenia and control of the land has always been a matter of military strength. So why should that be different now? Arabs and Jews will always dispute ownership of the land, so control of it via military strength is the only option. Most Israelis have accepted the unfortunate fact that they will always have to fight for their land. Better to fight and lose some loved ones than to go to the slaughter like cattle.

The failings of my Jewish education

I attended public elementary school in Brooklyn, NY. At that time, all students had the option of leaving public school early to attend religious instruction twice a week. I, and many other children, both Jewish and Catholic (Protestants were non-existent or invisible) participated in this program. The religious instruction at our local synagogue was a disaster. We received no teaching in Jewish law or ethics, and none in the Hebrew language. Our entire instruction consisted of sitting at a desk and listening to a rabbi translate bible passages phrase by phrase, without any interpretation whatsoever of the significance of any of the text. This was, of course, extremely tedious to the kids, and we paid minimal attention. If this was intended to teach us anything about the Jewish religion, it failed miserably. If the intention was to teach us the Hebrew language, it also failed miserably. I don't remember much more than "Vayomer - he said" and "Melech Yisrael - King of Israel." How could anyone in his right mind consider this a Jewish education?

A brief background of my famly's Jewishness

NOTE: The names below have been changed to allow the narration to be as open and frank as possible without threatening the privacy of anyone mentioned therein.
My grandfather, Saul, was a rabbi who came to the U.S. in the early 1900s. From what I've heard, he was originally Chasidic, but became modern orthodox after he arrived in New York. He had 5 daughters and a son. He organized the building of a synagogue in Brooklyn, NY in a Jewish/Catholic residential neighborhood of mostly 2-family homes with well-kept small gardens in front and small backyards. The rabbi was a very kind and gentle man. His household was run by his gritty and rough third wife (the other 2 died prematurely) who was not the mother of any of his children. It is striking that, of the rabbi's 6 children, only 1 remained deeply immersed in Jewish life when she reached adulthood. And she did mainly because she married a young, dashing rabbi from California. She moved west with him and had 3 children and 12 grandchildren, most of whom have stayed religious. Her only son, Edwin, became a rabbi, more orthodox than his father, a somewhat laid-back othodox rabbi who wore light-colored, fashionable suits and shoes, while Edwin has a beard and wears only dark suits. All of rabbi Saul's children attended public school, and that may have been the start of their drift from orthodoxy. It has been conjectured that Saul really didn't mind the shift because, if his 5 daughers remained religious, their educational and career options would have been very limited. The 4 youngest daughters were attractive and highly intelligent, and the rabbi may not have wanted to have their future's stifled by being boxed into the traditional role of religious Jewish women. Thus, these 4 daughters all attended college and some attended graduate school. The rabbi's oldest daughter from his first marriage and his son were not as brilliant as their 4 youngest sisters or educationally motivated. It's all conjecture at this point, because no-one can go back and read rabbi Saul's mind. However, it seems that, even though he was very religiously observant himself, he was ambivalent about having his children grow up with all the restrictions of the religous Jewish world. So, by not insisting that they be educated in yeshivas or strictly follow Jewish laws and customs, he passively let them drift away from orthodoxy. With all due respect, financial constraints may have also been a factor in Saul's not sending his children to yeshivas. Yet it seems that, if he really wanted to, he could have found a way.

Can the Jewish people continue with minimal religious involvement?

The Jewish people probably cannot continue as an identifiable group without significant religious involvement. This was not generally the case before the middle of the 20th century because Jews were clearly defined as "different" whether or not they observed any religious practices. They were Jews whether or not they wanted to be and they often lived in enclaves separated from the indigenous population. The inability of Jews to merge into the broader society was made brutally clear when even fully acculturated Jews in Germany, including those who had converted to Christianity, were arrested and murdered if they had a single Jewish grandparent. However, since WWII, and particularly in the United States, Judaism is being killed by kindness. Jews are widely accepted by non-Jews as both friends and as marital partners. Thus, if a person who identifies with Jews as a people, but feels religion is of little importance, marries a non-Jew, their children are less likely than their Jewish parent to feel ethnically Jewish and even less likely to feel they are Jewish by religion. If the non-Jewish spouse is more religious than the Jewish one, the former's religious identity is more likely to be passed on to the children.
Most Israelis are not religious, yet they can easily feel ethnically Jewish because they live in the Jewish state. However, even such Israelis seem to know that, without the religion, Judaism as a peoplehood cannot and will not continue to exist. This is made obvious by the special privileges given to the small ultra-orthodox percentage of the population, e.g. exemption from military service and generous welfare benefits. The non-religious Jews are willing to sacrifice financially and risk life-and-limb to allow the religious core to survive and thrive, because they know that, without the core, the apple will die.