After scanning our local newspaper’s website for things to do on the weekend, I attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah at a Methodist church in a neighboring town. The church building was of ample size, but much of the space was given to rooms used for various activities. The section where services are conducted and where the concert took place was relatively modest in size and, in keeping with the Protestant ethic, had clean, simple lines and was pleasing to the eyes but had no elaborate decorations other than a giant gilded cross mounted on the front wall. Not being Christian, I found the cross to be rather imposing and somewhat of a distraction, but I was set on not letting that hinder my enjoyment of the concert. The area in front of the pews was not large enough to hold the approximately 100 singers, who were dressed in street clothing rather than church choir garb, so they occupied the first several rows of pews, and were organized into sections of basses, tenors, altos, and sopranos. There was also a modest orchestra of about 12 musicians.
What a concert it was! The reason that so many people like to listen to Handel’s Messiah and, especially its Hallelujah Chorus is that it is a fantastic piece of work. The two-hour performance alternated between segments by soloists (alto, soprano, bass, and tenor) and those sung by the chorus. The performance was absolutely inspiring! The four-part harmony between the choral sections was very beautiful to hear and, when the sopranos got going, they lent such an air of spirituality that it felt like their voices were projecting straight to heaven. And the last segment of the performance was the Hallelujah Chorus, that is so widely loved. The whole experience was uplifting, rewarding, and inspiring.
Appreciating a concert like that in no way made me interested in becoming Christian. I can appreciate its great beauty and inspirational qualities without feeling an attraction to the religion that sponsored such work. Over several centuries, both Protestantism and Catholicism in Europe became highly organized and wealthy religions that provided the main source of funding for the arts. Masters of the visual arts like Michelangelo and Rembrandt, and Classical composers like Bach and Beethoven were both funded and inspired by the great Christian religions of Europe. Anyone with any level of objectivity would have to agree that this combination of funding and inspiration produced some of the greatest human artistic achievements ever. Jews and others should be able to appreciate great works produced by other religions without feeling that it threatens their own identity.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Must Jews Close Themselves Off to Maintain Their Faith?
The Jewish Advocate is a weekly newspaper that publishes news relevant to Jews of eastern Massachusetts. It’s writers include those of the Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist Jewish movements as well as those of secular or ethnic Jews. The paper also publishes extensive listings of community events. One column in the paper is called “Ask the Rebbetzin.” A Rebbetzin is a rabbi’s wife who, in the orthodox tradition, has some responsibilities in religious leadership, particularly to women and girls. Rebbetzin Korff point of view appears quite orthodox and her responses to readers’ questions indicate the extent to which many Orthodox Jews feel they must distance themselves from secular society in order to avoid challenging the strength of their faith.
In a letter published in the December 10, 2010 issue of the paper, a reader queried whether there was anything wrong with listening to the Christmas carols she loves. The Rebbetzin strongly discouraged listening to the carols because they are a celebration of Christianity. In another recent response, the Rebbetzin stated that a letter-writer should not attend a non-Jewish friend’s wedding in a church because, as a non-Jewish religious ritual, it is prohibited.
I find such defensive responses repugnant. Should it be assumed that the faith of Jews is so weak that to appreciate the art and music of other cultures or to participate in major life events of non-Jewish friends is enough to make one stray from his own religion? I frankly find this abhorrent. Do you think there are any Catholics or Protestants who wouldn’t attend the wedding of Jewish friends? Even priests have been seen at bar mitzvahs. Why must we be so much less secure than everyone else? There is strength in true faith that enables one to experience and appreciate beauty created by those outside the faith without feeling threatened or becoming defensive.
In a letter published in the December 10, 2010 issue of the paper, a reader queried whether there was anything wrong with listening to the Christmas carols she loves. The Rebbetzin strongly discouraged listening to the carols because they are a celebration of Christianity. In another recent response, the Rebbetzin stated that a letter-writer should not attend a non-Jewish friend’s wedding in a church because, as a non-Jewish religious ritual, it is prohibited.
I find such defensive responses repugnant. Should it be assumed that the faith of Jews is so weak that to appreciate the art and music of other cultures or to participate in major life events of non-Jewish friends is enough to make one stray from his own religion? I frankly find this abhorrent. Do you think there are any Catholics or Protestants who wouldn’t attend the wedding of Jewish friends? Even priests have been seen at bar mitzvahs. Why must we be so much less secure than everyone else? There is strength in true faith that enables one to experience and appreciate beauty created by those outside the faith without feeling threatened or becoming defensive.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Additional Comments on "Future Tense" by Johathan Sacks
I have finished the book "Future Tense: Jews, Judaism, and Israel in the Twenty-First Century. I must say that, even though I am a secular Jew and Rabbi Sacks is a religious Orthodox Jew, I have found him to be a towering intellectual who has tremendous knowledge of philosophy, history, and the world's religions. His major points are that: 1) Orthodox Jews have been turning inward, thereby shutting themselves off from communication with the larger world. This process must be reversed to enable Jewish thought to positively influence others and to gain wisdom and friends from other groups, and 2) Non-Orthodox Jews have engaged with the outside world to the extent that their ties to Judaism have weakened and intermarriage and assimilation threaten to greatly diminish Jewish numbers.
Rabbi Sacks strongly supports the right of Israel to exist, but feels that, when the Israeli government took over the charitable and human service functions that had been performed by religious and other voluntary organizations in the Diaspora, the spiritual, religious, and emotional aspects of these activities were greatly diminished. Because Israeli Jews are, in large majority, non-religious, and assume that all they need to uphold their Jewish identity is to be Israeli, deprives them of their heritage and all the spiritual benefits and wisdom about life they can gain from their religion.
Rabbi Sacks feels that Judaism brought hope to the world. Ancient Greek culture promoted fatalism. As in the Greek tragedies, people could not escape their fate, not matter how hard they tried. However, in Judaism, there is always hope for the future, as exemplified by the belief that the Messiah will come, but hasn't come yet, and by the prayer recited over thousands of years for a return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel.
Rabbi Sacks writes so beautifully that I would be remiss not to include a few quotes from his book:
"... the Jewish people wrote a story of hope that has the power to inspire all who dare to believe that injustice and brutality are not the final word about the human condition, that faith can be more powerful than empires, that love given is not given in vain, that ideals are not illusions to give us comfort but candles to light our way along a winding road in the dark night without giving way to fear or losing a sense of direction."
"Jews have turned inwards; they need to turn outwards. They are conscious of being different, but so is every member of a minority, and in a global age every group is a minority. Our uniqueness is our universality, and it is precisely by sharing our uniquenesses that we encourage the heritage of humankind. Jews are not the only people to seek God, live lives of faith, work for the betterment of humanity or count themselves blessed by God's love. They are not alone. Jews have friends among many faiths, and among secular humanists, and they should cherish them all, making common cause with them in defence of freedom, human dignity and moral responsibility. They should not take every criticism as a form of antisemitism. They should rest secure in their unparalleled past and fact the future with vigilance but without fear."
"I have argued for a Judaism that has the courage to engage with the world and its challenges. Faith begets confidence, which creates courage. That is how Jews lived in the past and should live in the future. For they are the people of the journey to a distant destination, begun by Abraham, continued by a hundred generations of ancestors, and it still beckons, Judaism is faith in the future tense. Jews were and are still called on to be the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind."
Rabbi Sacks strongly supports the right of Israel to exist, but feels that, when the Israeli government took over the charitable and human service functions that had been performed by religious and other voluntary organizations in the Diaspora, the spiritual, religious, and emotional aspects of these activities were greatly diminished. Because Israeli Jews are, in large majority, non-religious, and assume that all they need to uphold their Jewish identity is to be Israeli, deprives them of their heritage and all the spiritual benefits and wisdom about life they can gain from their religion.
Rabbi Sacks feels that Judaism brought hope to the world. Ancient Greek culture promoted fatalism. As in the Greek tragedies, people could not escape their fate, not matter how hard they tried. However, in Judaism, there is always hope for the future, as exemplified by the belief that the Messiah will come, but hasn't come yet, and by the prayer recited over thousands of years for a return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel.
Rabbi Sacks writes so beautifully that I would be remiss not to include a few quotes from his book:
"... the Jewish people wrote a story of hope that has the power to inspire all who dare to believe that injustice and brutality are not the final word about the human condition, that faith can be more powerful than empires, that love given is not given in vain, that ideals are not illusions to give us comfort but candles to light our way along a winding road in the dark night without giving way to fear or losing a sense of direction."
"Jews have turned inwards; they need to turn outwards. They are conscious of being different, but so is every member of a minority, and in a global age every group is a minority. Our uniqueness is our universality, and it is precisely by sharing our uniquenesses that we encourage the heritage of humankind. Jews are not the only people to seek God, live lives of faith, work for the betterment of humanity or count themselves blessed by God's love. They are not alone. Jews have friends among many faiths, and among secular humanists, and they should cherish them all, making common cause with them in defence of freedom, human dignity and moral responsibility. They should not take every criticism as a form of antisemitism. They should rest secure in their unparalleled past and fact the future with vigilance but without fear."
"I have argued for a Judaism that has the courage to engage with the world and its challenges. Faith begets confidence, which creates courage. That is how Jews lived in the past and should live in the future. For they are the people of the journey to a distant destination, begun by Abraham, continued by a hundred generations of ancestors, and it still beckons, Judaism is faith in the future tense. Jews were and are still called on to be the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind."
Monday, July 26, 2010
Book - Future Tense: Jews, Judaism and Israel
I've gotten about a third of the way through the book, "Future Tense: Jews, Judaism, and Israel in the Twenty-First Century", by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the main Orthodox Jewish congregations in Great Britain. He is an impressive intellectual who cites from many Jewish and non-Jewish historical and religious sources.
Only partway through the book, I have already been enlightened by many interesting points and historical facts Rabbi Sacks brought up. For instance, he made the point that Judaism is unique among the major religions in accepting religious diversity (what he calls particularism). He states that the Torah recognizes that people of all monotheistic religions worship the same god, can be righteous, and will not have to become Jewish when the messiah comes and brings peace to the earth. This contrasts to the "universalism" of the other major religions, whose basic tenets are that all people should follow the one true faith and that an unpleasant fate awaits those who do not.
An interesting fact that Rabbi Sacks brings up is the German origin of the term, "antisemitism." This has far more than linguistic importance in that early anti-Jewish sentiments among Christians and Muslims were related to Jews' refusal to convert to what were seen as the true faiths that evolved from Judaism. The saving grace of this religion-based anti-Jewish feeling was that Jews could convert to redeem themselves. That left a way out for physical survival. However, the term "antisemitism" refers to a race of people, not a religious group. This distinction is critical, for one cannot change one's race. Thus, the "Jewish Problem" could not be solved by religious conversion. That, of course, led to the Holocaust.
Some recommendations put forth to Jews include:
Only partway through the book, I have already been enlightened by many interesting points and historical facts Rabbi Sacks brought up. For instance, he made the point that Judaism is unique among the major religions in accepting religious diversity (what he calls particularism). He states that the Torah recognizes that people of all monotheistic religions worship the same god, can be righteous, and will not have to become Jewish when the messiah comes and brings peace to the earth. This contrasts to the "universalism" of the other major religions, whose basic tenets are that all people should follow the one true faith and that an unpleasant fate awaits those who do not.
An interesting fact that Rabbi Sacks brings up is the German origin of the term, "antisemitism." This has far more than linguistic importance in that early anti-Jewish sentiments among Christians and Muslims were related to Jews' refusal to convert to what were seen as the true faiths that evolved from Judaism. The saving grace of this religion-based anti-Jewish feeling was that Jews could convert to redeem themselves. That left a way out for physical survival. However, the term "antisemitism" refers to a race of people, not a religious group. This distinction is critical, for one cannot change one's race. Thus, the "Jewish Problem" could not be solved by religious conversion. That, of course, led to the Holocaust.
Some recommendations put forth to Jews include:
- Have pride in your religion. Don't let the negative view of others define you.
- Jewish religious observance is necessary for the preservation of the Jewish People. Ethnic Judaism leads to loss of identity within 3 generations.
- Jews must not see themselves as an isolated people with no friends. It is important to establish bonds with other religions and fight discrimination against any of them.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
High Temple Membership Costs Quash Participation
A recent editorial in Newsweek by Lisa Miller, an intermarried Jew, discussed the high cost of leading a Jewish life in the United States. The cost of day school, camp, temple membership, Jewish center membership, kosher food, etc. has been pegged at $50,000-100,000 for an Orthodox family with 3 children. Such costs are staggering. However, many Orthodox families receive financial assistance from philanthropic sources.
The less religious have little help in meeting the daunting costs of Jewish life. One such cost is temple membership, which averages $1,100 annually and can be over $4,000 in large cities, where many Jews live. This represents a large portion of after-tax income, given the median gross family income of 2-child Jewish families in the U.S. of $75,000-80,000 per year. The high cost discourages Jewish families who are interested in, but not strongly committed to participation in temple life. Lisa Miller feels that the Christian church model of inviting participation, then asking for money later, allows people to become involved before making a heavy financial commitment. The success of this approach is paralleled by that of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad centers, which welcome participation without commitment. However, most Jews in the U.S. are not Orthodox and are not ready to accept the restrictions that Orthodoxy imposes on them.
Given that non-Orthodox temple membership has been steadily decreasing, a change in the financial model of temples is needed. People must be welcome to participate in temple life without making a heavy financial commitment. The Catholic model of passing around the donation plate would be a good place to start. It allows people pay what they can afford and to develop a sense of commitment that could eventually motivate them to make a larger financial contribution. The welcome must come first.
The less religious have little help in meeting the daunting costs of Jewish life. One such cost is temple membership, which averages $1,100 annually and can be over $4,000 in large cities, where many Jews live. This represents a large portion of after-tax income, given the median gross family income of 2-child Jewish families in the U.S. of $75,000-80,000 per year. The high cost discourages Jewish families who are interested in, but not strongly committed to participation in temple life. Lisa Miller feels that the Christian church model of inviting participation, then asking for money later, allows people to become involved before making a heavy financial commitment. The success of this approach is paralleled by that of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad centers, which welcome participation without commitment. However, most Jews in the U.S. are not Orthodox and are not ready to accept the restrictions that Orthodoxy imposes on them.
Given that non-Orthodox temple membership has been steadily decreasing, a change in the financial model of temples is needed. People must be welcome to participate in temple life without making a heavy financial commitment. The Catholic model of passing around the donation plate would be a good place to start. It allows people pay what they can afford and to develop a sense of commitment that could eventually motivate them to make a larger financial contribution. The welcome must come first.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Ten Jewish Perspectives on God
The book, "Finding God: Ten Jewish Responses" by Rifat Sonsino and Daniel Syme, published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1986, presents 10 different views of God by Jewish thinkers ranging from 4,000 years ago through the modern era. The aim of the book is to aid Jews who cannot accept traditional notions of god in finding a god concept they can accept within Judaism rather than seeking it within another religion. The ten views covered in the book are from:
- The bible
- Rabbinic Literature
- Philo: Spiritual Monotheism
- Maimonides: Neo-Aristotelianism
- Luria: Mysticism
- Spinoza: Pantheism
- Buber: Dialogue
- Steinberg: Limited Theism
- Kaplan: Naturalism
- Fromm: Humanism
There is a chapter on each of these views along with background on each thinker. A convenient multi-page chart in the back of the book makes it easy to determine which of the philosophies the reader is most compatible with.
One problem is that, even if the reader falls in love with one of these philosophies, there are not necessarily available Jewish congregations or organizations that follows them. We are limited to those congregations around us, which generally fall under the categories of Chasssidic, Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist, with some wiggle-room within each for congregations to develop their own personalities.
My concepts fall closest to Fromm's Humanism. However, as a true agnostic, I cannot fully accept any of the God concepts put forth in the book. As far as I can tell, we have no way of knowing whether or not God exists and what his/her/its nature would be if he/her/it does exist. That makes it impossible to adopt any philosophies that claims to know the nature of God and man's relationship to him/her/it. My instinct tells me that, if there is a God, it would not be human-like. However, I consider it possible that there is one religion that has it right, but who knows which one that would be. I would be very amused if, when I die, I find myself in a particular religion's classic concept of heaven or hell. My instinct tells me that, if there's an afterlife, it would be something we are currently incapable of understanding and likely involves achieving unity with the universe.
- The bible
- Rabbinic Literature
- Philo: Spiritual Monotheism
- Maimonides: Neo-Aristotelianism
- Luria: Mysticism
- Spinoza: Pantheism
- Buber: Dialogue
- Steinberg: Limited Theism
- Kaplan: Naturalism
- Fromm: Humanism
There is a chapter on each of these views along with background on each thinker. A convenient multi-page chart in the back of the book makes it easy to determine which of the philosophies the reader is most compatible with.
One problem is that, even if the reader falls in love with one of these philosophies, there are not necessarily available Jewish congregations or organizations that follows them. We are limited to those congregations around us, which generally fall under the categories of Chasssidic, Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist, with some wiggle-room within each for congregations to develop their own personalities.
My concepts fall closest to Fromm's Humanism. However, as a true agnostic, I cannot fully accept any of the God concepts put forth in the book. As far as I can tell, we have no way of knowing whether or not God exists and what his/her/its nature would be if he/her/it does exist. That makes it impossible to adopt any philosophies that claims to know the nature of God and man's relationship to him/her/it. My instinct tells me that, if there is a God, it would not be human-like. However, I consider it possible that there is one religion that has it right, but who knows which one that would be. I would be very amused if, when I die, I find myself in a particular religion's classic concept of heaven or hell. My instinct tells me that, if there's an afterlife, it would be something we are currently incapable of understanding and likely involves achieving unity with the universe.
Monday, March 15, 2010
"Nation of Immigrants" Seder
The Boston area is great for Jewish cultural events. If you really wanted to, you could do at least 2-3 events per week without even being a member of a temple. This past Sunday we attended the 4th annual Anti-Defamation League of New England's "A Nation of Immigrants" community seder, which was open to the public. The theme was based on an essay by John F. Kennedy in which he emphasized the positive impact immigrants have had on this country and argued for liberalizing immigration laws to end the bias towards Northern Europeans. It was an inspiring event, with about 300 people of various religions and ethnic backgrounds in attendance.
The seder was designed to maintain the basic structure of a traditional seder yet promote the relevance of its themes to all other ethnic and religious groups who meet adversity. In this sense it was a very pleasant contrast to the words found in a traditional hagadah (seder book), which tend towards the outdated and chauvinistic. The traditional hagadah talks about the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt, and thanks god for striking down our enemies and making us fruitful in multiplying. I have found this type of writing hard to swallow because 1) Jewish slavery occurred thousands of years ago, 2) any persecution the Jewish People suffered in Egypt very likely paled in comparison to the holocaust, 3) Jews outside of Israel have had a very low birthrate and our numbers are rapidly shrinking as a percentage of the U.S., European, and world population, and 4) We live in a pluralistic society, and ethnocentrism just doesn't sit well with me and a large portion of the U.S. population, particularly non-Orthodox Jews, and 5) Who really believes that the Red Sea parted?
While telling the story of the Jews escape from Egyptian slavery, the Nation of Immgrants hagadah broadened much of the language to include the redemption of a much broader range of oppressed peoples. There was multi-cultural entertainment interspersed with addresses by people of various backgrounds. The most inspiring was a woman from Honduras who was raised in a tough town in Masachusetts and found herself pregnant as a teenager and on the road to fitting the stereotype of someone from her ethnicity and class. However, she found the strength to take advantage of the opportunities that this country offers and she will be taking the bar exam shortly to fulfil her dream of becoming a lawyer who represents the disadvantaged.
Lenny Zakim was the leader of the Anti-Defamation League of New England for many years and he did tremendous work in bringing together Jews and people of other religions and ethnic groups to work on inter-group harmony and shared goals. Unfortunately he died prematurely of cancer and the beautiful Zakim bridge was named after him. The New England ADL has also been independent in its stances from the national organization, especially in regard to promoting recognition of the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Turks during WWI. An organization like the New England ADL makes me proud to be Jewish.
The seder was designed to maintain the basic structure of a traditional seder yet promote the relevance of its themes to all other ethnic and religious groups who meet adversity. In this sense it was a very pleasant contrast to the words found in a traditional hagadah (seder book), which tend towards the outdated and chauvinistic. The traditional hagadah talks about the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt, and thanks god for striking down our enemies and making us fruitful in multiplying. I have found this type of writing hard to swallow because 1) Jewish slavery occurred thousands of years ago, 2) any persecution the Jewish People suffered in Egypt very likely paled in comparison to the holocaust, 3) Jews outside of Israel have had a very low birthrate and our numbers are rapidly shrinking as a percentage of the U.S., European, and world population, and 4) We live in a pluralistic society, and ethnocentrism just doesn't sit well with me and a large portion of the U.S. population, particularly non-Orthodox Jews, and 5) Who really believes that the Red Sea parted?
While telling the story of the Jews escape from Egyptian slavery, the Nation of Immgrants hagadah broadened much of the language to include the redemption of a much broader range of oppressed peoples. There was multi-cultural entertainment interspersed with addresses by people of various backgrounds. The most inspiring was a woman from Honduras who was raised in a tough town in Masachusetts and found herself pregnant as a teenager and on the road to fitting the stereotype of someone from her ethnicity and class. However, she found the strength to take advantage of the opportunities that this country offers and she will be taking the bar exam shortly to fulfil her dream of becoming a lawyer who represents the disadvantaged.
Lenny Zakim was the leader of the Anti-Defamation League of New England for many years and he did tremendous work in bringing together Jews and people of other religions and ethnic groups to work on inter-group harmony and shared goals. Unfortunately he died prematurely of cancer and the beautiful Zakim bridge was named after him. The New England ADL has also been independent in its stances from the national organization, especially in regard to promoting recognition of the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Turks during WWI. An organization like the New England ADL makes me proud to be Jewish.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Matisyahu's "One Day"
Matisyahu makes me proud to be Jewish. Here is a religious guy from a group that is usually very separate from everyone else and whose adherents generally give the impression that they feel they know the right way and everyone else (particularly non-Chasidic Jews) is wrong. Yet he somehow manages to be very observant of his group's strict tenets yet communicates beautifully through his music and lyrics to the rest of the world, providing a message of hope and peace. Here are the lyrics and official video of "One Day." You might also like to see the video of him at the Vancouver Winter Olympics to see his immense appeal to people of all backgrounds. Matisyahu is truly fulfilling the biblical edict to Jews, "You shall be a light unto the nations."
Friday, February 12, 2010
Orthodox Jewish Laws Without Apparent Meaning
In a February 12, 2010 article in The Jewish Advocate, a Boston-area Jewish weekly, the work of a rabbi who checks for shatnez in clothing is depicted. Shatnez is the combination of wool and linen in the same garment, which is forbidden among extremely orthodox Jews. The reason for the prohibition is a biblical passage in Deuteronomy 22:11: “You shall not wear combined fibers, wool and linen together.” So the rabbi uses a microscope to examine fibers that he picks from various parts of a garment he tests. With the exception of undergarments, wigs, belts and earmuffs, no clothing may be worn until it is ruled shatnez free. That includes embroidery kits, oven mitts, blouses and baseball gloves. The rabbi states, “The mitzvah of shatnez is as important a mitzvah as ‘Do not steal,’ or ‘Love your friend as you love yourself.’
What gives here? Not combining wool and lines in clothing is just as important as loving thy neighbor or not stealing? No wonder most Jews are not Orthodox! This seem absolutely crazy. At least kosher laws have some apparent justification in being humane and promoting cleanliness. But come on now, mixing wool and linen? This is not like mixing milk and meat, which seems to be based on the callousness of washing down the meat of a calf in its mothers milk. Wool comes from the shearing, not killing, of a sheep and linen comes from a flax plant. Now what logic could there be in not mixing them? It seems like Orthodox Jews believe in following an extensive set of rules without regard to reason or benefit. This does not seem very spiritual and may even take the focus away from doing real good. The recent corruption scandal in New Jersey involving Orthodox rabbis speaks to this possibility.
What gives here? Not combining wool and lines in clothing is just as important as loving thy neighbor or not stealing? No wonder most Jews are not Orthodox! This seem absolutely crazy. At least kosher laws have some apparent justification in being humane and promoting cleanliness. But come on now, mixing wool and linen? This is not like mixing milk and meat, which seems to be based on the callousness of washing down the meat of a calf in its mothers milk. Wool comes from the shearing, not killing, of a sheep and linen comes from a flax plant. Now what logic could there be in not mixing them? It seems like Orthodox Jews believe in following an extensive set of rules without regard to reason or benefit. This does not seem very spiritual and may even take the focus away from doing real good. The recent corruption scandal in New Jersey involving Orthodox rabbis speaks to this possibility.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Jewish Neocon Issue
The February 1, 2010 issue of Newsweek magazine has a story entitled, "The Return of the Neocons" by David Margolick. Being a political observer but not a wonk, I was a bit startled to read that several of the so-called Neocons, who were key ideologists supporting the Bush 43 administration, were Jewish. They include Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, Undersecretary of Defence Douglas Feith, William Kristol of the conservative Weekly Standard, Washington Post columnists Charles Krauthammer and Robert Kagan, and Norman and John Podhoretz of Commentary magazine, among others. I find this disturbing for two reasons.
First, it is disturbing because I have viewed the neocons as somewhat evil, pushing war when it was not necessary, and I don't like to see Jewish people involved in less than laudatory activities (e.g. Bernie Madoff). It denigrates us as a people. While I detested Saddam Hussein and supported trying to depose him based on evidence of weapons of mass destruction, I later concluded that the evidence of such weapons was likely fabricated and the war was pushed through over legitimate objections. The Neocons seems to have played a key part in justifying the attack. In addition, they fostered the notion that the Iraqi people would greet us with open arms and embrace democracy. That didn't happen and it still seems likely that, without a U.S. military presence, Iraq will devolve into another anti-Western dictatorship. So where did the sacrifice of our soldiers get us?
Another strong reason to be disturbed by the fact that many Neocons are Jewish are the allegations that they have pursued aggressive and unilateral U.S. military action in the Middle East out of concern for Israeli rather than U.S. interests. If it were indeed the case, it would be quite disturbing. Indeed, there have been articles, books, and blog posts claiming that the Neocons represented a Jewish conspiracy to prompt the U.S. to act militarily in Israel's interest. Unfortunately, it is not easy to provide evidence to the contrary. How can we tell what is in someone's mind? The most solid evidence I've seen that concern for Israel's survival was not an important motivator to Jewish neocons is their consistent conservative and aggressive stances on issues unrelated to Israel. For example, William Kristol was a strong advocate for military action to save the Muslims of Kosovo by attacking the Serbian military. In addition, the major players in the aggressive and unilateral U.S. stance under Bush 43 were not Jewish. They included Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld among several others. I don't think such people would have let some conservative intellectuals dictate their policy. It is more likely that they used these men to justify policies that they already believed in.
Questions of divided loyalty always come up in politics. John Kennedy, in his campaign to become the first Catholic U.S. president, had to take pains to convince the U.S. public that he would not be beholden to the Pope. Barak Obama was elected as the first U.S. president of partial African ancestry in large part by convincing the public that he would focus on issues of importance to the entire nation rather than on predominantly black concerns.
I don't think it's bad for Jews to be represented all across the political spectrum. Why should any group toe one political line? Many Jews, Blacks, and Latinos have reasons to buck the predominately liberal outlooks and voting habits of their groups. This is a good thing. No group should be taken for granted by any political party. By the same token, no member of these groups who becomes conservative should be viewed as a traitor or self-hater. Thus, we must accept that Jews can become accomplished conservative ideologues just as they have traditionally been strongly represented in the ranks of liberal ideologues. That does not mean that they are acting out of divided loyalty. Democracy fosters the interplay of ideas. May the strongest ones predominate!
First, it is disturbing because I have viewed the neocons as somewhat evil, pushing war when it was not necessary, and I don't like to see Jewish people involved in less than laudatory activities (e.g. Bernie Madoff). It denigrates us as a people. While I detested Saddam Hussein and supported trying to depose him based on evidence of weapons of mass destruction, I later concluded that the evidence of such weapons was likely fabricated and the war was pushed through over legitimate objections. The Neocons seems to have played a key part in justifying the attack. In addition, they fostered the notion that the Iraqi people would greet us with open arms and embrace democracy. That didn't happen and it still seems likely that, without a U.S. military presence, Iraq will devolve into another anti-Western dictatorship. So where did the sacrifice of our soldiers get us?
Another strong reason to be disturbed by the fact that many Neocons are Jewish are the allegations that they have pursued aggressive and unilateral U.S. military action in the Middle East out of concern for Israeli rather than U.S. interests. If it were indeed the case, it would be quite disturbing. Indeed, there have been articles, books, and blog posts claiming that the Neocons represented a Jewish conspiracy to prompt the U.S. to act militarily in Israel's interest. Unfortunately, it is not easy to provide evidence to the contrary. How can we tell what is in someone's mind? The most solid evidence I've seen that concern for Israel's survival was not an important motivator to Jewish neocons is their consistent conservative and aggressive stances on issues unrelated to Israel. For example, William Kristol was a strong advocate for military action to save the Muslims of Kosovo by attacking the Serbian military. In addition, the major players in the aggressive and unilateral U.S. stance under Bush 43 were not Jewish. They included Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld among several others. I don't think such people would have let some conservative intellectuals dictate their policy. It is more likely that they used these men to justify policies that they already believed in.
Questions of divided loyalty always come up in politics. John Kennedy, in his campaign to become the first Catholic U.S. president, had to take pains to convince the U.S. public that he would not be beholden to the Pope. Barak Obama was elected as the first U.S. president of partial African ancestry in large part by convincing the public that he would focus on issues of importance to the entire nation rather than on predominantly black concerns.
I don't think it's bad for Jews to be represented all across the political spectrum. Why should any group toe one political line? Many Jews, Blacks, and Latinos have reasons to buck the predominately liberal outlooks and voting habits of their groups. This is a good thing. No group should be taken for granted by any political party. By the same token, no member of these groups who becomes conservative should be viewed as a traitor or self-hater. Thus, we must accept that Jews can become accomplished conservative ideologues just as they have traditionally been strongly represented in the ranks of liberal ideologues. That does not mean that they are acting out of divided loyalty. Democracy fosters the interplay of ideas. May the strongest ones predominate!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Jewish Pride
Writing this blog has allowed me to vent some of my resentments about organized Judaism and to largely get past them. I have since had a much more positive outlook on my Jewishness and Judaism in general. While not a member of a temple, I have engaged in some of the many Jewish activities available in the Boston area and they have been enjoyable.
A recent article published in the NY Times made me feel proud to be Jewish. It stated that "Jews make up 0.2 percent of the world population, but 54 percent of the world chess champions, 27 percent of the Nobel physics laureates and 31 percent of the medicine laureates." In addition, "Jews make up 2 percent of the U.S. population, but 21 percent of the Ivy League student bodies, 26 percent of the Kennedy Center honorees, 37 percent of the Academy Award-winning directors, 38 percent of those on a recent Business Week list of leading philanthropists, 51 percent of the Pulitzer Prize winners for nonfiction."
As to Israel, “Tel Aviv has become one of the world’s foremost entrepreneurial hot spots. Israel has more high-tech start-ups per capita than any other nation on earth, by far. It leads the world in civilian research-and-development spending per capita. It ranks second behind the U.S. in the number of companies listed on the Nasdaq. Israel, with seven million people, attracts as much venture capital as France and Germany combined."
These accomplishments are a source of pride, Yet it would be a delusion to think that Jews are better at everything. Certainly, a majority of the world’s accomplishments are by non-Jews. However, it’s nice to know we make such an outsized contribution relative to our numbers. I'm also proud that Israel has proven that Jews are quite capable of defending themselves. That contrasts sharply with the image of Jews in the Diaspora, who have seemed so helpless when attacked.
Matisyahu has been another source of Jewish pride. It was great to hear him sing “One Day” in the TV ad for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He sings well and the lyrics promote world peace and general optimism. Matisyahu's music video has the full song. His music shows that Jews can "be cool" and reach out to people all over the globe. This notion was also reinforced by the amazing performance of the Israeli Defense Forces in setting up an effective and efficient field hospital within 48 hours of the earthquake in Haiti, far faster than any other country.
A recent article published in the NY Times made me feel proud to be Jewish. It stated that "Jews make up 0.2 percent of the world population, but 54 percent of the world chess champions, 27 percent of the Nobel physics laureates and 31 percent of the medicine laureates." In addition, "Jews make up 2 percent of the U.S. population, but 21 percent of the Ivy League student bodies, 26 percent of the Kennedy Center honorees, 37 percent of the Academy Award-winning directors, 38 percent of those on a recent Business Week list of leading philanthropists, 51 percent of the Pulitzer Prize winners for nonfiction."
As to Israel, “Tel Aviv has become one of the world’s foremost entrepreneurial hot spots. Israel has more high-tech start-ups per capita than any other nation on earth, by far. It leads the world in civilian research-and-development spending per capita. It ranks second behind the U.S. in the number of companies listed on the Nasdaq. Israel, with seven million people, attracts as much venture capital as France and Germany combined."
These accomplishments are a source of pride, Yet it would be a delusion to think that Jews are better at everything. Certainly, a majority of the world’s accomplishments are by non-Jews. However, it’s nice to know we make such an outsized contribution relative to our numbers. I'm also proud that Israel has proven that Jews are quite capable of defending themselves. That contrasts sharply with the image of Jews in the Diaspora, who have seemed so helpless when attacked.
Matisyahu has been another source of Jewish pride. It was great to hear him sing “One Day” in the TV ad for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He sings well and the lyrics promote world peace and general optimism. Matisyahu's music video has the full song. His music shows that Jews can "be cool" and reach out to people all over the globe. This notion was also reinforced by the amazing performance of the Israeli Defense Forces in setting up an effective and efficient field hospital within 48 hours of the earthquake in Haiti, far faster than any other country.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Relatively Few Jews Identify Themselves as Religious
A Jan 8, 2010 article in The Jewish Advocate, a Massachusetts weekly newspaper, described a Pew Research Center poll of 35,000 Americans concerning their religiosity. The 6 New England states plus Alaska had the lowest percentages of people (36-44%) who felt that religion was very important in their lives. In contrast, the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee had the highest percentages of religious people (72-82%). Jews were lower is religiosity than Americans overall. The following percentages compare Jews to Americans overall:
Certainty of God's existence: 41% vs 71%
Religion is very important in life: 31% vs 56%
Attend weekly religious services: 10% vs 39%
Their religion is the one true faith: 5% vs 24%
Pray daily: 26% vs 58%
College graduates: 59% vs 27%
Family income above $100,000: 46% vs 18%
What this seems to boil down to is relatively low religiosity among Jews. Judaism appears to have a strong strain of rationalism as opposed to spirituality, that probably has some historical basis, with roots in the religion itself. This rationalism has led to some highly influential theorists like Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx, and also led to great achievements in science, medicine, and literature. It has also led to a questioning of religious tenets. That, and the low birthrate of Jews in the U.S. raise the question of whether Judaism will eventually become the tiniest of minorities within the U.S., populated only by the ultra-Orthodox.
Certainty of God's existence: 41% vs 71%
Religion is very important in life: 31% vs 56%
Attend weekly religious services: 10% vs 39%
Their religion is the one true faith: 5% vs 24%
Pray daily: 26% vs 58%
College graduates: 59% vs 27%
Family income above $100,000: 46% vs 18%
What this seems to boil down to is relatively low religiosity among Jews. Judaism appears to have a strong strain of rationalism as opposed to spirituality, that probably has some historical basis, with roots in the religion itself. This rationalism has led to some highly influential theorists like Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx, and also led to great achievements in science, medicine, and literature. It has also led to a questioning of religious tenets. That, and the low birthrate of Jews in the U.S. raise the question of whether Judaism will eventually become the tiniest of minorities within the U.S., populated only by the ultra-Orthodox.
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