Lessons in Jewish Continuity
Kehillat Beth Israel, Ottawa’s Conservative synagogue, hosted a fascinating panel on “Rabbis and the Future of Judaism” this past week. In it, historian Jack Wertheimer laid out three reasons for “defection” from the Conservative Movement:
Absent intensive and immersive Jewish education and social experiences, it is highly unlikely that someone would grow up to join a Conservative synagogue. This is because services in such synagogues are long, conducted primarily in Hebrew, with liturgy that seems alien. unless one already has the skills and knowledge to appreciate it.
The movement’s refusal to sanction intermarriage pushes away not only those who wish to marry a non-Jewish partner, but often their families as well. Accepting intermarriage would not necessarily keep those who wish to marry non-Jews in the Movement (since Prof. Wertheimer felt it unlikely that a non-Jewish partner would choose long, Hebrew services over more liberal equivalents) but it would likely retain the parents.
In general, society is turning against institutions and increasing the value placed on individualism. Hence there is rising success within non-denominational institutions that otherwise would seem to fit within a Conservative framework.
In my life, I have encountered all three of these types of “defectors” from Conservative Judaism, but I couldn’t help but feel that there was a category that was missing: those like me who were inspired to take on greater levels of observance not despite growing up Conservative but because of it. All of the messaging in Hebrew School, Camp Ramah, USY, Masorti on Campus, and beyond was that observing Shabbat and Kashrut seriously were of the utmost importance. And yet when I started doing so, I found no support (either by peers or lay-leaders) within the Movement itself. So when needing to choose between my denominational identity and my religious observance, it was the former that I felt compelled to give up.
I recently found that in 2008, just a year before my Bar-Mitzvah at the Fair Lawn Jewish Center, Rabbi Baruch Friedman-Kohl of Toronto’s Beth Tzedec Congregation and now temporarily at KBI in Ottawa almost prophetically wrote that “as a more liberal conception of Jewish law establishes itself in the Conservative movement, such a development will have a long term impact on whether traditionalists will remain part of the movement, seek to become Conservative rabbis, or whether they will be led to find another place in the landscape of Judaism.” For myself and for many who I know, no quote has been more accurate.
When I posed this predicament to KBI’s panel, Professor Wertheimer responded that it’s ultimately a question of communal priority - Is the priority to help people feel comfortable as they are or to try to move them along a spectrum of observance? The consequence of prioritizing the former is that those who become interested in exploring observance often check-out of the Movement. The kind of religious community a particular synagogue wants to create, and the rabbi they invest in, will be instrumental in stemming the tide one way or the other.
Despite what it may sound like thus far, this is not a post to criticize or attack the Conservative Movement. I have fond memories of growing up within it and would even go so far as to say that while Orthodoxy gave me my Torah knowledge nd observant community, the Conservative Movement is what gave me my Jewish identity and most fundamental religious convictions. Indeed, in a time of such unprecedented chaos and darkness for our people it is more important now than ever for Orthodox Jews to, as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Zt”l wrote in his book One People?, to hold “a nuanced understanding of secular and liberal Jews” and to “recognize the positive consequences of Jewish liberalism and secularism even as he refuses to recognize their truth or ultimate validity” and while being prepared to “call on liberal and secular Jewish leaders to act responsibly in the context of the totality of Judaism and the Jewish people.”
So I would like to share some lessons from Professor Wertheimer and other non-Orthodox writers that can offer valuable insight to all Jews when it comes to transmission of our tradition.
At the end of his 2018 book, The New American Judaism: How Jews Practice Their Religion Today, Wertheimer quotes several popular assumptions made about where synagogues go wrong. A few examples are that "synagogues need to start seeing themselves as businesses," "synagogues don't provide sufficient room for individual spirituality," "synagogues are irrelevant for young people," and "synagogues need to learn how to cater to today's busy and distracted generation." However, after noting the success of Orthodox outreach (did you know in 2018 there were twice as many Orthodox outreach workers in America than there were non-Orthodox rabbis combined?) as well as new initiatives within Liberal Judaism such as independent minyanim and pop-up spiritual communities, he suggested six guiding emphases that could "have a more lasting impact on religious participants" than those typical suggestions:
Frequency of participation in religious life matters.
Judaism is a religion that can and should be observed in all settings, not just in a synagogue on certain days.
It takes a synagogue community to create and strengthen a social support system for broader Jewish religious life.
Those who contend that the ethnic (and particularistic) dimension of Jewishness is not only passe but also unnecessary ignore the power of Jewish peoplehood to provide religious meaning.
Judaism is sustained by religious (lingual and traditional) literacy.
In our age, it is more important than ever for Jewish religious expression to be guided by intentionality.
Each of these emphases rings true to be, and it was strangely reassuring to read that those who grew up the way that I did (in homes that consistently practices some aspects of Judaism outside of shul while still going to shul regularly, saw value in Jewish culture/peoplehood, were well educated to navigate siddurim and read Hebrew, etc) maintained their strong religious identity regardless of which denomination they ultimately ended up in.
If any are missing, however, the spiritual results could be disastrous. Professor Roberta Rosenthal Kwall argued in her 2020 book Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World that even those who “remix” their observance halachically problematic ways should still strive to retain fundamental Jewish authenticity by
Selecting existing rituals and/or traditions to bring into your life
Infusing those rituals and/or traditions with your own personal meaning
Consistently performing those rituals and/or traditions in a way that embraces their historical authenticity
“If these conditions are met,” Kwall wrote, “it is highly likely that both the individuals and the communities of which they are a part will be successful in transmitting meaningful, specific elements of Jewish tradition as well as a more global appreciation for its beauty and relevance” but the consistency and connection to authenticity is absolutely key.
Additionally, Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman noted in Rethinking Synagogues: A New Vocabulary for Congregational Life (2006) that the lack of intentional spirituality in many Jewish communities (Orthodox included) has led those who seek it not only to denominational shifts, but to “new age religion, Jewish forays into Eastern mysticism, and more instances of conversion to Christianity than are generally recognized.”
Finally, in Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood (2022), Zack Bodner wrote that
“leading a meaningful Jewish life has to involve going deeper than feeding our kids cholesterol-rich food and introducing them to self-deprecating comedians who have complicated relationships with their mothers. It has to be rooted in our values and be milti-layered, thoughtful, and intentional. It has to reach us where we are and engage all Jews in a way that speaks to them. It has to offer many portals of entry and be accessible for everyone, no matter what their starting point. Finally, it has to be action-oriented, as Judaism is so much more fulfilling when one embraces doing it.”
This led Bodner to suggest “a model for.., how to “plug-in” Jews of all backgrounds to meaningful and joyous Jewish experiences, and how to make it relevant for any age” that he called “TACHLIS:”
T is for Tikkun Olam
A is for Art and Culture
C is for Community
H is for Holidays and Rituals
L is for Learning
I is for Israel
S is for Shabbat and Spirituality
While Bodner himself suggested embracing these aspects of Judaism one-at-a-time, he clearly emphasized that the point of his book is to “encourage you to engage in the conversation, join the journey, take the first step, or your next step… Be part of the adventure. Learn. Listen. Talk. Argue. Do. And if you do, it just might make all the difference in giving your life meaning, purpose, and joy.”
This brings me back to Wertheimer, who concluded The New American Judaism as follows:
"In our current age when hyper-individualism reigns and so many Jews imagine it necessary to recast their distinctive religion in "universal" terms, the rebuilding of Judaism will require a renewed appreciation for Jewish memory, community, and particularistic content. American Jews might well find sustenance and inspiration in these old/new commitments as they create the next iteration of new/old Judaism."
Obviously, Orthodox Jews will take issues with much of what these writers suggest is to be done, but it is my hope that sharing their conceptual frameworks will give Jews of all backgrounds and identifications food for thought as we move towards the future together.
if only H in Tachlis stood for Halacha!