commands our respect in the eyes of the world more than our
being true to our Jewish identities not even open-m i n d e d n e s
s and I commend Ms. Gottesman for her unabashed formulation of this
point.
I fear, how-ever, that Ms. Gottesman her-self is being too
open-minded by removing from Judaism the requirement of a belief in
G-d (after all, it is the very fi rst of the real Ten
Commandments!). Jewish tradition is not merely cultural identity or
a code of ethics; Judaism is built on a belief in G-d as our
creator and as an active, loving force in our lives.
I strongly urge those people who are struggling with belief in
G-d not to remove G-d from Judaism because they have not yet found
Him, but to continue the journey. The effort will be well worth
it!
With so many distractions in our
contemporary society, it may be diffi cult to focus our energies
on a relationship with G-d; however, the good news is that there
are now more tools than ever at our disposalfrom online classes to
multiple apps on Jewish topics.
We owe it to ourselves to engage in the study of Jewish texts,
both ancient and modern, and to learn more about the beautiful
rituals that augment this dynamic relationship.
More than honorable mention: Recent studies show that 90 percent
of Jewish day school graduates marry Jews. With statistics like
that, a profound Jewish education for our children must remain a
top priority.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | APRIL 2011 19
Rabbi Daniel Stein Rabbi Daniel Stein Bnai Abraham Synagogue
Bnai Abraham Synagogue
Archie Gottesman is right: we are at a pivotal moment in
American Jewish identity, and these are scary times for people
concerned about the future of the Jewish people.
But her approach to building a Jewish future shows that she is
much more a part of the problem than the solution. Many of her
solutions are fi ne; yes, send kids to camp, send them to Hebrew
school, celebrate Shabbat.
Her premise, though, that you can simply (and condescendingly)
command behavior and expect change, is what has driven American
Jews from our community in droves.
Our communal obligation is to provide more meaning and less
guilt. The world we live in today has changed drastically from the
time when our great institutionsJCCs, synagogues, Jewish
federationswere devel-oped. If we want Judaism to survive, it is
those institutions that must change fi rst.
We are living in a dynamic and ever-changing reality; I imagine
that historians looking back on the fi rst decades of the 21st
century will compare todays technology-driven social revolution to
the rapid period of upheaval that defi ned the industrial
revolution.
This is what Archie Gottesman should know about my peersyoung
Jews born from 1978-92: We defi ne the borders of our community not
by our neighborhoods but by our networks. We are skeptical of
authority but can hold deep convictions if they are personally
meaningful. We grew up as native users of graphic computers in our
classrooms and respond to icons and symbols as readily as words. We
expect rapid change and will not take it has always been that way
for an answer.
If Judaism is to survive, it must embrace the paradigm shift
towards choice; the old pattern of obligation, avoidance and guilt
has shown its effectiveness.
Rabbi Rob LennickRabbi Rob LennickCongregation Keneseth
IsraelCongregation Keneseth Israel
Indignant thats the word to describe Archie Gottesmans attitude
in her op-ed.
Like her, we are all concerned about the Jewish future. Her call
for more relevance and accessibility is fi ne, and underneath her
jabbering is passion to open the doors of Jewish life as wide as
possible.
She need not, however, bash Birthright, synagogue Jewish
education and worship and universalistic Jewish philanthropy in the
process, suggesting that some entry points to Jewish life are not
as worthy as
others. On this, I disagree. Any entry pointreligious, secular,
communal, philan-thropic, educational, Zion-istic (and the list
goes on)is a good one.
She begins her rant around intermarriages found in wedding
announcements. As a progressive rabbi, I feel we must reach out to
the intermarried and welcome them with enthusiasm into Jewish life.
Intermarriage, (while not to be encouraged) should be viewed as a
valid entry point, not to be wasted by the Jewish community. When
we reject the intermarried, we not only reject a Jew but make
nearly certain that children of that marriage will not be raised as
Jews. In the world of Jewish demographics today, we need Jewish
children, however we can count them.
Unlike Gottesman, I dont think we bend over backwards or are too
open-minded. Judaism has always adapted to new times and places. It
is self-contradictory for her to call for adaptation and then
criticize open-mindedness in the same breath. That adaptability,
perhaps, has had more to do with our survival than anything
else.
Rabbi David WilenskyRabbi David WilenskyCongregation Sons of
IsraelCongregation Sons of Israel
I applaud Ms. Gottesman for her concern for the future of
Judaism and her sentiments regarding the need to be innovative and
forward thinking in engaging Judaism. Nothing
Lehigh Valley clergy respond to JTA column
If Judaism is to survive, it must embrace the paradigm shift
towards choice; the old
patt ern of obligation, avoidance and guilt has shown its eff
ectiveness.
~Rabbi Daniel Stein
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