The Future of Judaism in America: What Would You Say?
Patheos has become the leading portal on the web for thought from the world of religion – the good, the bad, and the ugly. A short while ago, the editors sent a challenge to particular people in their virtual Rolodex:
The early May Pew Research report on religious trends in America has kindled a firestorm of commentary—attacking and defending, challenging and lamenting, gloating and grieving. But is it telling us anything new? In 2010, Patheos conducted a summer-long Future of World Religions conversation in which religion experts, practitioners, leaders, sociologists, and the faithful of many traditions weighed in on the prospects of religious belief.
Now, five years later, Patheos revisits this conversation focusing particularly on the Future of Faith in America. While global religious trends may push the futures of different religious traditions in certain directions, the Pew Report indicates unique trends for the American context with its shifting moral expectations, new definitions of family, and ongoing conflicts regarding personal and religious liberties. Where is faith going in America? What will be the religious landscape in five more years? How will a growing “spiritual but not religious” population or the emerging Atheist movements shape the contours of belief?
Essays will address such issues as politic alliances, emerging theological shifts, denominational growth and decline, family, technology, leadership challenges, interfaith movements, pop culture, cross-religion influences, and economic shifts.
A number people, including me (I am one of their official bloggers) were asked to address these issues from a Jewish perspective. These people represented a variety of positions and outlooks; I represented G-d’s 🙂
It might be interesting to gather your thoughts as to how you would respond, and then compare notes with those whose contributions were published, by reading them here.
R Adlerstein sets forth an excellent portrait of the Orthodox communal landscape. The heterodox respondents are seemingly locked into radical political ideological postures without any clue as to how transmit Jewish continuity.
Brad Hirschfield pretty much nails it. The only significant omission in his historical overview is how Judaism in America has also considerably evolved over the centuries.
“The coming years will see new strategic alliances between Orthodox Jews and conservative Christians, not just in getting behind different pieces of legislation, but in trying to make the case to the American public that what G-d asks of Man is not unthinking obedience, but living a life that is rationally sound, emotionally satisfying, spiritually invigorating, and the best way to live in this world, not just to earn the next”
I am waiting for Orthodox organizations to be concerned with those not on the highest levels similar to what Pope Francis apparently is concerned with. Perhaps worrying about those going to bed hungry, or those without access to medical care is a more religious action than issuing statements about tax policy which affect the wealthy.
“Asked about the single most important element in the success of Orthodoxy in the U.S., most Orthodox would point to education.”
How much of that success is a correlation rather than causation-day schools started to take off in the late 30s and increased at a great rate for the next 40 years or so-how much of the increase in a more committed Orthodoxy was due to the changing demographics of the American Jewish Community. The vast majority of American Jews trace their ancestry in US to before 1920-the vast majority of US Orthodox Jews trace their ancestry in the US to post 1930. There were many Rabbonim in Europe pre Nazi who openly discouraged emigration to the US calling it the treife medinah-thus a self selection process of those who were in the US pre 1930 would represent those who in general were less committed to Yahadus- added together with the then frequent 6 day work week which made being frum harder were differences unrelated to day schools existence.
“The educational system, however, is crushed by the mounting costs of tuition, often in the areas of $20-30,000 a year, per child, every year from kindergarten through high school and usually years beyond. Very few can afford to send multiple children to Jewish schools at this rate.”
Agreed and given median income in this country many can’t even afford to send one to day school. Day schools are very good for the target audience-those whose parents can afford it and whose children have the reading ability roughly equivalent to that typically found in those with an IQ of over 112-115 or so. Thus, by definition day schools are not appropriate for much of the population. By eliminating Talmud Torahs we have eliminated the possibility of being accepted as Orthodox if one does not attend a day school. Thus, we have pushed many out.
“The coming years will see new strategic alliances between Orthodox Jews and conservative Christians, not just in getting behind different pieces of legislation, but in trying to make the case to the American public that what G-d asks of Man is not unthinking obedience, but living a life that is rationally sound, emotionally satisfying, spiritually invigorating, and the best way to live in this world, not just to earn the next”
I am waiting for Orthodox organizations to be concerned with those not on the highest levels similar to what Pope Francis apparently is concerned with. Perhaps worrying about those going to bed hungry, or those without access to medical care is a more religious action than issuing statements about tax policy which affect the wealthy.
“Asked about the single most important element in the success of Orthodoxy in the U.S., most Orthodox would point to education.”
How much of that success is a correlation rather than causation-day schools started to take off in the late 30s and increased at a great rate for the next 40 years or so-how much of the increase in a more committed Orthodoxy was due to the changing demographics of the American Jewish Community. The vast majority of American Jews trace their ancestry in US to before 1920-the vast majority of US Orthodox Jews trace their ancestry in the US to post 1930. There were many Rabbonim in Europe pre Nazi who openly discouraged emigration to the US calling it the treife medinah-thus a self selection process of those who were in the US pre 1930 would represent those who in general were less committed to Yahadus- added together with the then frequent 6 day work week which made being frum harder were differences unrelated to day schools existence.
“The educational system, however, is crushed by the mounting costs of tuition, often in the areas of $20-30,000 a year, per child, every year from kindergarten through high school and usually years beyond. Very few can afford to send multiple children to Jewish schools at this rate.”
Agreed and given median income in this country many can’t even afford to send one to day school. Day schools are very good for the target audience-those whose parents can afford it and whose children have the reading ability roughly equivalent to that typically found in those with an IQ of over 112-115 or so. Thus, by definition day schools are not appropriate for much of the population. By eliminating Talmud Torahs we have eliminated the possibility of being accepted as Orthodox if one does not attend a day school. Thus, we have pushed many out
I truly believe that many of us who grew up yeshiva- and Bais Yaakov-educated in the 1960s and 1970s actually constitute that “third group” in between Modern Orthodox and traditionalists/isolationists. I bet a lot of them are Cross-Currents readers. Aren’t we still here?
I will be honest. I am not willing, nor do I have the time, to carefully read all the other posts. I still have to mentally wash my brain out (as Rabb Avraham Jacobowitz has said, what’s wrong with brainwashing? We all need to clean our brains) after skimming Michael Lerner’s entry. A quick word about the Holocaust: no one can and should minimize the horror, and in some ways, uniqueness, of the destruction of European Jewry. But we have been through other historical horrors that affected our people proportionately. It would be instructive to study them and see how we persevered and rebuilt.
And IRRC it’s Rami Shapiro who will be heartened to hear that I have two weekly chavrusos, and attend several shiurim weekly, one of which often ends with heated discussion on the part of the attendees.
But to respond to Rabbi Adlerstein’s invitation, 2 quick thoughts:
– While I do not have any conflicts, as a Jewish woman, I am compassionate towards those who do, and work hard to put myself in their shoes. As long as there are women of the caliber of Rebbetzin Heller, and many other great women (not all of them academics)(and I don’t know who will be the next Rebbetzin Hellers. Shira Smiles? Miriam Kosman?)I’m good. (Arrgh. Shoot me now. I actually wrote, “I’m good.”)
– Neo Chassidism is a fascinating, and heartening, development. I think that there are is another trend, and one to capitalize on, and that is neo Mussar. In a world where it seems that every week brings another scandal, chipping away at one’s firmest resolve to fight cynicism, studying gadlus ha’adam, and those who have espoused and lived it, is powerful. And will touch the Litvaks among us.