THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Friday, December 5, 1958-24
Dr. Israel H. Levinthal's `Point of View'
within ivory towers but to util-
ize their endowments for his-
torical research.
* *
Rabbi Levinthal approaches
Reconstructionist Judaism "with
a great deal of diffidence."
Granting that this movement
has had an influence on the
other three groups, and that
Reconstructionist a i m s have
been noble, he declares that "a
religion cannot be influential if
it appeals only to a small group
of philosophically minded in-
dividuas; it must be able to at-
tract the average person."
He states t h a t the Recon-
structionists have failed in their
appeal to the secularists. He
criticizes the movement's atti-
tude towards the Chosen People
idea, stating that he sees "noth-
ing invidious in this concept or
in the other passages in our
traditional prayer book which
emphasize the uniqueness of the
role of the Jew in history. We
make no claim that our blood
is better than the blood of other
peoples or that we are a su-
perior race. We assert only that
we have a special function which
history has imposed upon us—
that we have been chosen to
live in accordance with our
Torah."
Rabbi Levinthal also criticizes
the Reconstructionists for as-
suming that "they alone speak
for the Jewish intellectual." He
adds that while Reconstruction-
ism recognizes the need of
Halachah it "denies that any
authoritarian code of the past
is to be the final authority for
their observance today." He says
that he sees anarchy in the revo-
lutionary Reconstructionist pro-
cedure of leaving it to the in-
dividual to what extent to con-
form to folkways and to norms.
While he acclaims . "the fer-
vently religious and piously ob-
Critical Analysis of American Judaism
servant" Prof. Mordecai Kaplan,
the philosopher of the 'move-
ment, Dr. Levinthal neverthe-
less is very critical of Recon-
structionist ideas.
*
"What of the future?" Dr.
Levinthal asks. He believes that
all predictions of a union be-
tween Conservative and Reform
or Orthodox and Conservative
are "naive reasoning." He be-
lives that the principle of "unity
in "diversity" will become "the
accepted and guiding rule
among American Jews." He as-
serts that "each of the ideolo-
gies has the potentiality of
making a distinctive contribu-
tion to the totality of Jewish
religious and cultural life—but
only if those who claim to be
its followers truly and sincerely
adhere to and follow its prin-
ciples and teachings." He con-
cludes with this very interest-
ing observation:
"While we cannot predict the
future or foretell which of the
movements will emerge as the
dominant one, this we may
assuredly affirm: the ideology
which will have the greatest
influence upon American Jewry
in the d a y s to come is the
ideology w hi c h will achieve
most in enriching the minds and
hearts of our people with the
life giving and life sustaining
spiritual and cultural treasures
of our age-long classic tradition.
Just as Judaism was a 'tree of
life' for our fathers, it can be
a 'tree of life' for us and for
our children, now and for all
time."
Dr. Levinthal pr o c e e d s to in its old attitude. . . . Even in
Many books have been pub-
lished in explanation of the var- show the changes t ha t have the conclaves of the Rabbinical
ious trends in American Juda- taken place in Reform Juda- Council, you hear an increasing
ism. Superseding most of them ism, in its attitude towards number of defiant voices rebel-
in thoroughness of evaluations Halachah and other aspects of ling against the extremist atti-
Jewish practices. He states that tudes of some of their senior
is "Point of
such a process "promises Re- leaders. And in Israel, too, a
View: An An-
form a new lease of life. . . . few brilliant thinkers and writ-
alysis of
The new emphasis on Hebrew ers have arisen a in o n g the
American Ju-
education for the young, now younger Orthodox scholars to
daism," by Dr.
adopted in many Reform con- plead for a return to the self-
Israel H. :Le-
gregations, w i 11 undoubtedly rejuvenating pr o c es s in the
vinthal, of
also have the effect of making Halachah; and the Hapoel Ham-
Brooklyn,
the coming Reform generation izrachi in Israel is leading the
N.Y., visiting
more appreciative of the ancient movement to make the Halachah
professor of
sources of Jewish life. . . . How applicable to the new life . in
homiletics at
far this return will go, time the re-established State."
the Jewish
*
alone will tell. Of one thing
T h eological
we are certain: the heedless
Seminary of
Conservative Judaism, Rabbi
rush away f r o in the Jewish Levinthal states, also came as a
America.
heritage is a thing of the past. protest against Reform. Defend-
This volume,
. . . Surely all American Jewry ing this movement's position "as
published by
will want to express the hope the 'middle road' between the
Abelard -Schu-
and the prayer that those who two extremes," he refers to Mai-
man (404 4th,
guide the destinies of this move- monides' use of the term mid-
N. Y. 16), is
ment may be blessed with the dah benonit, the attitude . be-
positive in its Dr. Levinthal
approach and points to the pro- clearness of vision to recognize tween two extremes, as "the
gressive as well as changing that the only true progress for attitude of the wise."
attitudes not only in the author's it now lies in its return to the
He states that Conservative
own group—Conservative Juda- mainstream of Jewish life and Judaism's strength "lies in its
ism—but also in Reform and thought."
acceptance of Judaism's historic
* *
Orthodoxy.
attitude towards the Halachah
The analysis turns to a dis- or Jewish Law." He enters into
Recognizing a noticeable re-
vival in all branches of Jewish cussion of Orthodox Judaism by an interpretation of this prin-
religious life, Rabbi Levinthal stating that its strength lies in. ciple and declares that "it is the
shows how "eventually in Amer- that "it has the allegiance of function of rabbinic leadership
ica the individual will be able the masses," that it now has of every age to see to it that the
to retain his group identity in its midst m any of the creative vitality of Jewish law
only t h r o u g h religion." He wealthier Jews and many of the is kept alive."
states that there is "a growing educated Jews of the younger
He adds, however, that rab-
tendency in the land for the generation. It gains strength, he binic leaders have the duty "to
American people to look down adds, because of the devotion engage more and more in the
If you are not looking to re-
upon national identification. of its adherents to Torah, to deepening research of the Hala-
gain your fortune, but your
Even the preservation of the Jewish learning, and because it chah, for it is only through such
faith and ideals, the Hanukah
purely cultural aspects of for- clings to our historical past.
lamp may help also. Read
study t h a t the laity can be
Its main weakness, he states brought to an appreciation and
mer nationalities is becoming
Theodor Herzl's feuilleton on
more and more difficult the is in having gone to the op- acceptance of t h e i r leaders'
the menorah which tells how
farther we go beyond the immi- posite extreme of Reform by teachings." He warns our schol-
this was achieved in one in-
grant generation. The o n 1 y regarding "the Halachah as a ars not to confine themselves
stance.
gr o up identification which static mold, ignoring its great
Americans- will recognize is the potential for further develop-
religious one—Protestant, Cath- ment. The glory and strength of
Halachah consisted in the fact
olic, Jewish."
He deplores the lack of un- that throughout history it had
derstanding in synagogue affili- been a dynamic instrument, an
ation and in the Jew's everyday ever flowing, living stream—
religious life, and his analysis growing, developing and taking
is offered "in an effort to help cognizance of all changes affect-
ing Jewish ife. Orthodoxy
such an understanding."
* *
checked the flow of this living
Your •
Analyzing Reform Judaism, stream! It froze Jewish law,
Dr. Levinthal says the strength thereby virtually divorcing it
of this movement "lay in the from life itself."
By having "congealed Jewish
fact that it represented the first
attempt to stem the flowing law," Dr. Levinthal maintains,
tide away from Judaism" in the Orthodoxy has "become a new
era that marked the break in version of Karaism. The Kara-
ghetto walls, a stampede to the ites made Judaism stop with the
baptismal font and the era of Bible, repudiating t h e inter-
emancipation. With few excep- pretations and the development
tions, he writes, Reform lead- of the Biblical 1 a w s by the
As their weekly visitor will welcome
ers "were animated by good rabbis. The new Orthodoxy, es-
motives, and we do them wrong pecially in these latter years,
a gift subscription as a holiday remembrance.
if we accuse them of the inten- regards Jewish law as if it had
tion or the desire to break away virtually terminated with the
from their people and their an- Shuichan Aruch. . . . It disre-
gards the fact that the printed
cestral faith."
He pays tribute to the "or- texts of the Shulchan Aruch
ganizing ability" of the early re- itself contain annotations by
formers. He is critical of their other and later rabbis who dif-
having limited Judaism "to its fer with some of Karo's deci-
universal teachings and to the sions and attempt to reconcile
ethical precepts enunciated by the Law with the prevailing
the Prophets" and for having customs in their particular land
"stripped Judaism of all its dis- or ages."
Your Jewish News Gift Subscription — for the
The Orthodox, Dr. Levinthal
tinctiveness." He declares that
"the gravest changes" permitted writes, are showing a tendency
serviceman in our Armed Forces, for a relative irk
by Reform leaders were "the "to add new strictures, new pro-
hibitions
affecting
our
religious
abandonment of the traditional
another city, for a kinsman or friend nearby.
rules and precepts for the every- life." He states that "the tragedy
day life of the Jew. . . . The of adopting an extremist atti-
greatest weakness of Reform tude is that one extreme leads
was its alienation f r o m the to another" and he deplores the
Halachah—the body of Jewish rise within Orthodoxy of "a
COUPON FOR QUICK RESULTS - •
law which throughout the ages spirit of isolationism—a refusal
regulated all ritual and cere- to associate with Jews, particu-
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guiding principle of the Jewish gious views d if f e r e n t from
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way of life. Herein the leaders theirs. . . . Just as Reform, in
17100 West Seven Mile Road
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its earlier development, began
showed their real blindness."
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Detroit
35,
Michigan
to
put
all
emphasis
on
Reform
Rabbi Levinthal shows the
change of heart in men like Dr. rather than on Judaism, so too,
I Gentlemen: Please send The Jewish News to
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Kaufman Kohler and others who many in the Orthodox group
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Sunday as the Jewish Sabbath. to put all emphasis on Ortho-
doxy,
not
on
Judaism."
Dr. Kohler is quoted as finally
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"Fortunately," the au t h or
having said: "If I am allowed
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to judge by my own experience, concludes, "there is evidence of
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I venture to say that there is a reawakening within Ortho-
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something in the very air of doxy, and a restoration of vision.
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the Sunday service that chills A number of its proponents are
the heart. The soul is not there." beginning to see the dangers
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