OPINION
Conversion Is Wrong
As Hidden Agenda
IRV WENGROW
A
recent article dealing
with intermarriage
rates rightfully con-
cluded that "American
Jewish leadership must take
bold, creative steps in
response." However, the step
advocated by the Brandeis
study to "actively encourage
conversion" is neither bold
nor creative.
In many ways, it is the
worst possible response to
this situation. It not only
treats symptoms and not the
disease but assumes that this
is an illness in the first place.
Citing intermarriage as a
problem that is "likely to
worsen in future generations"
recognizes an inherent bias to
the author's attitude that
does nothing to address the
issue in a positive setting.
The author seems to feel that
a conversion makes the pro-
blem go away, when in fact
this solution only exacerbates
the "problem." Having dealt
with hundreds of interfaith
Mr. Wengrow is a past
president of Congregation
Shir Tikvah and a member o
the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations' Task
Force on the Unaffiliated.
I LETTERS Ilmmum
Prayers And Fast
For Mideast Peace
Hundreds of Torah obser-
vant Jews gathered Sunday
evening, at Oak Park's Con-
gregation Dovid Ben Nuchim,
in an impressive display of
brotherhood and unity to pray
for the safety and well-being
of the Jews of Israel. The
prayer meeting took place in
response to a proclamation
issued suddenly on Friday by
the Council of Orthodox rab-
bis, which urged "al Jews to
join together in assembly for
prayer and repentance."
In a related development,
the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah,
the Council of Torah Sages of
America, are calling for a day
of fasting and prayer on Erev
Rosh Chodesh Shevat — the
day before the first of the-
month of Shevat, which hap-
pens to be Jan. 15, the
ominous date set by the
United Nations as a deadline
for Iraq to have moved all
troops from Kuwait.
Sol Lachman
Huntington Woods
couples in my temple and as
part of my work in the Reform
community, let me bring the
issue into focus.
First of all, the statistics.
Why in heaven's name will a
conversion automatically lead
to more observance of Jewish
rituals and traditions? The
purpose of observance is ob-
viously to retain the
children's Jewish identity and
influence their future choice.
But what have been the
results so far that have gotten
us into this hand-wringing
dilemma?
After all, the child who has
grown up and is getting mar-
ried to a non-Jew probably
has two born-Jewish parents.
If having two born-Jewish
parents did not dissuade the
child from choosing a non-
Jewish spouse, then certainly
a converted Jew will have no
greater impact upon that
child's future choice than a
non-Jewish parent.
Our liberal and democratic
attitude as parents prohibits
us from determining our
children's choice of marriage
partner. In our heart of
hearts, we all know this. We
can but inform and advise on
consequences.
The article later cites
statistics that "Christmas
trees are most often found in
homes where one spouse re-
mains non-Jewish." One
might say that this only
makes sense, and it does, but
the underlying attitude is
that observance of the non-
Jew's religious beliefs and
customs is dangerous to the
children's Jewish identity.
Such myopic chutzpah.
How dare we tell a Chris-
tian parent, for example, that
they are not allowed to follow
their beliefs and customs "for
the sake of the children?"
This person has already
sacrificed much just to get
this far. Now we are ready to
apply the coup d'etat by tell-
ing them to formally re-
nounce a religion that they
have fervent belief in.
Just imagine the opposite
situation where an interfaith
couple approaches a church.
What would be your response
as the parent of the Jew if
your child was told to accept
Christianity for "the sake of
the children?" This leads me
to the danger of promoting
conversion as the only
response.
Imagine yourself as a young
couple recently married who
happen to be of differing
religions. Most of these
couples made a decision prior
to marriage on how the
children would be raised
while others postpone that
decision. The vast majority
recognize that one faith must
dominate and become the
children's faith.
If Judaism is being con-
sidered or is their preference
and they approach temples or
synagogues, they are looking
for acceptance, not rejection.
And yet, when you tell the
non-Jew that conversion is
"actively encouraged," you
are sending a clear message
that their birth religion is in-
ferior and that they cannot
raise their children properly
as Jews unless there is a con-
version. This alienates both
the non-Jew, as an insult to
their religion, as well as the
Jew, out of love for his or her
spouse.
The controlling and only
important factor here is the
decision of the parents on how
to raise their children, not the
conversion of the non-Jew.
Stressing conversion will on-
ly push that family away from
Judaism, not bring them
closer.
Clearly, advocacy of conver-
sion as a requirement or even
as an "encouragement" sends
the worst possible message.
Our temples and synagogues
must learn to simply accept
people for what they are, out
of respect for the non-Jew and
the couple's choice. If at such
future time, the non-Jew
wants to pursue conversion, it
must be their decision and
have no impact upon their ac-
ceptance by the community.
Interfaith marriages are a
reality of our time. The only
proper response is how best to
include these families in
Judaism, not shut them out
which a conversionary
message will surely do.
The choice is simple. The
statistics clearly show that a
large portion of our youth
have chosen to marry non-
Jews. We are past the point
where we can realistically ex-
pect this pattern to change. If
two Jews then do not marry
each other, the most we can
hope for is that these two
Jews begin two Jewishly-
affiliated families.
Our task is to make our
organizations openly accept
and even solicit them without
any hidden agenda.
Realistically today, we can
ask for nothing more.
❑
Stephen Wise And Carnegie Hall
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor Emeritus
W
ith Carnegie Hall in
the limelight on its
hundredth anniver-
sary as the world's most
famous music center, impor-
tant recollections relate to
its role as an assembly hall
for human causes and ap-
peals for justice to the Jew
and support of Zionism.
All roads lead to Carnegie
Hall for aspiring musicians,
and enrollees in movements
to advance just causes have
responded to calls for action
by dedicated people invited
to do planning in this accla-
imed hall.
Stephen S. Wise, as rabbi
of the Free Synagogue he
ministered in Carnegie Hall,
drew thousands to hear his
sermons on Sunday morn-
ings in which he advocated
his humanitarian appeals.
He, too, provided fame to
Carnegie Hall with his con-
demnation of injustices
wherever and whenever
they were practiced.
He exposed legislative
blunders and his sermons
led to corrections and im-
provements in many polit-
ical approaches in commu-
nal activities.
As a Zionist leader, he
began his association in the
world movement with
Theodor Herzl. His Jewish
activism in this country and
soon on a world scale was
permeated with Zionist
idealism. In the course of it,
he inspired an American
Zionism that included such
personalities as Louis D.
Brandeis. Dr. Wise also
secured the cooperation of
distinguished Christian
leaders, notably John
Haynes Holmes, in the ad-
vancement of racial and re-
ligious fairness.
While these factors are
contributing ideals to the
achievements that were at-
tamed in tasks administered
by activists in Carnegie
Hall, it is important to in-
dicate that at one of the
mass gatherings under his
leadership, Dr. Wise an-
nounced the formation of the
World Jewish Congress.
It was at one of the earliest
assemblies of the Congress,
held in Carnegie Hall in
1932, that Dr. Wise in-
troduced to the thousands
who packed the hall the en-
trance of Dr. Nahum
Goldmann into associated
leadership in the movement.
Dr. Goldmann, who later
became president of the
World Jewish Congress and
president of the World
Zionist Organization, was
then highly commended by
Dr. Wise as "Nordau
Redivivius", likening him to
the close associate of
Theodor Herzl, Max Nordau.
Recognition of Carnegie
Hall is therefore significant
for Jews celebrating this
100th anniversary. ❑
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7