EDITOR'S NOTEBOOE

The Ties That Divide

of Orthodoxy. They came up with a
great curriculum, slick folder and all.
The problem: They didn't ask any teens
about it. Adults telling kids what they
should believe? A good prescription for
failure. And guess what? Not
every Jewish kid wants to be
more Orthodox or Conserva-
tive, or Reform or what some-
one else wants them to be.
But they do want to learn, be
heard and be engaged in cre-
ative exercises.
• Fund-raisers were
trained to handle every
objection possible for giving
divorced from understanding
NEIL RUBIN
to a Jewish charity. They had
Of
course,
Jew-
their tradition.
Senior
Editor
a huge list of potential
ish tradition in America is
donors — meaning everyone
based on running from orga-
identifiably
Jewish. Not only was their
nized Jewry and synagogues.
lack
of
targeted
soliciting a waste of
Worse, those who believe this way
time
but
when
it
came to the objec-
often do so based on uninformed
tions
they
heard,
they simply didn't
belief about how the Jewish world
listen. There are legitimate reasons for,
must be. That is, they ignore the hard
not giving — having a bad financial
data of voluminous studies or the real-
year,
already giving to others, and, yes
ities they confront.
simply
not being interested.
Take these recent scenarios I've
Professional
and volunteer leaders
•
heard from around the country:
of
an
organization
devoted to a right-
• A group of Orthodox Jewish educa-
wing
Israel
agenda
angrily confronted
tors wanted to show all teens the merits
a Jewish newspaper editor via phone,
e-mail and mail. They were upset as to
Neil Rubin can be reached via e-mail
why this editor didn't parrot their per-
at nrubin@jewishtimes.com

ewish professionals and volun-
teers — the ones who want
your soul, time, loyalty or
money to make the world
embrace their cause — often share a
common mantra. It goes like
this: "I'm willing to listen
patiently for as long as it
takes, to sit with you until
you see things my way.
Then, in partnership, we can
),
do what's right.
And when people don't
jump on-board, they are all
but deemed bad Jews, or

spective. The editor explained their
disagreements, saying they could still
respect and influence one another. He
urged them to fight for prominence
via letters and op-ed columns. Some
hang-up, but not without threatening
to cancel subscriptions.
So much for one essence of Judaism
— learning to live with people of dif-
ferent beliefs as well as learning to
learn from them.
It is a core problem facing our Jewish
world, one increasingly divided into spe-
cial interest categories. We are no longer
American Jews. We are Orthodox or
Conservative or Reform or Reconstruc-
tionist. We are active with the Federa-
tion, or Hadassah or American Jewish
Committee or another national Jewish
organization with a local chapter. That's
OK, but rarely do we seek joint projects.
And we are often zealous advocates for
our cause, regardless of the communal
consequence.
The reasons are well documented.
The cold reality: a diminishing pool of
warm American Jewish bodies brings
fiercer competition for money, volun-
teers and attention. And since Jews of
different flavors rarely interact about
Jewish issues, we no longer understand
one another's psyche.
So when we try and expand our

group's base, even for pure reasons, we
often are uniquely unprepared for the
task. These days, few of us understand
the broad and diverse Jewish world out
there, one in which maybe half of the
Jews belong to nothing. That's particu-
larly true in the now large communities
of Russians and Israelis in this country.
In doing so, we ignore the impor-
tance of creating a community — a
home for different beliefs that are
united by shared core values, blurry as
they may be.
My advice: Figure out how to learn
about one another as quickly as possible.
In particular, Jews of different flavors
should bring their,ideologies to study
groups with rabbis of different denomi-
nations. Have a friend who believes dif-
ferently? Drag him or her along, and be
willing to let them do so with you.
It's OK to emphasize our differ-
ences. For God's sake — literally —
just discuss them. And ask Jews who
believe other than you, particularly the
secular ones who are relatives, friends
and neighbors, what they believe in.
Enough of sticking with the like-
minded all the time.
In doing, we will live together and,—/
purge our instinct for mental ghet-
toization. And we'll rediscover the
shared definition of the label Jew. H

COMMUNITY VIEWS

Reform's Redefinition

that requires us to be part
he many articles
of the world and provides a
discussing the lat-
reminder that we should
est statement of
actively be "good deed
Reform Jewish
doers").
principles have not men-
Periodically; we return to
tioned the real reason why it
the Judaism that requires us
has been necessary for
to separate ourselves from
Reform Judaism to redefine
the world when we stead-
itself again.
fastly pursue the study of
The first reason is that
basic ideas and traditional
BURTON A.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, head of the
precepts. This cultural
ZIPSER
Union of American Hebrew
swing has occurred
Special to
Congregations, initiated a
throughout Jewish history.
the Jewish News
dialogue several years ago
This introspective emphasis
designed to move Reform
may be due to events over
Judaism closer to an emphasis
which we have little control,
on spirituality and tradition.
when society chooses to limit our
This also signals a change from the
impact or presence. At other times,
social action emphasis of the last 30
freedom of choice allows us to pursue
years (part of the Jewish dichotomy
the inner questioning that is a unique
part of our nature.
Reform tradition has made this
Burton A. Zipser of Oak Park is a
choice because the past 40 years have
Jewish educator and musician. He
seen a decline in the teaching of Jewish
serves as director of the International
history and literature in our religious
Archive of Jewish Music. He identifies
schools. Although individual leaders in
as a member of the Reform movement.

T

8/13
1999

both the Reform and Conservative
movements state privately that we
should spend more time teaching our
youth about their heritage, increased
emphasis on Hebrew studies does not
allow them that option.
The Reform tradition has empha-
sized social action, creating a genera-
tion of Jewish youth that cannot
explain their beliefs and uniqueness to
the non-Jews they meet. These youths
do not know their own Bible well
enough to contradict the inaccurate
statements and misquoting of scrip-
ture that evangelical Christians offer as
motivation for looking elsewhere for
answers to questions of belief and
morality. The result has been the
assimilation of Jews who reject their
heritage (which they do not know) or
respond passively, which only reflects
their lack of knowledge.
When was the last time that a par-
ent reminded a child that he or she
has a religious heritage spanning a
period of more than 5,700 years that
should not be rejected until the child

can make a choice based upon knowl-
edge instead of ignorance? While stu-
dents attending public schools and
undergraduate college programs are
required to take several cycles of study
in the areas of American and world
history and literature, we do not
expect the same emphasis to be placed
on their studies of their own heritagC
The comments of Rabbi Sheldon
Zimmerman of the Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion
("Reform Judaism Strives For A Sacre
Balance," July 30) may reflect the
need for a new definition of the
goals of the Reform movement. It
would be nice, however, if he and
other Reform rabbis would consider, _/
what is missing in the programs of
their congregations and in the training
of future rabbis and congregational
-
leaders.
Is it better to teach Jewish heritage
to adults with questions for which
they have no answers or provide that
knowledge and experience during the
formative years? LI