Insight Remember When • • • Not Our Millennium Is the year 2000 a Jewish issue? Depends on whom you ask. DEBRA NUSSBAUM COHEN Jewish Telegraphic Agency II ere's the big question: Y2K — Y4US? Is the change of the secular calendar from 1999 to 2000 a Jewish issue? Some insist that the change of the millennium doesn't take place until the calendar rolls over to 2001. But no matter when they think the cur- rent era comes to a close, people on both sides of the overall philosophical divide are taking firm stands. "Jews should butt out of the turn of the millennium," said Rabbi. Arthur Hertzberg, a historian and visiting professor in humanities at New York University "It's not our calendar. We are not at the turn of our millennium." Many in the Jewish com- munity share his perspective. Two prominent kosher restaurants in the New York area canceled planned Shabbat-oriented New Year's Eve parties. The prominent kosher supervi- sion agencies that supervise them prohibited Mendy's in Manhattan, and strongly dis- couraged Noah's Ark, in Teaneck, N•J., from holding such celebrations. Others, however, say that although the millennium isn't an intrinsically Jewish occasion, it still provides an opportunity — much like Rosh HaShana — for Jews to reflect on our experiences and goals. "This next millennium, replete with all its hype, gives us an opportu- nity to look out at the world and to try and make sense of what we see, to attempt to clarify what we want the future to hold," Rabbi Rachel Sabath, an associate at CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, wrote in a recent essay. "Particularly in a time when the world seems upside down, it becomes even more essential to have an orien- tation, a sense of time, core values that transcend all interpretations, all religions, and all political parties," she wrote. Still others say that no matter what our personal feelings about the change in the Christian-created calendar, it would be naive for Jews to ignore the turn of the millennium. Jews should be prepared for possi- ble technological problems, they say, and should be concerned about a potential backlash by right-wing Christians whose messianic aspirations remain unfulfilled when the calendar rolls over and Jesus has not returned to earth. "Though apocalyptic expectations have always been proven wrong, wrong doesn't mean inconsequential," Richard Landes, director of the Center for Millennial Studies at Boston University, warned at a recent symposium on the millennium, which was sponsored by the Anti- Defamation League. "The more wrong people are, the more passionate they are," he said. Rabbi A. James Rudin, director of interfaith affairs for the American Jewish Committee, is also concerned. "A lot of my fellow Jews take the turning of the millennium as a joke, but I don't," he said. "For some Christians, Dec. 31 is just a night for a great party But a lot of other Christians take it very seriously. "There's the wise, prudential jubilee approach of introspection and atonement for what we've done wrong, which is the Catholic approach," he said. "Then there's the prophecy crowd from among extreme evangelical Protestants who make apocalyptic claims for the second coming of Jesus." Until recently, prominent conserva- tive evangelical leaders — including the Revs. James Dobson,Jerry Falwell andJames Kennedy — were predict- ing mass upheaval and warning their followers to prepare by stockpiling dried food, water and weapons in advance of an apocalyptic scenario recounted in the Christian Bible's Book of Revelation. Christian broadcaster Dobson even gave each of his 1,300 employees an extra $500 to prepare for Y2K, according to a report in the Religion News Service. Several who had predicted widespread social crisis have in recent weeks largely backed off such doomsday scenarios, wrote the news service, but other Christian fundamentalists and extreme-right hatemongers remain a threat, according to "Y2K Paranoia: Extremists Confront the Millennium," a report published recently by the Anti- Defamation League. Inherent in Christian theology is the belief that Jesus will return to earth, ushering in the messianic era. There are some, primarily right- wing evangelical Christians, who believe that the historical stage has now been set for that chapter to begin, since conditions prophesied in their Bible have been fulfilled: The State of Israel's creation in 1948; Jerusalem's reunification under Jewish control in 1967; and the ingathering to Israel of oppressed Jews, particular- ly from the former Soviet Union, since the 1980s. When there are high expectations and then nothing happens, there From the pages of The Jewish News for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago. „ Dr. John s, chief archivist of the Christian Righteous Gentiles and a founder of Michigan Region for American Red Magen David, passed away. Michael W. Maddin was named chairman of the Federated Endowment Fund of United Jewish Charities. Women of Reform Judaism elected Lois Gerenraich to the board of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. ARF.m.„ TheRabbinical Council of America issued a call for prayers on Shabbat for the successful return of American hostages being held in Iran. Geri Levit was elected president of the Congregation Shaarey Zedek Hebrew Teachers Association. ‹v, Vatican Radio broadcast an entire program of Jewish interest on the eve of Chanuka. George Jessel was the guest star as the Furniture Club honored its 22 past presidents at a Toast to Israel- dinner-dance at the Town and Country Club. > • • W'" s•k Q,; • , V` "