Editor's Letter
American Jewish Resilience
ewish history is a repository of lessons. So when I
and expanse of our branch network so we don't face hav-
came across the provocative Jonathan Sarna inter-
ing to whittle services even more.
view "Reinventing American Judaism" in the Fall
Turning to Jewish institutional trends, Sarna talked
2009 issue of Reform Judaism magazine, I was intrigued.
about mergers among organizations: Jewish with Jewish
Dr. Sarna is a preeminent histo-
and Jewish with secular. He talked about Jewish day
rian, scholar, author and thinker as
schools sharing facilities and holding joint secular classes
well as a Jewish studies professor
with non-Jewish private or parochial schools. He talked
at Brandeis University near Boston.
about re-engaging small donors to broaden Jewish involve-
In the interview, Sarna shares what
ment and not rely so heavily on the limited pool of big giv-
history teaches us about Jewish
ers. He talked about greater transparency and compensa-
opportunity in troubled times. He
tion controls in Jewish organizational life — changes that
examines how economic unrest and
also could steer our best and brightest toward the private
demographic shifts have altered the
sector.
American Jewish community.
Especially troubling was his belief that a sustained
Reflecting on the 1929 stock-
economic crisis would erode American Jewish concern
market crash, Sarna said American
for Israel. "Even the war in Gaza did not lead to mass
Jewry "turned inward, paying
fundraising for Israel — a first since its inception in 1948
little heed to what was going on abroad, particularly in
— and new evidence indicates that fewer young Jews are
Germany" As a result, we weren't responsive to Europe's
traveling to Israel for summer or semester-abroad pro-
Jews after Hitler's election in 1933. Jewish education also
grams," Sarna said. "Long term, this may lead to a rise in
took a hit, with enrollment plunging nationwide. Against
the number of American Jews who know Israel only from
this backdrop, Sarna urged American Jews today to not
what they see on television?'
abandon Jewish learning if we want to continue to be the
On the spiritual front, Sarna cited a burgeoning plural-
glue that sustains the Jewish people.
ism, a greater focus upon the individual than the group,
Addressing the positive repercussions of the Great
emerging grassroots movements like minyanim, a rising
Depression, Sarna said: "Jews turned primarily to one
number of converts to Judaism with no Jewish relatives,
another ... relying on ties of faith and kinship to carry
increased aliyah, and less-rigid movement and interfaith
them through the rough times."
boundaries.
He added, "These values have been
To revitalize the American Jewish
forgotten in some circles during the
experience, Sarna challenged Jewish
more recent years of plenty, but they bear
organizations to identify a mission or
remembering: All Jews are family and thus
cause compelling enough for American
responsible for helping one another."
Jews to become passionate about and
That's a familiar refrain. From Yad Ezra
rally around. "The great causes that once
to Hebrew Free Loan, from the Jewish
invigorated American Jewry — immi-
Housing Association to Jewish Senior Life,
grant absorption, creating and sustaining
from Jewish Family Service to the Jewish
a Jewish state, rescuing endangered Jews
Federation, extending lifelines is central to
from around the world — are essentially
what we as Metro Detroit Jews do.
behind us," he said.
Sarna's analysis of America's panoply of
His short list of significant and worthy
post-World War II social services resonat-
secular and universal causes includes
ed for me: Jews were reluctant to accept
environmentalism, ethical treatment of
welfare, but such governmental support
animals and world hunger. The question
Brandeis' Jona than Sarna
did enhance Jewish life. "Money freed up
is: Could any inspire American Jews like
from social services was devoted to Israel and Jewish edu-
Zionism and the Soviet Jewry campaign did?
cation," Sarna said.
"While social justice has made a huge comeback in our
Roosevelt's New Deal also provided a model for the ben-
community:' Sarna said, "I doubt it will suffice as a mission
efits of centralized services — a model the Jewish com-
to keep Jews Jewish. Diaspora Jews today are the poorer for
munity adopted.
not having a well-defined, elevating mission to inspire us."
It's no surprise the U.S. economic downturn is threat-
Radical awakenings such as the chavurah movement,
ening an array of initiatives fueled by the great rise of
Jewish feminism and an open gay community indeed
Jewish wealth in the 1980s and 1990s. Jewish federations
have extended Judaism's appeal and sensitivity, as Sarna
are about one-third poorer than they were at this time last
suggests. The idea that Judaism will wither without sub-
year, meaning Jewish communal spending must be cut
stantial change is a lightning rod for debate, given that the
proportionately to keep in step. "Over the next few years:'
growing Orthodox movement is the movement least recep-
Sarna said, "we will see which organizations in Jewish life
tive to change. Of course, the more liberal movements also
have kept strong balance sheets, budgeted prudently and
are the largest among the 5.2 million American Jews.
built broad-scale support — and which have not?'
Ultimately, challenges have bolstered the American
He's right: As individual needs rise and communal
Jewish community. Jonathan Sarna put it well: "As our 355
means fall, the Jewish community likely will engage in
years on American soil testify, we have repeatedly con-
self-pruning — maintaining the strongest, best-nourished founded those who predicted gloom and doom and, after
service branches. Federations and other Jewish agencies
periods of adversity, have often emerged stronger than
can't serve every need. The key is to maintain the depth
ever before?' H
j
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September 17 ' 2009
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