views commentary Kotel Controversy Shows Th at U.S. Jewish Groups Don’t Represent Th e Orthodox W Or Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali hat are we, chopped liver? Bennett: “The representatives of U.S. The question, from my Jewry feel they were slapped in the face.” Orthodox corner of the And, in further slap-happiness, former American Jewish world, is born of the ambassador to the U.S. Sallai Meridor recent onslaught of outrage aimed at called the Kotel decision “a slap the Israeli government by repre- in the face to world Jewry.” sentatives of “American Jewry.” Not to be outdone, the Anti- The outrage itself, of course, Defamation League bemoaned was born of two things. The the undermining of trust first was the Israeli Cabinet’s “between American Jewry and freezing of a resolution aimed Israel.” at further accommodating For his part, the American mixed-sex worshippers at the Jewish Committee’s executive Kotel HaMaaravi, or Western director David Harris claimed Wall. The second was a Knesset Avi Shafran that the Kotel decision was “a bill providing the Israeli chief setback for Jewish unity and the rabbinate oversight over con- essential ties that bind Israel versions in Israel with respect and American Jews.” to the right to automatic citi- And for his, Jewish Federations of zenship (though it was later announced North America CEO Jerry Silverman that consideration of the bill will be decried how “disastrous conversion leg- delayed for six months). islation would be for global Jewry.” Now, all Jews are entitled to their And then there are things like the opinions, even to desert island syna- recent New York Times piece on the gogues they choose to shun. But do contretemps. In nearly 1,500 words, an media and American Jewish leaders assortment of infuriated non-Orthodox really have a right to characterize American Jewish clergy and philanthro- one particular opinion as being that pists are duly quoted. But there was not of “American Jews” or the “Jewish a single American Orthodox voice. Diaspora” or “world Jewry”? Why is the American Orthodox com- To wit: A Haaretz column headline: munity being ignored in all this? Why “Netanyahu To American Jews: Drop are leaders speaking in our name? Why Dead.” And a Guardian one: “Jewish is the media duly swallowing that arro- Diaspora Angry As Netanyahu Scraps gation whole? Western Wall Mixed Prayer Plan.” Do they not realize that the American “How Bibi Just Gave Liberal Jews The Orthodox community exists, and in Finger — And What We Can Do About fact is rather robust? That we Orthodox It” by Jane Eisner ( June 26) or Jewish harbor different sentiments from them? Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky: And that there are actually reasons for “We’re fighting all efforts to weaken the that? Israel-Diaspora relations.” Orthodox Jews praying at the Kotel Well, it does; it is; we do and there are. Sociologist Steven M. Cohen of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion has observed that within two generations, the Orthodox fraction of the American Jewish population — conservatively estimated at 10 percent — has more than quintupled. More than a quarter of American Jews 17 years of age or younger, moreover, are Orthodox. Pundits Eric Cohen and Aylana Meisel of the Tikvah Fund estimate that, by 2050, the American Jewish community will be majority Orthodox. Not to mention that the Orthodox sector of Jewish America is the most Jewishly engaged one, and its members are greatly involved with Israel, support- ing it, visiting it, sending its children to study there. And, quite often, relocating there. In the currently contentious issues, we Orthodox (and not just “ultras”) stand in a very different place than the current Jewish establishment. Why? Start with this thought: A self- described Jewish state, to merit the epithet, must maintain some Jewish standard, including in its treatment of holy places and its definitions of per- sonal status. And continue with this one: The absence of any standard or the adop- tion of multiple standards (which is effectively the same thing) is a recipe for fractionalization and disunity. The Kotel was once a Jewish societal oasis, probably the only place on Earth where Jews of different religious convic- tions prayed side by side. No one asked, or cared, what prayer book or religious attitudes anyone was holding. What allowed for that minor miracle was the maintenance at that holy place of a public standard — that of time-honored Jewish religious tradition. Men stood on one side, women on another; vocal public prayer reflected millennia-old halachic norms. That peace has been shattered and the holy place turned into a place of strife, thanks to the antics of “activists” holding monthly protests in the guise of prayer services, with photographers in tow to capture Haredi hooligans’ anger. The vast majority of Haredim and other Orthodox Jews at the Wall were just qui- etly anguished. The protesters and their American supporters were given an area of their own for their “egalitarian” services, but, not satisfied with having success- fully balkanized the Kotel, insisted on a larger, more prominent space (though the current one is often empty). They received that, too, or at least a pledge to create it — a pledge that is now on hold. As for conversions, keeping the door open to wholesale “conversions” of non- Jewish Israelis without sufficient regard for Jewish religious law might presently please some observers. But it will only increase Jewish disunity by creating populations that some will consider to be part of the Jewish people but that others, whose consciences insist on feal- ty to halachah, simply will not be able to accept as such. The essential point of contention in both issues — as is clear from the activ- ists’ words — is whether American-style “Jewish pluralism” should be imported to continued on page 10 Contributing Writers: Joshua Lewis Berg, Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier, Esther Allweiss Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher / Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us | Editorial Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@renmedia.us Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen kcohen@renmedia.us Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin lkonstantin@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us | Advertising Sales Sales Director: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives : Wendy Flusty, Annette Kizy, Paige Lustig Sales Manager Assistants : Andrea Gusho, Karen Marzolf | Business Offices Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner | Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Kelly Kosek, Amy Pollard, Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker | Detroit Jewish News Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller: Craig R. Phipps | Fulfillment Joelle Harder jharder@renmedia.us | Departments General Offi ces: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5120 Classifi ed Ads: 248-351-5116 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 2 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. Subscriptions: 1 year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $85 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$153 3 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$204 1 year out-of-state . . . . . . . . . . .$125 2 years out-of-state . . . . . . . . . .$225 Per year foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300 Detroit Jewish News 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110 Southfi eld, MI 48034 ©copyright 2017 Detroit Jewish News The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034. To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.djnfounadtion.org OUR JN The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that’s useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive MISSION member of the community. Being competitive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth. 6 September 7 • 2017 jn jn 1942 - 2017 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week