Jewish Pluralism
Can it exist? That is the question. Last night HUC rabbinic students met with rabbinical students from the two Conservative movement seminaries, The Jewish Theological Seminary and University of Judaism, as well as from the Modern Orthodox seminary, Yeshiva University.
My group went on a site visit to the Old City, where we took a tour and learned about disabled accessibility in Jerusalem. It’s really interesting – this organization has made so many minute changes in the Old City, from paving cobblestones for wheelchair and cane access, to switching some of the water drainage grates from vertically-oriented to horizontally/width-oriented, so wheelchair wheels don’t get caught in them. The tour was amazing, and I learned so much about the difficulties of the mentally and physically challenged in this country.
After that came the dinner, and my table was wonderful – it was held at Yeshiva University, and I sat with a bunch of male Orthodox students. We got into great talks about the Orthodox world and coming to Israel, whether Reform Judaism isn’t a “pick-and-choose” religion, and other things. All in all, I had a good night. The only negative thing I picked up on was that the YU rabbi (dressed in a black hat) refused to say the word “rabbi” in his speech in reference to the non-YU students - he kept referring to “future Jewish spiritual leaders.”
The experience for other HUC students, however, was not nearly so uplifting. One of the other site visits was to an organization that – I’m not quite sure I have this right – take in immigrant Jews to the army, and make them “Jewish” by converting them patrilineally. (In “traditional” Judaism, you’re only a Jew if your mother was Jewish). Suffice it to say that the Conservative and Reform rabbinic students thought very differently on the issue from the Orthodox, and were told by them and the organization that they weren’t “really” Jewish anyway. I don't know all the details, but the HUC students I spoke to were very upset.
After the return to Yeshiva University and before dinner (and before my bus arrived), was time for evening prayers. YU has a sanctuary with a mechitza, a screen dividing the men and women. The Reform and Conservative students wanted to hold an egalitarian service where men and women could pray together, but were told that they couldn’t have such a service in the building. So they went outside and pray in the rain! How ridiculous. The only redeeming factor was that the wife of one of the YU students went inside and brought them back prayerbooks. But really, could they be any more insulting?
It makes me question the validity and wisdom of Jewish pluralism as a whole. Yes, we all want to be friends. Duh. But can we be? Tales abound of Reform and Orthodox rabbis who are good friends but just don’t talk religion or politics. My response to that is, how much of a friendship is it if they’re not talking about what’s most central to their lives? Richard the Lionheart and Saladin deeply respected each other too, but they weren’t exactly peaceful - respect isn't everything. Judaism really needs to take a look at the relationships between its denominations, otherwise the movements will only continue to split further apart.
My group went on a site visit to the Old City, where we took a tour and learned about disabled accessibility in Jerusalem. It’s really interesting – this organization has made so many minute changes in the Old City, from paving cobblestones for wheelchair and cane access, to switching some of the water drainage grates from vertically-oriented to horizontally/width-oriented, so wheelchair wheels don’t get caught in them. The tour was amazing, and I learned so much about the difficulties of the mentally and physically challenged in this country.
After that came the dinner, and my table was wonderful – it was held at Yeshiva University, and I sat with a bunch of male Orthodox students. We got into great talks about the Orthodox world and coming to Israel, whether Reform Judaism isn’t a “pick-and-choose” religion, and other things. All in all, I had a good night. The only negative thing I picked up on was that the YU rabbi (dressed in a black hat) refused to say the word “rabbi” in his speech in reference to the non-YU students - he kept referring to “future Jewish spiritual leaders.”
The experience for other HUC students, however, was not nearly so uplifting. One of the other site visits was to an organization that – I’m not quite sure I have this right – take in immigrant Jews to the army, and make them “Jewish” by converting them patrilineally. (In “traditional” Judaism, you’re only a Jew if your mother was Jewish). Suffice it to say that the Conservative and Reform rabbinic students thought very differently on the issue from the Orthodox, and were told by them and the organization that they weren’t “really” Jewish anyway. I don't know all the details, but the HUC students I spoke to were very upset.
After the return to Yeshiva University and before dinner (and before my bus arrived), was time for evening prayers. YU has a sanctuary with a mechitza, a screen dividing the men and women. The Reform and Conservative students wanted to hold an egalitarian service where men and women could pray together, but were told that they couldn’t have such a service in the building. So they went outside and pray in the rain! How ridiculous. The only redeeming factor was that the wife of one of the YU students went inside and brought them back prayerbooks. But really, could they be any more insulting?
It makes me question the validity and wisdom of Jewish pluralism as a whole. Yes, we all want to be friends. Duh. But can we be? Tales abound of Reform and Orthodox rabbis who are good friends but just don’t talk religion or politics. My response to that is, how much of a friendship is it if they’re not talking about what’s most central to their lives? Richard the Lionheart and Saladin deeply respected each other too, but they weren’t exactly peaceful - respect isn't everything. Judaism really needs to take a look at the relationships between its denominations, otherwise the movements will only continue to split further apart.
posted by Michal at 10:58 AM
6 Comments:
You could always try posting 99 thesis statements on orthodox temple doors. Hey, it worked for Luther.
Sorry to sound dense, but was it the YU students or the HUC students who prayed outside? I think it was the YU students but want to make sure.
Love,
Mom
In every religion on earth there is clash between the literal fundamentalists and the reformists. Cohesion cannot be achieved. Islam has over seven different sects and their differences are frequently expressed in bloodletting. The Christian faith has literally hundreds of different denominations with extreme intolerance ever-present among them. The various streams of Judaism conflict only in the State of Israel because governmental control was given solely to the Ultra Orthodox in all matters concerning birth, marriage, death, identity, etc. We are working to achieve legislation that will break that monopoly and give legal authority to other streams of Judaism. The process is slow and difficult, but it is being pursued and progress is inching along. I believe that's the most that can be hoped for. I think we can forget about mutual respect and acceptance when fundamentalists are concerned. I'll be satsified with peaceful coexistence.
Savta
I was really (really really) heartbroken when I learned that my brother voted for the WRONG guy in the last elections. But he's still my brother, I still love him - I just sigh and wonder how he can be so dense. There are plenty of things that we can discuss and argue quite happily, but I don't discuss politics with him.
As a total non sequitor - I would love to hear you input on the new library sites.
Wow, 4 comments all in a row! It's a red-letter day.
Antonio, HAH! You crack me up. :)
Mom, it was the HUC students who prayed outside, because the Yeshiva Univ wouldn't let them have a coed minyan inside their building.
Savta, very true. I think that Israel's politics are so different from anywhere else, the religious relationships are automatically different too. But in terms of this experience specifically, it doesn't apply - these were all *American* students who are in Israel for the year.
And Sheryl - that is a good, good point. I guess families are the microcosm for the political realm. But do they have a bond that religious groups, or other entities, lack? It's good food for thought. And about the library, I'll email you privately. :)
Of course, it's easier for me to talk now than it was in the months immediately after the election :-)
And thanks for the library feedback!
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