Question:
I am teaching a high school class about threats to Judaism in the modern world. What do you see as the biggest threat to Jewish survival--assimilation or anti-Semitism?
Answer:The biggest threat to Jewish survival is confused Jewish identity. Sadly, today in many Jewish schools and families, Jewish identity is built through teaching Holocaust awareness and a fear of marrying out. The Jewish community's preoccupation with assimilation and anti-Semitism is not the solution, it is the problem.
A pessimistic and negative presentation of being Jewish turns off young Jews more than anything else. When we obsess about anti-Semitism we paint ourselves as perpetual victims. When we over-emphasize the threat of assimilation, it makes us feel like an endangered species. The Jews are alongside the hump-back whale and the giant panda in the list of helpless and pitiful communities disappearing from the planet. Is it so surprising that young Jews are opting out of Judaism? Who wants to be a victim?
We have to stop defining ourselves by the way others perceive us. Assimilation is when non-Jews love us so much they want to marry us. Anti-Semitism is when non-Jews hate us so much they want to kill us. They both just happen to us; but what do we think of ourselves?
We need a clear and positive reason to stay Jewish. Failing that, why should Judaism survive? Is there a good argument for not assimilating into the welcoming societies surrounding us? Is there a compelling reason to stay proudly Jewish in the face of anti-Semitism?
I think there is.
Judaism is the most powerful idea that the world has ever seen. Jews should survive because we have a message that the world needs to hear.
The Jewish way of life is a revolutionary force that can transform ordinary lives into lives of meaning. A family that keeps Shabbat is always reminded of what is really important--that there is more to life than accumulating wealth. The kosher laws teach us that we are not mere animals that must feed our every urge and desire, and that eating itself can be holy. A mezuzah on the door tells the world that this home is built for a higher purpose.
Judaism teaches lessons that the world urgently needs to learn--that every individual person is created in the image of G-d, and is therefore unique and valuable; that morality is not relative but absolute; that humans are partners with G-d in creation, with a mission to create heaven on earth.
These bold Jewish ideas are more relevant now than ever. But bold Jewish ideas need bold Jewish people to perpetuate them. The world can only be elevated if individuals first elevate themselves. We can only make the world into a divine home if we start with our own home. This is Judaism's formula to change the world for better. This is why we must stay Jewish.
The biggest threat to Judaism is not external pressure but rather internal confusion. When we lose sight of our mission, we lose the strength and stamina to survive. The Jewish feeling we need to develop in ourselves and our children is not fear of anti-Semitism, or guilt about assimilation. It is a humble pride in the greatness of the Jewish mission and confident resolve to fulfill it. When we are clear about our identity, no threat in the world can shake us.
What do you think? What is our identity as Jews?
4 comments:
I beleive there is a much simpler reason to remain Jewish. It ties in with Jewish identity, but is a step above that. Jews have to realize that their Jewish identity does not only mean traditions and customs that have been passed down over the years. Judaism has one of the longest and most powerful histories of any culture in the world today. It seems that not only is shying away from Judaism a loss to the religion, but it would seem almost blasphemous not to realize that you are ruining over 3000 years of generations passing their Judaism on to their children. All you need to do to make all these people's efforts be for nothing is to opt out of the religion. It is almost irrelevant whether you practice the religion, so long as the next generation realizes what line and ancestry they come from. 3000 years of history is quite a massive thing to merely toss to a side.
I want to put in some more thought before responding to this article but it's a really great article that has got me thinking.
It is true of today that people no longer know how to connect to their Judaism. Some people see it as a negative aspect in their lives and throughout history they are targeted, whether it be from anti-semitic attacks or the Holocaust...Therefore people no longer associate Judaism with something positive.
I think that people need to return to the source of their Judaism. People need to go back to the root of their customs and beliefs and ask themselves, "Why do I do this?" "What is the purpose of that?" Then they may be able to understand the meaning behind Judaism and Jewish customs. Therefore they can understand that Judaism as a whole is positive and can lead you to be a better person
The problem starts from education. Look at public school Jewish children. After school classes (which most people end at bar mitzvah age) are not productive, and are looked at as a chore. Even at a Hebrew day school, we learn about the holocaust in 2 out of the 4 Hebrew classes we take (Jewish history and ivrit). I feel this is a huge issue, and it can not be addressed in a simple blog format. However, steps obviously must be made in order to do this. Getting young people interested in Jewish customs and traditions will help educate the future properly. Teaching kids about the greatness of the land of Israel, and everything it and Judaism has to offer will interest many children. What many secular Jewish people don't understand is how the torah is a very rational book, which teaches human beings to act in a socially acceptable and ethically correct way. Sending youth on trips to Israel will also arouse much interest in our community, I believe.
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