Can Judaism Survive?

Shabbat Shalom,

In January of each year I attend the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis conference. This gathering of all the west coast Reform Rabbis is a time for study, discussion, debate and renewal. This year we were lucky in that the West Coast Conservative Rabbis were meeting at the same time in the same city and we had the opportunity to study together. One of the panels during our conference was on the future of denominilzation. Or put more succinctly, what will Judaism look like in the future? Will there be Orthodox, Conservative and Reform and Reconstructionist movements?

It was an interesting panel with Rabbi Bradley Artson, Dean of the Zeigler Rabbinic School of the University of Judaism, Rabbi David Ellenson President of the Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Arthur Green, noted Kabbalah scholar and Dean of Hebrew College Rabbinical Seminary, Rabbi Paul Menitoff, Executive Director of The Central Conference of American Rabbis, and Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg Placement Director of the Rabbinical Assembly. Each rabbi spoke about his perspective on the Jewish communal future and the denominations.

The Panel’s bombshell moment came when Rabbi Paul Menitoff, head of the Reform Rabbis predicted the death of Conservative Judaism. You could hear the gasps in the room and the bristling all around. How can a Reform rabbinical leader, sound the death toll for another denomination? Rabbi Menitoff cited the increasingly strident tones of Jewish communal dialogue by stating, “ those on the right wing of Judaism – The orthodox grow more stringent. Our movement the Reform Movement, continues to be defined by its inclusiveness, outreach to interfaith families, gays and lesbians, as an example.”

Rabbi Menitoff articulated that Conservative Judaism continues to lose numbers of adherents and is neither milkich or fleishic on many issues of importance today. Within a few decades, "you’ll basically have Orthodox and Reform," he said. "This is in no way an attack, it’s just a reasonable analysis of how things could work out. I hope I’m wrong. I’m just looking at the landscape and providing a perspective." As you can imagine his words were difficult to hear for many of us – and especially so for the members of the Conservative movement, the Conservative Rabbis present in the room.

As Joe Berkofsky, Jewish telegraphic agency writer reported in his article, ‘“Major wedges between the modernist movements will force this exodus,” Menitoff argued, including the Conservative movement’s opposition to intermarriage, its ban on ordaining homosexual rabbis and same-sex marriages and its opposition to patrilineal descent, all of which the Reform movement supports. The Conservative movement may continue to attract those for whom Orthodoxy remains "too restrictive" and Reform "too acculturated," but a more likely outcome will be "the demise of the Conservative movement," Menitoff wrote.’

Rabbi Menitoff’s pronouncements were and are controversial. However, his analysis of the latest demographics of the 2000-2001 National Jewish population survey is on target. That report documented the dramatic decrease in the number of members of Conservative Judaism and the increase in the Reform movement of Judaism.

But Rabbi Menitoff’s analysis doesn’t really go far enough, I think. If we really look at the data from the National Jewish population survey we find that 44 percent of Jews do not align with any movement. They are unaffiliated. And to me this is a much more troubling figure.

At present the Jewish population of the United States totals, 5.2 million people estimated at 4.1 million adults and 1 million children in households and 100,000 Jews in institutional settings, like hospitals and homes for the aged and prisons. This translates concretely that Jews resides in 2.9 million households with a total of 6.7 million people both Jews and non-Jews. In other words intermarriage is significant.

Of that population – only 40% of American Jewish households belong to synagogue. Nationwide the breakdown is as follows… Orthodox only 21%; Conservative Judaism 33%; Reform Judaism 39%; Reconstructionist 3% and other 4%. So while Conservative Judaism numbers dramatically decreased from the 1990 population survey to this survey, the most dramatic information is not how Conservative Judaism numbers have changed downward or Reform Judaism numbers have gone upward—but the number of Jews who don’t belong at all and have little or no formal connection with the Jewish community. To me this is a much more alarming statistic that should give everyone in this sanctuary pause for reflection.

While Rabbi Menitoff sounded an alarm for Conservative Judaism, I think the real question for each of us—is not which denomination will survive—but will Judaism survive at all into the 22nd and 23rd centuries?

Combine the lack of connection of Jews to Jewish community with low fertility rates brought on by late marriage age combined with the increase in interfaith marriage, and we must analyze the data and look to see what kind of future if any is left for Judaism at all.

Is there a Jewish future? Is there relevance in Judaism, enough to make Jews stop and think about how their actions and decisions affect the Jewish people globally? All too often Jews talk a great line but their actions do not back up their statements.

In the Population Survey while 67% of Jews hold or attend a Pesach seder and 72% light Chanukah candles… only 27% attend Jewish religious services monthly or more. While 52 % say they regard being Jewish as very important most do little measurably to demonstrate this feeling.

While 55 % will read a book with Jewish content, most Jewish adults will not give philanthropically to Jewish causes. In fact 67% of Jews in America give tzedakah to non-Jewish causes—while only 41% give to Jewish causes and this percentage drops even lower as you examine younger population pools so that in the under 35 years group-the giving to Jewish causes drops even further.
The combination of these factors should give each of us pause for reflection. Can Judaism continue to exist, given these alarming statistics? If younger Jews don’t give to Jewish institutions and as our aging population dies off, who will support the synagogue? The Jewish centers? Hillels and Federations? If Jews would rather give to the opera, symphony, cancer unit, hospitals and animal organizations than to American Jewish Committee, Israel organizations and Hadassah? Who will care for the Jewish poor and the immigrants? If Jews vote with their feet by not attending services, nor belonging to any Jewish institution why bother to have a synagogue at all? Does Judaism not have something to offer?

This is an important question that each Jew must ask and must personally answer. And most importantly, if Judaism does have some eternal truths and precious teachings for living in the world and bringing the Divine into ones life, why then do Jews fall away from our community and what can we do about it?

It has to matter… to you and to me…

"Are you sure you want to move so far away?” Caroline asked with tears I her eyes as she clung to her great-aunt Ingrid.

“Florida is not that far away,” her aunt replied. “Besides, you’ll be starting high school in a few weeks. You are going to make so many new friends you wouldn’t have time for me anyway.”

Caroline couldn’t remember why her aunt had moved in with the family those many years ago. Under her aunt’s tutelage, Caroline had matured from a sullen only child who was always “Bored,” into a vibrant young woman with multiple interests.

“Oh, Auntie, what am I going to do without you?” Caroline cried.

“You’ll figure out something. But just in case you get bored, I left something behind for you,” Ingrid said as she stepped into the taxi and waved goodbye.

Caroline searched the house, thinking that things just wouldn’t be the same now. Then she found the package her aunt had spoke of and opened it.

Inside the box was a pair of knitting needles used by five generations of women in the family; a fountain pen that had belonged to Ingrid’s late husband- a writer; a coveted family cake recipe; a handmade journal that reminded Caroline of that summer afternoon her aunt made paper in the kitchen; and a framed photograph of Ingrid and Caroline sitting at the piano during Caroline’s first lesson. An inscription engraved on the frame read: Precious moments last forever.

These priceless heirlooms made Caroline realize that even though she felt “Out on a limb of the family tree,” she was still connected to the deeply rooted foundation of her ancestors. She believed that family members never leave you completely, for their essence, their heart – is always with you.

Caroline didn’t know when she would next see her aunt but she would always feel her nearby. Caroline placed the picture on her nightstand. Then, picking up the fountain pen and journal she started to write a poem for Aunt Ingrid.
So too it is with each of us, we must not only write in the journal of the Jewish people, we must find ourselves deeply rooted in our traditions and heritage. We must do more to talk to our friends and family members to find their place among the Jewish people again. We must go out of our way to hold tight to the precious heirlooms of Torah and Jewish culture, humor and learning that are so much a deep part of our Jewish life. And we must connect to the hearts and souls of all Jews… no matter their denominational tie.

Like Caroline, we must come to appreciate our family—the Jewish family – and by strengthening that connection to the Jewish people—each and every day—indeed that is how we will survive into the 22nd and 23rd century and beyond.

This week’s Torah portion begins the book of Leviticus –Vayikra. The sacrificial practices of the Israelite religion seem so distant and far from the faith we honor and practice today—and yet we are still here… connected to that past while observing God’s desire for holiness in a different fashion. So too we pray for our children and descendants; That they will continue to bring Divine holiness into the world through Jewish life, even if it varies from our own.

Ken Yehi Ratzon So May it Be God’s Will.