In a recent article in the Jerusalem Post, there was a call for Conservative and Reform Jews to band together to declare themselves a separate religion and thereby form their own Chief Rabbinate. See http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410724103&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. This, the author argues, would then solve all the problems with the Orthodox in Israel. As a separate religion, adherents of this religion could make their own decisions regarding status and life cycle matters.
This is actually a most interesting suggestion but not really new. Rabbi J. David Bleich in one of his books states that years ago this offer was made to the Reform Rabbinate but they turned it down. It seems that they didn't want to be seen as a separate cult.
This is really the problem. Reform and Conservative Judaism don't just want to be recognized but they want to be seen as equal parts of the same religion with Orthodoxy. That is why this author's suggestion will be rejected by the very populace for whom he is trying to advocate. They are theologically already separate religions. The problem is that they don't want to see this.
In my article Adjective and Non-Adjective Jew (available at http://www.nishma.org/articles/introspection/introspection5761-2-adjective_jew.htm) my further contention is that the only possible way of achieving greater Jewish unity is through recognizing this reality. We cannot solve the problems of Jewish friction by just trying to avoid the reality that we do have major theological disagreements. We do. The answer is not through ignoring this reality. The answer is to accept this reality and figure out a way of working within it. A separate Chief Rabbinate could create other problems but it would force people to confront the theological distinctions between the branches of Judaism and recognize that many of the beliefs which they take for granted is actually only supported by Orthodox Judaism. It would stop people from having their cake and eating it too. That is why this suggestion will be rejected. Reform and Conservative Judaism don't want to be seen as being theologically separate from Orthodoxy.
Rabbi Ben Hecht
2 comments:
Rabbi Hecht, I must respectively disagree with your conclusions. But first, let me make the standard, but completely valid disclaimer that I am not an official representative of the Reform Movement, merely one Reform Rabbi, so the views expressed here are solely my own.
It isn't my main point, but let me begin by questioning a major premise of Rabbi Forman's argument - that declaring ourselves a separate religion, and forming our own "Chief Rabbinate" will inevitably lead to the rise of Liberal Judaism, and the (at least partial) marginalization of Orthodoxy. At a bare minimum, we'd have to admit that Rabbi Forman is talking about an enormous experiment, and the outcome of it is highly uncertain. Since his argument seems more tactical than ideological, this is highly relevant. Doing what he suggests could easily have the effect of further marginalizing Liberal Judaism, rather than achieving his goal of increasing our prominence and power.
But, my real disagreement is with what he, and you (Rabbi Hecht) say about our separateness, and our comfort with that. I most certainly do not think that Reform Judaism is a separate entity from Orthodox Judaism, but I most certainly do think that we are theologically distinct. I vehemently agree with you when you say that denying or minimizing our differences will not serve anything; I am a believer in exploring (and even celebrating) those differences. But, I do not believe that, even with those differences, we are not one people.
I'm assiduously avoiding the word "religion," because of my belief (obviously not the least bit original to me) that Judaism is not a religion. We are a people, or, even better, a tribe. The "religion" part of Judaism is an enormous part of our people, almost certainly the most important part, but it is not the entirety. At our core, what we are is an extended family, which in some respects becomes a nation (which is, I learned, more-or-less what a tribe is). And, if I'm right about our tribe-not-religion-essential-nature, then that explains why we can have profound, even fundamental theological differences, but still not become distinct.
My difference here is more than semantic. An Episcopalian may visit a Catholic church, but he/she can't fully participate there; they are different religions. I, by contrast, have often (well, not often enough) davened in an Orthodox synagogue, and although it is not as comfortable for me as being in my own shul, I certainly feel like I belong there. I know that this is not reciprocated, and that does present a challenge to my theory. But, I'd ask a non-fanatical Orthodox Jew whether they feel that the mitzvah of ahavat yisrael applies to me? Would I be denied an aliyah in your synagogue? Would you drink wine which I poured into your glass? I ask these questions only partially rhetorically, because I think that they are telling questions.
The issue of the relationship between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Judaism is incredibly complex, and I certainly don't mean to imply, with this relatively short piece, that it's otherwise. But, I simply don't accept that we are, at this point, distinct religions. Any policy which pretended that we are, even if it were to be successful, would therefore be a lie.
I certainly look forward to others' responses to this issue, especially from those who come from the Orthodox side.
A Shabbat Shalom, and a Chag Purim Sameach to all.
FWIW, Rabbiner Samson Raphael Hirsch Claimed that Reform Judaism was a brand new religion about 150 years ago.
He said it was a Kal Vachomer from Catholicism and Protestantism - which were different religions yet differed LESS than did Orthodox Judaism vs. Reform Judaism
Something to Ponder!
Simchat Purim
RRW
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