The Pew rePort was published some months ago, yet the findings and controversial methodologies in finding them have been questioned by many a Jblog. It seems that the Pew results continue to be discussed and dissected, yet the results are not really that shocking. Everyone knows that the Orthodox are becoming more Orthodox and the Reform are becoming more Reformed.
I don't really understand what all the fuss is about.
Here's the reason for the fuss: The non-religious used to believe that the future of Judaism belonged to them. The Orthodox were an oddity left over from "the old country" and would eventually fade away as the waves of modernity and pluralism washed over them.
ReplyDeleteTwenty years ago a similar study showed that the non-religious population was starting to decline due to assimilation, apathy and dilution from non-halachic converts who frankly didn't even pretend they were Jewish in anything other than name. They were shocked, coined the phrase "Jewish continuity" and insisted they would stop this decline. The Pew report shows that all the money and time they spent added up to nothing. The decine has continued as if nothing had been done. What's worse, the Orthodox are staying Orthodox despite every liberal belief that they shouldn't.
That's why there's so much hand wringing.
The federations still don't get it. You can build million dollar JCC buildings, but if you want to prevent assimilation you need JEWISH EDUCATION. Yet their dollars are still going to edifices and not Neshomos.
ReplyDeleteIt's more than that, Chaim. It's also the kind of Jewish education you provide. If you teach people that Judaism is just secular liberalism with some nice Bible stories and latkes on Chanukah, if you minimize what makes us unique and diminish the centrality of Torah and learning, then you're not educating them away from assimilation. But they don't see that.
ReplyDeletePrecisely. I assume Chaim meant Religious Jewish education.
DeleteThanks for your comments.