I've collected the mission statements of the largest 17 Jewish federations in North America, and not one mentions "God," "Torah" or "Judaism." Nor do the mission statements of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, Hillel, the National Council of Jewish Women, The Wexner Heritage Foundation, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, Hadassah and the Jewish National Fund. Of all the organizations I looked into, only United Jewish Communities mentions but one of the three words, Torah, in its mission statement.
Some surely will be quick to say that the above organizations were not created to convey religious concepts. That is precisely my point: How can we say these organizations are Jewish and at the same time don't need to mention God, Torah or Judaism?
This fits with everything I know about Jewish communal leadership but the results of Alperson's having sifted through all those mission statements -- and found just one lonely reference to God, Torah, or Judaism! -- still represents a startling piece of information, reflecting a massive desertion from the very purpose of Jewish existence.
Thanks to Rabbi Yaakov Menken for noting this on a Baltimore Sun blog.
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Dave Weidlich -
Once upon a time, evangelical only described something of the approach of the church body (with the particular irony that the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church is not generally considered evangelical). The involvement of highly visible evangelical and fundamentalist preachers in politics starting in the '80s changed the general view of evangelicals. When people hear preachers saying that God is punishing us for not being sufficiently intolerant, it is pretty easy, if inaccurate, to extrapolate to all evangelicals, just as stupid things said by the Pope don't necessarily reflect the opinion of the average American Catholic.
if Catholics aren't going to be saved anyway, why would they care what Catholics say about others who don't even call themselves Christian?
Because they want to persuade people that Catholicism is wrong. Part of evangelical Protestant outreach is warning people away from Catholicism and Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses and what not. So they spend a great deal of time explaining to their young people, and people of other faiths, what is wrong with other flavors of Christianity.
I have a very hard time believing that a REAL evangelical, like Dave Wiedlich, can't give us chapter and verse on the "false" versions of Christianity. Wiedlich seems like a good-natured sort who probably wouldn't--but he certainly COULD.
"s. weiss," a/k/a Grover, a/k/a Rochelle, a/k/a Yochanan, a/k/a bar emes, etc., etc. -- please do choose and stick with one false name -- I unpublished your previous comment for childish name-calling. If you'd like to reformulate it, you may do so. If you click the link, you'll see it indeed goes to the Baltimore Sun. The Alperson piece was from JTA and probably appeared in your own local Baltimore Jewish paper and other Jewish papers around the country. It was noted and commented upon in the Sun's religion blog.
goldknopp wrote:
I would appreciate a reference to this ruling from R' Moshe.
Although my personal practice is to use the full English spelling of "God", I don't agree with your assessment of those who chose to write "G-d". Those who chose to show fear of His name, even beyond the letter of the law, are to be praised, not condemned.
Dave Weidlich, as a Christian I need to ask you a simple question. Can one enter heaven without accepting Christ in his lifetime? If not, would this not mean that David will end up in hell? Please reach out to him and his lovely family and help guide him and his family to Christ, the only true path to god.
Heterosexually yours,
Concerned Evangelical
p.s.
I just learned to use spell check. You see I am from a poor southern family. Daddy died early and Mamma was poor.
Praise Jesus, Praise Jesus, good times
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