Rabbi Eliyahu Stern: July 2007 Archives

I love Jewish outreach, I support it all the way. But sometimes, in the hope of pleasing and bringing someone into the fold, it can become hurtful to that person. Recently, I was having a conversation with a "leader" in the American-Jewish community and they told me they did not believe in a lapsed Jew. Seconding this sentiment, another person in the audience blurted out that in Judaism that there was no such thing as "a bad Jew" or "wrong Jewish behavior." It took me a minute to gain my composure but I finally innocently asked the leader and her groupie what the concept of repentance (teshuva) mean to them? If Judaism is anything and if there is no such thing as a lapsed Jew than did a Jew ever have to say I am sorry? They looked at me askance, brushing aside my question as the ranting of some Fundamentalist Orthodox rabbi.

What I really wanted to say to them was that simply not everything is Jewish. Just because someone is speaking Hebrew does not make something Jewish, just because someone is eating bagels does mean they are doing something Jewish and just because someone has a long nose does not mean every time he puts it into a handkerchief he is doing something Jewish.

The truth is that in our attempt to reach out and be welcoming, we many times forget about the importance of conveying the concept of responsibility that comes with being Jewish. By forgetting, we hurt the person who we want to make more Jewish more than we hurt Judaism. We fail to give them something real and authentic that can not only make them feel good, but also teach them something new, help them grow, and improve their lives. Jewish outreach is great, we need more of it. Irrespective of whether one is orthodox, conservative or reform, Judaism makes demands on people and asks them to be a certain type of person: a better person.

My friend and colleague, Rabbi Leon Morris of the Skirball Center of Adult Jewish Learning, asked me to sit on a panel Tuesday, July 24, (the day of Tisha B'Av), entitled "Because of Our Sins: Do We Blame Ourselves Too Much or Not Enough."

Prior to the Holocaust, the traditional response to Jewish tragedies was either silence (Job) or to place blame on the Jewish people (a minority of texts such as Eicha Rabbah Petichta 24 actually places blame on God). The rabbis blamed their own over emphasis on the technicalities of Jewish law over and against love of their fellow human beings. The blame game probably also contributed to what some term "Jewish guilt." Ideally, this approach was meant as a way to empower people to allow them to feel that ultimately they were the masters of their own destiny. If they changed their ways they would be redeemed. Following the Holocaust such a position became seen by many as simply ridiculous. For what sin is deserving of the death of six million?

Pope Benedict has once again taken steps to roll back the strides made by Vatican II regarding interfaith dialogue. On July 11, seemingly out of nowhere he decided to tell the world that the only true Church is the Catholic Church. His comments have roiled Protestants and other Christian groups that for years have been building ecumenical brodges with the Church.

But even more problematic is the Pope's decision to reintroduce the Latin Mass with prayers beseeching God to convert the Jews. The problem with the Pope's comments and action is not that they lack a basis, but why now, with all the strife between peoples of faith, does he find it so important to degrade other religions and faiths?

Just a few weeks ago I wrote an Op-Ed in The New York Jewish Week warning against the increasingly disturbing staments being issued by the Pope and others with regard to the interfaith dialogue. Here are a few of my arguments:

In the past few years there have emerged some very new and trailblazing studies on Jesus and his relationship to Judaism. Pope Bendict in his newly published book, "Jesus of Nazareth", spent 18 pages addressing Jewish scholar Jacob Nuesner’s opposition to Jesus’ teachings and his interpretation of the Jewish tradition. The Pope’s words, like Neusner’s are written in the most respectful and thoughtful manner. Rabbi Waxman in his post goes further than Neusner arguing why Jews don’t need Jesus. The problem however, with Rabbi Waxman’s post is that he forgets just how much Jews in the first century did need Jesus. Yes, Neusner is correct that Jesus’ answer was wrong, but the rabbinic critique of Temple-based Judaism and Jesus’ critique of Judaism are both very similar and show how Judaism did, in some ways, need Jesus.

The Orthodox group Agudath Israel recently released a statement expressing their strong and continued support for the Iraq war.

The statement comes after consultation with its rabbinic leadership. Excerpts of the text read as follows:

….Agudath Israel of America believes that President Bush is entitled to great deference in his ongoing efforts to stabilize the situation in Iraq. Such deference is appropriate both because of the constitutional authority that inheres in the President’s position as Commander in Chief, and also because of the moral authority the President has consistently displayed in leading the battle against international terror.

We feel compelled to express our views at this time because the Union for Reform Judaism, purporting to have arrived at its position through an application of “halachic norms” and “Jewish values,” has publicly proclaimed its opposition to the President’s policies in Iraq. This group is entitled to its own organizational position, but that position is neither a legitimate expression of halachic Judaism nor reflective of authentic Jewish values.

Agudath’s backing of the president is interesting, in light of the fact that there are barely any Orthodox Jews serving In Iraq.

To be sure, there are nearly 2,000 Jews serving in Iraq, a very respectable number. Likewise, there are Orthodox Jews like Army SPC, Joe Kashnow, whose leg was shattered in Iraq. Still, for the most part those in the Agudath camp talk a big game but when push comes to shove they are as scared as anyone to pick up a rifle and patrol the lawless Baghdad streets.

Agudath’s statements are not the first time American Jewish groups have supported military action from their living rooms. I always found it astonishing how many pulpit rabbis have no problem encouraging the Israeli army to ramp up its attacks on Arab nations and Palestinian terror cells never once thinking about what that might mean to the parents and siblings of those who have to go into Gaza at two in morning to raid a specific terrorist base. It’s easy to support a war, its much harder to actually fight one.