The
recent NY Times article on the newly released PEW findings on Jewish
continuity paints a bleak future for American Jewry. The study, among
other findings, reported that nearly six in ten
Jewish respondents (58%) who have gotten married since 2000, have
married a non-Jewish spouse. The study also showed that only 20 percent
of those who have intermarried are raising their children Jewish by
religion.
There
are, I'm sure, many reasons for this worsening situation including a
serious lack of Jewish education for most American Jews, a more than
ever distracting world in which
living any kind of religious life becomes more challenging, and
many other contributing factors. However I believe there is another
cause, which I have seen in my 20 years of outreach to the young and
less affiliated: the sheer lack of joy or meaning
that so many young Jews associate with Judaism.
More
often than not, the perception young people have of Judaism is of a
faith filled with rules and restrictions which offers little or no joy
or meaning in return.
But
why should young Jews be left with any other impression? When Yom
Kippur continues to be the most celebrated Jewish experience in
synagogue what else should we expect? How
many American Jews are present for the somber Yom Kippur service,
complete with fasting and chest-pounding/forgiveness asking but are
no-where to be found the next week when joyous singing and dancing in
honor of Simchat Torah takes place? That balance of
reverence and joy is vital to keep our interest and it is so
authentically Jewish. In the Temple of old, the Beit Hamikdash, the
feeling on Yom Kippur was one of awe and even trepidation as the High
Priest performed the service to secure atonement for all
of Israel, but the next week that same Temple was filled with a sense
of joy and exuberance during the Simchat Beit Hoshava (water drawing
ceremony) on which which the Talmud tells us:
"Whoever never witnessed the Simchat Beit Hashoeva has never in his life seen true joy."
Like
most synagogues, MJE has always drawn larger numbers for its Yom Kippur
services than for Simchat Torah. This year however, for the very first
time, we had approximately the same number of participants for
both holidays.
It took us 15 years but we did it. The same number of previously less
affiliated 20's/30's who were willing to fast and pray with us on Yom
Kippur returned to sing and dance
with us on Simchat Torah.
Young
Jews desperately need to experience both the serious and lighter sides
of Judaism. We can no longer allow our beloved faith to be marketed as a
religion of guilt and restriction without even trying to
present it for what it truly is: a path which can ultimately bring joy
and meaning to contemporary life. And we must learn to properly
articulate how the limitations Judaism
does place on our lives are important in helping to create that more joyous and meaningful existence.
The goal of our synagogues and Jewish institutions today must be to demonstrate this balance of reverence and joy; fealty to tradition with personnel meaning and relevance. Jewish educators need to be better trained to invest more explanation and inspiration into our prayer services and provide greater depth and insight as to how living a life of Torah can actually improve our lives and make us happier and more fulfilled people.
Otherwise, for most American Jews, why bother?
