That hope proved tragically misguided. German Jews totally
assimilated and integrated at the highest levels of society. And yet that did
not save them from Hitler’s extermination camps.
The reality is, though, that the horse has left the barn.
Generations of Jews were raised with little meaningful connection to
traditional observance, while those who resisted change - labeled Orthodox by
the Reform camp - remained faithful under difficult conditions.
In the early 20th century, another approach emerged -
primarily in America called Conservative Judaism. They sought what they
believed was a middle ground. Preserving tradition while allowing limited
compromise to help Jews survive in America’s ‘melting pot’ culture. Some of
those compromises, like permitting driving to synagogue on Shabbos, were meant
to keep Jews connected. In hindsight, that approach has failed. The
once-thriving Conservative movement is now in steep decline.
Meanwhile, Orthodox Jews - once predicted to disappear -
held firm, even when Shabbos observance threatened their livelihoods. Today,
their numbers are growing, while heterodox movements are shrinking. But they
still represent the largest proportion of American Jewry.
I remain firmly convinced of the exclusive legitimacy of
Orthodox Judaism, grounded in an unbroken chain of halachic interpretation by
the sages of each generation. There is consensus on this point across the
entire spectrum of Orthodoxy.
And yet, many heterodox Jews sincerely look to their own
rabbis as religious authorities.
Therein lies my problem. Rejecting their legitimacy outright
undermines any sense of Jewish unity and is understandably experienced by them
as dismissive or insulting. This tension has increasingly spilled over into
public disputes, particularly in Israel.
An op-ed by
Tom Sudow that I saw today argues that non-Orthodox interpretations of Judaism
deserve equal standing at Israel’s holy sites. He was particularly angered by
proposed legislation that would restrict egalitarian prayer at the Kotel. As he
put it: his wife, daughter, and granddaughter can read from a Torah anywhere in
the United States. But not at the Western Wall.
I understand his frustration. But I cannot, in good
conscience, accept his egalitarian premise. And that creates an inherent
conflict between us.
Sudow went further - calling upon all Jewish philanthropies
to withhold financial support from Israel until pluralistic practices are
recognized. I doubt such efforts will succeed, but the sentiment reflects a
deep and growing rift.
Does this mean that Israel - or Orthodox leadership - should
compromise on core halachic principles…
