Heterodoxy Gets ‘Dissed’

The President addresses the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas (JTA) 

It must be hard. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in the throes of death. Which is where heterodoxy is headed. I do not say this lightly. Nor do I say it with any sense of satisfaction or triumphalism. I say it as the reality, as I have numerous times in the past. And as I have also said, it gives me no joy to see the failure of so many movements that were created to ‘save Judaism’.

It saddens me because their intentions were good. They wanted to restructure Judaism to make it more ‘user friendly’ in the America milieu.  As did Conservative Judaism which is what their very name implies. They wanted to conserve Judaism. For a while it seemed like they were succeeding. They used to be the most populous Jewish denomination. But as we all know, they no longer are - as their numbers continue dwindling. As they do in the rest of heterodoxy with the possible exception of Reform. They might be increasing since they have redefined themselves out of Judaism. 

I have in the past gone into why I believe this is happening and I shall not do so now. The point here is that it’s happening, and  sadly, there is preciously little anyone can do about it. Sadly because we are losing Jews at at accelerated rate via intermarriage and plain old fashioned apathy from young Jews who care little if at all about their own Judaism.

This does not mean that these movements are giving up. On the contrary. They are fighting for their lives – for their very existence. Some of which is in ways that are inimical to Orthodoxy. Such as trying to get recognized as a legitimate Jewish movement in Israel. Orthodoxy does not consider any heterodox movement legitimate.

But still - the vast majority of Jews in this country (and in Israel) are not Orthodox. The mainstream Jewish media isn’t either. Their values are not the same as Orthodox values. Their values are about social justice. Orthodox values are about religious values. There might be some overlap. But there are areas that are contradictory. That is what divides us politically. And that is why you will find more heterodox Jews at a gay rights rally than you will in a synagogue any day of the year with the possible exception Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

JTA reports about yet another blow to heterodoxy (although I’m sure they don’t see it that way): 

Officials of three Orthodox umbrella groups — Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel, and America Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) — confirmed their leaders had been invited to the meeting, which is to take place Tuesday. 

Officials of the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements, meantime, said the movements were not invited. 

It is astounding that so many mainstream Jewish organizations were left out of a conference about a subject like that. How, they might ask, can the President call a conference like that without inviting organization that represent the vast majority of Jews in this country?! I’m sure they will characterize this as an insult to American Jewry. 

I’m not convinced that this is the case. I doubt that the vast majority of Jews even care about what effects the Jewish community. The only ones that care are heterodox leaders and the mainstream Jewish media...  a media heavily populated by heterodox Jews. Some of which are openly anti Orthodox.

There is a reason Orthodox Jews were invited by the President and heterodox Jews were not. It isn’t only because 80% of Orthodox Jews voted for him. It is also because the leaders heterodox institutions and the mainstream Jewish media have been among the most strident critics of the President. 

Most heterodox Jews are liberal. Which means there is a heavy emphasis on social justice. Liberalism is the home social justice. Which is derived of current social values. Some of which are not compatible with religious values. Like the push to equalize homosexuality in all of its manifestations with heterosexuality. Orthodox Jews cannot support gay rights to that extent because it violates their religious principles. For Orthodox Jews, the President’s conservative policies favoring religious rights over civil rights outweigh is his personal conduct and character. It should therefore not be so surprising that Orthodox Jewish organizations were invited and heterodox organizations that have been so stridently critical of him were not. (Some among them might consider not being invited by this President a badge of honor!)

What about the fact that the Jews represented by heterodoxy will be left out of such an important conversation? Like I said, I doubt that most American Jews even care about identifiable Jewish issues. Even support for Israel. that too is waning among most American Jews who could not care less if there is a Jewish state or not. It wouldn’t even surprise me if many of them even oppose Israel on ideological grounds considering the very idea of a  Jewish state to be racist!

Those on the other side of this issue might say that what is happening now under this President is a quirk…  a blip in the historical timeline for Jews in America. They might add that rational heads will prevail by the next election (or the one after that) and we will go back to normal. Where heterodoxy will be restored to its rightful place of prominence representing the vast majority of Jews in this country. Orthodox Jewry will be returned to place as an  insignificant minority – where they belong.

Can’t really say I blame them for this attitude. They may in fact be right. If a liberal politician wins the Presidency some of the conservative policies established by the President will be abolished favoring the social justice values over the religious values. But that restoration will at best be temporary as non Orthodox Jews are sadly but increasingly hemorrhaging out of Judaism while Orthodox Jews are growing at a rapid rate. It is only a matter of time

If I could find a way to keep Jews in this country Jewish I would heartily endorse it. Unfortunately heterodoxy did not work. And will likely never work despite all their efforts to turn the tide.