Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, the senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, delivered the keynote address at the Re-CHARGING Reform Judaism Conference in late May. The conference convened "thought leaders, Jewish scholars, philanthropists, and committed lay leaders from throughout the US and Canada for an extraordinary opportunity to assess this crossroads moment and offer a call for a bright future." In part, this was designed to address "the growing distance between North American liberal Jews and Israel, and their fraying connection with the concept of Jewish peoplehood."
Who's causing the problem? The Jews in Israel who are being Jewish or the Jews in America who are constantly redefining Judaism to keep it matched with the increasing decadence of secular liberalism?
ReplyDeleteOh I'm really worried what reform jews in America have to say, they are less and less Jewish and they are more and more treif.
ReplyDeletePopulation and perception matter. A lot of the pro-Israel support in the US government is driven by the belief that Jews are numerous and supportive of Israel. As Jewish numbers start to drop (because eventually even the Reformatives have to stop pretending) and community sentiment turns against Israel, that government support will drop.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, if both parties look around and see "Hmmmm, other than a small MO community and maybe some of the Modern Chareidism(tm) types, no Jews support Israel and frankly, the Chasidim will fill stadiums to condemn it, and if we condemn Israel we stand to gain big in the Muslim vote, well screw Israel."
Does the US support Israel because of Jewish voters, or for strategic reasons?
ReplyDelete