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Hebrew: Is It Worth the Effort?

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by Dr. Gil Graff

Writing in 1904, Solomon Schechter – President of the fledgling Jewish Theological Seminary of America – described Hebrew as the “great depository of all that is best in the soul-life of the Congregation of Israel.” He observed that, historically, Hellenistic Jews had experimented with abandoning Hebrew: “The result was death. It (Hellenistic Judaism) withered away….”

More recently, the Reform Movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis issued its Pittsburgh Platform (1999) affirming – among other matters – “the importance of studying Hebrew, the language of Torah and Jewish liturgy, that we may draw closer to our people’s sacred texts.” Notwithstanding the availability of so much material of Jewish interest in translation, the leadership of America’s liberal Jewish movements shares a very traditional view of the importance of connecting to the language and texts (in the original) of classical Jewish teaching.

In addition to providing a key to understanding ideas, values and images that have informed the lives of Jews through time and place, Hebrew is a language uniquely connecting the extended Jewish family across the globe. As a college student, I had the opportunity of stopping in Rome on the way back from a year at the Hebrew University. I shall never forget the following encounter:

As I stood at the Arch of Titus – marking the destruction of Jerusalem and the Roman army’s triumphant return (with Judaean captives and booty) – a Roman Jew approached me, and we conversed in the one language we shared: Hebrew. He proceeded to tell me of a practice among Rome’s Jews, that had prevailed for nearly 1900 years. The Jews who came (in chains) with Titus and were sold as slaves at auction vowed, even after obtaining their freedom, not to walk under the Arch: it symbolized destruction and degradation. My new acquaintance told me that when, on May 14, 1948, Israel declared its statehood, the Jews of Rome (he among them) gathered at the Arch and, singing Ha-tikvah, walked through it, considering that the renewal of Jewish sovereignty in Israel served to liberate them from the oath taken by their ancestors at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction. As memorable as the story, so was experiencing this encounter in the enduring language of the Jewish people.

Last summer, my daughter spent a month in an Ulpan at the Hebrew University to strengthen her spoken Hebrew. Among the participants was a young American woman, interested in becoming Jewish, who feels that it is essential to have basic Hebrew tools to understand and meaningfully embrace Jewish teaching. Like Solomon Schechter, the rabbis of the CCAR, and traditional Jews throughout the world, this Catholic woman understands that Hebrew “is the great depository of all that is best in the soul-life of the Congregation of Israel.” Acquisition of language skills is not a simple matter, but, to paraphrase the Hebrew Bible, the people Israel are children of the patriarch (Jacob/Israel) who struggled and overcame.

One Point of View … let us hear yours.

Dr. Gil Graff is Executive Director of BJE: Builders of Jewish Education.

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  1. Shalom Dr. Gil,

    For most Jews in North America, the answer to your title question “Hebrew: Is It Worth the Effort?” is no.

    These folks want and need to hear the answers to the questions, “Why be Jewish? Why do Jewish? and Why Judaism?” Until they do in a way that reaches their hearts and their minds, Hebrew would at best be viewed by this ever growing demographic as something that excludes rather than includes. Or, just another irrelevancy within a meaningless non Orthodox Judaism which by all that is measurable is failing miserably.

    First, make the effort to fix non Orthodox Judaism, the rest is commentary. The first step is to answer the three questions found above.

    Biv’racha,
    Jordan

  2. Thank you, Jordan for your comments on motivation, with which I agree. Unless one is motivated to study something, the undertaking is unlikely to have much yield. That said, as Michael Meyer — distinguished Professor of Jewish History at Hebrew Union College observes (in Visions of Jewish Education) — Hebrew words can express ideas and values that are distinctively Jewish, helping to answer the very questions that you raise: Why be Jewish? Why Judaism? Pikuach Nefesh, Tzedakah, Torah….each Hebrew word or phrase bears a rich meaning that can, upon guided reflection, inspire thoughtful connection between the learner and Jewishness/Judaism. This is not about a particular stream of Jewish engagement: it is, as you suggest, about finding significance in Jewish living. An introduction to selected Hebrew terms can foster a sense of the value of a Jewish life-orientation and a readiness to learn more about Judaism/Jewishness, including its language.

  3. Shalom Dr. Gil,

    You wrote: “each Hebrew word or phrase bears a rich meaning that can, upon guided reflection, inspire thoughtful connection between the learner and Jewishness/Judaism.”

    Re the largest and fastest growing Jewish demographic i.e., the vast majority of North American Jews,
    when/where/how would you propose to introduce the “guided reflection” on Hebrew words, to which you refer? These are folks who have already voted with their feet that the non Orthodox synagogue and its product, non Orthodox Judaism are meaningless and irrelevant to their 21rst century lives as they live and experience them in North America. The exceptions would be attending an occasional life cycle event, or perhaps a High Holiday worship service.

    In light of this, I’ll stick with my original assessment. For the folks of/for whom I speak, Hebrew, is at best a second tier concern if it is a concern at all. The only chance to get these folks to even consider some degree of Jewish living, is to clearly and compellingly answer the three questions: “Why be Jewish? Why do Jewish? and Why Judaism?” This is fundamental. And we’re coming upon the single biggest opportunity to do so; i.e., the upcoming High Holidays.

    In the High Holiday liturgy we find “B’ rosh hashana yikateivun, u’v’yom tsom kippur, yeixateimun,…mi yixyeh umi yamut…” On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed…who shall live and who shall die…”

    So the question is “will the synagogue and non orthodox Judaism be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year?” God only knows and it doesn’t seem like we’re doing much to help Her/Him out with the decision.

    The folks of/for whom I speak are “Jews without Judaism” to quote the title of a very provocative book written about 10 years ago by Rabbi Daniel Friedman. Unfortunately, demographers and professional Jews (Jewish clergy, educators, and movement staff people, to name a few categories), have all but forgotten or written off this group which is likely to be the fastest growing Jewish demographic group of all.

    What is the necessary redefinition of “t’shuvah, t’fillah, u’ts’daqah” needed to “avert the severe decree” i.e., to change the fate of the synagogue and non-orthodox Judaism? With the majority demographic (just Jews, or Jews without Judaism) in mind, this is the question in need of discussion in fora like this one.

    At a time when there will be more Jews in the pews than at any other time during the year, what will these folks experience? Sadly, “the same old, same old,” is an apt characterization and this will serve only to alienate even more those that are already on the margins. I can think of no more important sermon topics than to begin to answer the three questions in the context of a worship experience that is inclusive and inviting as well as clear and compelling; i.e., one that touches the hearts and the minds of all in attendance. The synagogue needs to become the home of relevant, practical, application oriented teaching about what Judaism has to say about life as it is lived and experienced in 21rst century North America. The High Holidays present the single most important opportunity to begin this important journey.

    Biv’racha,
    Jordan

  4. Jordan,

    Two observations: first, you — in your comments, as I in mine — relate to people with interest in Judaism/Jewishness. I daresay that utterly disengaged Jews will not be listening to the High Holiday sermons that you suggest as a wonderful opportunity for motivating compelling connection to Jewish life. Second, your reference to teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah underscores my point. Surely you would want a sermon to “unpack” the powerful, value-laden meaning of these Hebrew words to touch “the hearts and the minds of all in attendance.” Those words are followed in the machzor by the observation that these three human actions somehow impact “ro’a ha-gezeirah”….not “ha-gezeirah ha-ra’ah.” That subtle distinction — communicated by those who wrote the liturgy in the enduring language of the people Israel — can serve, I would suggest, as a significant springboard for “relevant, practical, application oriented teaching about what Judaism has to say about life as it is lived and experienced in 21st century North America.”

    With thanks for your reflections and wishes for a shabbat shalom,
    Gil