By Rabbi Harry Pell
[This is the fourth in a five-part series on “Big Questions on Our Jewish Minds,” featuring alumni of the Day School Leadership Training Institute (DSLTI), part of the Leadership Commons at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education of JTS. You can join our series’ authors in conversation at the “Big Jewish Questions on Our Minds” session during the Prizmah Jewish Day School Conference coming up in March in Atlanta, Georgia.]
I learned a great deal from my high school Gemara teacher, S. Hirsch Jacobson z”l, and not all of it had to do with Gemara. In between studying Masechet Megilah and Masechet Bava Kama of the Babylonian Talmud, he also taught us about Judaism as a whole, including how it had evolved over the centuries, and how it would likely continue to evolve.
An accomplished veteran educator in Solomon Schechter schools, Jacobson once shared provocatively with my class that the Conservative Movement was an ‘experiment.’ When we pushed him to elaborate, he explained what he meant: We ‘know,’ he told us, that a cloistered, traditional Judaism will survive generation after generation; and we ‘know’ that a purely assimilationist Judaism will not make for Jewish great-grandchildren; but what we don’t yet ‘know,’ he explained to us, is whether a Judaism that seeks to balance tradition and halachic commitment with modernity and worldly engagement is viable in the long term. In his eyes, the Conservative Movement, and in fact most modern movements, were experiments. In another hundred years, he would tell us, we’ll know then.
Hirsch Jacobson passed away two decades ago, but the questions he raised have stayed with me today, especially in my role as the Associate Head of a non-Orthodox day school. If anything, these questions have intensified in recent years with the findings of the 2013 Pew Research Center’s ‘A Portrait of Jewish Americans’ as well as the more recent American Jewish Committee’s 2017 ‘Survey of American Jewish Opinion.’ What will the landscape of North American Jewry look like in the future? How will Jews identify religiously and what effects will that have on current mainstream Jewish movements and institutions? As an educator committed to the lasting impact of day school education on children and the adults they become, where will non-Orthodox day schools fit in this future landscape?
These are the big Jewish questions on my mind, and I think of them through a lens of three concentric circles. As a believer in the validity of liberal Judaism, I wonder what the answers to these questions will mean to the future of the non-Orthodox world; I also think about these questions in my professional capacities as a Conservative rabbi and as a day school professional; and ultimately, as a Jew for whom the Conservative Movement’s approach has resonated deeply, I ponder these questions on a personal level.
According to the 1990 National Jewish Population Study (NJPS 1990), back when I was studying Gemara in high school the core Jewish population of the United States was 5.5 million people, of whom approximately 7% of the adults identified as Orthodox Jews, 42% as Reform Jews, 38% as Conservative Jews, and the remaining 13% as Reconstructionist, Just Jewish, or Something Else. Also of note, the study found that 52% of Jews entering into marriages in the five years leading up to the study were doing so with people of other faiths, and there was much speculation at the time about the religious identity in which the children of these marriages would be raised.
Fast-forward a little more than twenty years to 2013 and the release of Pew’s ‘A Portrait of Jewish Americans,’ (Pew 2013). There are now 6.7 million Jews who would fit the 1990’s criteria for ‘core Jewish population,’ an increase of only 22 percent compared to an overall US population increase of 27 percent. In terms of marriage, 58% of marriages entered into by Jews in the eight-year period leading up to the Pew findings were intermarriages, with that statistic rising to 71% for Jews who identify in ways other than Orthodox. We US Jews are also shifting in how we affiliate, with 10% of us now affiliating as Orthodox, 35% Reform, 18% Conservative, 6% other, and 30% no denomination, including many who define themselves as ‘Jews of no religion.’ For me as a rabbi raised and ordained in the Conservative Movement, most startling is the shift in affiliation of Jews under the age of 30, of whom only 11% identify as Conservative.
If the Conservative Movement, or modern movements in general, were experiments, I feel forced to ask, are they failing? The only movement that has grown over the past twenty years is the Orthodox, whose members are younger and raising larger families on average, and so poised for more growth. Meanwhile, the largest gain overall is in among Jews who don’t engage or identify with any particular religious movement, including a majority of those who define themselves as Jewish by ethnicity but not religion, a group that Pew shows overwhelmingly raise their children as NOT Jewish (the all-caps belongs to Pew, but the concern is equally mine). Given this shift, what is the future of non-Orthodox Judaism as a whole? And where do day schools fit in this shifting mix?
From where I sit in the New York tri-state area, I see new schools opening to meet the demand in the Orthodox community. But the future of movement affiliated and community non-Orthodox schools is more of a question, given the shrinking numbers of liberal Jews and the smaller percentage of these Jews who have historically sent their children to day schools in the first place.
To be sure, there are also positive questions we can ask. What doors do these shifts open, and how might these shifts enable schools to self-define their ideologies in ways that may not align with legacy denominations, yet align well with families and their hopes and dreams for their children? Moreover, what can we learn from the communities where greater percentages of multi-faith families are raising Jewish children? And how might day schools appeal to these families as a compelling setting in which to provide their children with both a Jewish and secular education? Part of this trend also seems to be a larger American movement away from both formal affiliations and support for large institutions, and instead towards grassroots organizations and finding individual meaning; yet up until now and from my perspective, the former much more easily facilitates viable Jewish day schools than the latter.
Finally, I wonder personally what this means for the Jews of today whose desire to balance tradition and modernity echoes that same desire among the founders of the Conservative experiment over 100 years ago. What does one do when one’s religious ideology and hashkafah (outlook) still feels relevant, meaningful, and even vital, even as the institutions and affiliations that have championed it in the past are shifting? What if what works for me Jewishly, and in fact what I need as a Jew, is compelling to a smaller and smaller subset of the Jewish community? These are the Big Jewish Questions that are keeping me awake at night.
Rabbi Harry Pell serves as Associate Head of School at Schechter Westchester, a K-12 Jewish day school in White Plains and Hartsdale, NY. Harry holds a Rabbinic Ordination, Masters in Jewish Education, and is an alumnus of the Day School Leadership Training Institute (DSLTI) at JTS, and currently serves on the DSLTI faculty as the rabbinic mentor.
Top
These questions should keep all non-Orthodox Jewish professionals (and even the Jews in the Pews) up at night. They certainly keep me up at night which is why I decided to write “Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World” (forthcoming Rowman & Littlefield). One of my Orthodox colleagues questioned whether what I am proposing can be sustained. Fair question. But for the majority of Diaspora Jews who will never be moved to be conventionally observant, a reason to “do more Jewish” is needed. There are so many world issues on which to focus these days that sometimes it seems like the future of non-Orthodox Jewry seems insignificant. But I really believe this topic needs more discussion now than ever (and I say this as someone whom most people would consider traditionally observant). Thanks to Rabbi Pell!! @robertakwall
No doubt there are strong concerns revolving around this issue. For me, there are two salient points/questions to ask: 1) How will we identify and define our goals and how do we transmit them? For instance, what will “doing Jewish” consist of how would one parental/educational generation pass that interest, knowledge and ability along?
2) I firmly believe that any Jewish education–day school or congregational–is most successful when there’s parental interest, support and engagement. Often parents put the whole responsibility in the school’s lap. Generally speaking, parental values and home reinforcements make a huge difference in how their children respond to any type of education. Perhaps family/parental education could be a required and simultaneous curriculum.
Great article, Harry. There are some non-orthodox community day schools (i.e. Milton in DC) that are thriving, precisely by, as you said, positively defining their ideology in another way (i.e., educational philosophy).
These are such important questions and ones, like you, that keep me up at night wondering about the demographic realities for my school and the Jewish community has a whole in the US. Looking forward to exploring these questions with you at Prizmah.
From many years in the field, plus insights from consulting with a wide variety of Jewish schools all over the USA (plus other communities overseas), my somewhat gloomy comments are as follows:
1. The entire Day School system is hurtling towards a brick wall. The reasons for this include, but are not limited to:
— basic demographics – the number of Jewish children seems to be falling steeply. Many of the interfaith families are not interested in Jewish schools.
— rising tuition simply makes private schooling impossible (appeals to families to raise large families, and the rising tuition rates at schools are incompatible aims)
— the cost of Jewish life is prohibitive
— a massive weakening of motivation among the non-O community.
2. I wouldn’t be so sure about the Orthodox population either. The Yeshivah system schools are all but bankrupt. There are a trickle of parents sending kids to public schools already. And once you get outside the major, concentrated centres of O population (NY/NJ/Baltimore/some W Coast), you encounter exactly the same socio-religious-economic issues affect the ‘traditional’ O synagogues. Plus, the Jewish family is rapidly changing right across the board.
3. Across all sectors of the J community, there are few compelling leaders. (Maybe none).
4. Look at Toronto, once the model of a J ed system, O and non-O. The school system is imploding, with many closures and a shrinking student base. ‘If among the mighty a spark has fallen…’
5. Jewish philanthropic leadership, with a few notable exceptions, do not believe in Jewish schools.
Last weekend’s WSJ carried an article about widespread closures of small private colleges across the USA, for demographic and economic reasons. There are private non-Jewish school closures as well; those that survive are recruiting hard from communities and countries to which Jewish schools do not have access.
Solutions? I don’t really have any, other than radical restructuring of Jewish life – which won’t happen. Organisation to watch? Chabad, who are methodically taking over the synagogue and community networks.
Shalom Prof. Kwall,
You wrote: “These questions (those of Rabbi Harry’s) should keep all non-Orthodox Jewish professionals (and even the Jews in the Pews) up at night.”
North American non Orthodox (NAnO) Professional Jews (clergy, educators, movement staff etc.) ARE concerned in ways outlined by Rabbi Harry’s post, specifically his questions. After all, the viability of NAnO Judaism and Jewry as well as their livelihoods are at stake. Re NAnO Jews in the pews, they represent a minority subset of the totality of NAnO Jewry as “Pew” and other more recent demographic studies undeniably demonstrate. The majority of NAnO Jewry couldn’t care less. You continued:
“They certainly keep me up at night…”
This is because you are an observant and committed NAnO Jew, and you find a form of NAnO Judaism both meaningful and relevant. In other words you’re a member of the minority subset of which I wrote just above. You continued later:
“But for the majority of Diaspora Jews who will never be moved to be conventionally observant, a reason to ‘do more Jewish’ is needed. There are so many world issues on which to focus these days that sometimes it seems like the future of non-Orthodox Jewry seems insignificant.”
Bingo! Yeseree Bob! You betcha! One of the components of the diverse world in which we NAnO Jews live is the consumer mindset. OTHER THAN saving NAnO Judaism and NAnO Jewry from extinction (to which I’d wager the reaction of most NAnO Jews would be on a continuum that ranges from “too bad” through “whatever” to “so what”), of what value is Jewish ritual practice or more generally Jewish tradition or Halacha? A clear, convincing and compelling case that there is ongoing value in 21rst century North America most assuredly has NOT been made.
A compelling value proposition that can and will reach the minds and enter the hearts of the voluntarily disconnected vast majority of NAnO Jewry must be made first. There is no value to yet another retread of “be more observant otherwise there is no future for NAnO Judaism and NAnO Jewry.” That’s a dead end for the vast majority of NAnO Jewry as it fits Albert Einstien’s definition of insanity (doing the same thing and expecting different results). Please Professor Roberta, make the case. Without it all else is but another exercize in futility. If it is to be, it is up to
thee.
Biv’racha,
Jordan Goodman
Wheeling, IL
[email protected]
Shalom Paul,
Bravo, kudos and kol hakavod. You’ve called a spade a shovel in your accurate portrayal of the reality on the ground for North American non Orthodox (NAnO) Jewish Ed. You finished your response,
“Solutions? I don’t really have any, other than radical restructuring of Jewish life – which won’t happen.”
What do you mean? Elevator talk, “on one foot,” version please. My answer would be (and has been in here for years) to rediscover a meaningful, relevant, practical application oriented NAnO Judaism, that NAnO Jews will choose to care about. You continued:
“Organisation to watch? Chabad,…”
Habad has been watched, observed and written about for many years. And yet other than what I’ll posit below, it appears (correct me if I err) that there have been no transferable lessons learned and more importantly, no new action taken that would have been based on those lessons learned. You continued:
“…who are methodically taking over the synagogue and community networks.”
Indeed they are. There is much to be learned from Habad. There are things that the Orthodox in general and Habad in particular have, that are absent from NAnO Judaism that immunizes them from the effects of the North American melting pot (the overarching reason behind the changes both you and Rabbi Harry have cited). Hint: they have convictions about the Truth of their brand of Judaism that begin with the the belief that “God said.” There is nothing analogous to these two realities among the vast majority of NAnO Jews. “On one foot” once again what’s needed is to rediscover a meaningful, relevant, practical application oriented NAnO Judaism, that NAnO Jews will choose to care about. And from “caring about” perhaps we’d have a shot at developing NAnO convictions which are the necessary antecedent for any possible solution moving forward.
Biv’racha,
Jordan Goodman
Wheeling, IL
[email protected]
Would you invest your money in a business that had only an 11 percent success rate? Would you consider that a successful experiment? How long will it take until you jettison the Titanic?
Rabbi Pell,
I appreciate your courage and candor in sharing the question raised by your teacher as to whether the “experiments” of the Conservative Movement (and other modern movements) are “viable in the long term.” As you write, the data from recent Jewish population surveys are not encouraging and these questions are therefore “keeping me awake at night.”
While, as your teacher said, the answers to these questions may indeed not be known for “another hundred years,” there are things that every Jew can do now for him/herself and family. This starts with recognizing that if a person regards Judaism as important and worth preserving, then it’s incumbent upon him/her to DO something about it.
Shabbat presents the perfect opportunity to experience Judaism in a way that is completely compatible with “modernity and worldly engagement.” If a person is not lighting Shabbat candles, why not start? If a person is not making kiddush Friday night, why not start?
It’s also necessary to engage one’s mind (and soul) through learning more about Judaism. Toward that end, I’ll recommend a book my wife and I recently wrote, The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary (available on Amazon.com) , which presents questions for discussion based on Rashi’s comments on the weekly Torah portion. It’s the perfect way to engage people in conversation around the Shabbat table, irrespective of their background in Judaism.
As the early Zionist thinker Ahad Ha’am wrote, “More than the Jews have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept them.” By simply turning Friday night in “Shabbat,” Jews can reconnect themselves and their families to Judaism, thereby taking a stand that is both effective and meaningful against the ominous trends that Rabbi Pell cites.
Steven Levy
Author of The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary