Karol Markowicz to Jews: “Leave the Pews”
[Hat tip: commenter “Irish Otter.”]
About a month ago Karol Markowicz wrote this essay in which she said:
College campuses across the country were erupting in Jew-hating outbursts, and parents were rightly worried about their Jewish college-aged kids caught up in the frenzy of hate. On Facebook, a group called Mothers Against College Antisemitism (M.A.C.A.) was founded and grew quickly to over 50,000 members. …
What became clear within that Facebook group and in so many other quarters since Oct. 7 is that much of secular Judaism, in both the Reform and Conservative branches, had become overtly political and not really religiously based at all. For many Jews, their religious identity had become so intertwined with leftist politics that they couldn’t force a separation even when they themselves were being targeted with their own bad ideas.
I could follow Markowicz’s piece quite well up to that second paragraph in the above quote, and then it began to be confusing because it contains a puzzling oxymoron: “secular Judaism, in both the Reform and Conservative branches … ” But Reform and Conservative are branches of the religion of Judaism rather than the secular identity of just being Jewish either by ancestry or culture.
Look, I know that being Jewish can be confusing, even to Jews (Markowicz is Jewish). It is many things. The first is a religion with three main branches but many offshoots, the main branches being Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox (perhaps ultra-Orthodox is a fourth main branch, but we won’t quibble about that). Jewishness is also a culture, or several cultures (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi) that roughly parallel its main ethnicities, because for many Jews (although not all), it is an ethnicity: the result of centuries of in-group marriage from an original Middle Eastern source. Therefore, Ashkenazi Jews have Middle Eastern plus European ancestry, and Mizrahi Jews are almost entirely Middle Eastern, and some Jewish groups (such as Ethiopian Jews) very similar ethnically from the places they lived for ages and ages. And yet they are all indeed Jews – as are converts to Judaism, who can be of any ethnicity whatsoever. Converts are not sought in Judaism, but sincere converts are welcomed.
The Jews are also a people. That’s a different concept, not the same as an ethnic group. It’s a people, a group that generally identifies as having a historical trajectory with its origins in lands roughly equivalent to modern Israel and parts of the lands occupied by Arabs, such as the West Bank (known in ancient times by Israelites as Judea and Samaria).
On the other hand, secular Jews simply are not religious. But they might identify with some parts of Jewish identity, most likely ethnicity and culture. They are the children of Jewish parents or grandparents. Or, they might not even identify as being Jewish but the rest of the world sees them that way because of their ancestry. The world has had its own changing and varied definition of what makes a Jew. The Nazis, obsessed as they were with race, defined it quite precisely in the Nuremberg Race Laws, and had little to no interest in whether a Jew was secular or even had converted to Christianity. To the Nazis, a Jew was a Jew was a Jew, and the Nazis got to define who was what.
Today, someone like George Soros – an ethnic Jew raised without any religion by parents who were, according to him, anti-Semitic – is defined by many, especially those who hate him, as a Jew. He most definitely is an ethnic Jew despite being an anitsemite raised by antisemites. Many of those who defend him define any criticism of him as antisemitic, which it is not (although to complicate things, it sometimes is, depending on what form the criticism takes). Is that complicated enough?
But back to Markowicz’s piece. I find that she blends some of these aspects of Jewish identity in a way that leads me to have trouble understanding her points.
The way I would put it is that the Jewish religion isn’t political, but like any religion it – and its three or four divisions – is connected with the prevalence of certain political beliefs. The more Orthodox a Jewish person is the more likely to be politically conservative. The less Orthodox, the opposite. This makes sense for a host of reasons, including the fact that leftism is often a substitute for religion.
The liberals and/or leftists (that is, the Democrats) in the groups Markowicz concentrates on – a significant proportion of the parents fighting anti-Semitism in colleges – of course find some conflict between their desire to protect their children from anti-Semitism and their political beliefs as leftists. This reflects an actual dilemma; not a fake one. They probably haven’t been paying much attention to the growth of anti-Semitism on campus until recently, and may have even misunderstood or failed to notice that it comes almost wholly from the left rather than the right. That also represents a very painful cognitive dissonance, something that’s always hard to resolve.
They’re working on it. It takes time. But it’s no mystery. I’m certain that there are political conservatives in those parent groups, too. But to them the antisemitism is much less of a surprise, and they have no cognitive dissonance about it with which to deal.
In addition, Markowicz discusses the fact that in Reform and Conservative congregations, liberal/leftist politics is usually assumed, and is even sometimes preached from the pulpit. She suggests that shouldn’t happen:
To those who sat in the pews for years as their congregation became a shameless political operation, the time has now come to depart. Your synagogue must be a place of worship, not of political activity, and, unfortunately for you, who paid your dues and hoped to align with a community of your peers, the political movement your shul promotes is the one that hates you. You should have departed years ago, like when your rabbi couldn’t condemn constant rockets into Israel for years without also condemning the Israeli response. Or when your rabbi could stand up for every group other than our own.
I’m not sitting in any synagogue’s pews, so I can’t speak to personal experience of this. But if it happens in synagogues it wouldn’t be a surprise, because it also happens in many churches. Go to your local Unitarian house of worship and you’ll get a bellyful, and Unitarians are hardly the only ones. Many churches have turned to the left and make no secret of that fact. I would bet that the rabbis Markowicz describes, who had earlier condemned both the rockets and the Israeli response, were speaking not only from a leftist point of view but probably because they believed a modern Israel/Palestine “cycle of violence” point of view that they thought might and could lead to peace in the region. Many of them are probably experiencing a great deal of cognitive dissonance these days, too.
A mind is a difficult thing to change.
what does Conservative branch of Judaism really confirm, I can gather that Orthodox are faithful to the teachings, I guess its akin to mainline Christianity which seems to have little of the gospel, and all of the Politics,
I guess Conquests law or Chesterton’s aphorism seems to apply, re faith traditions,
Abrahamic Religions – ‘God in a Box’ (or book). ‘God’ supposedly gave each Abrahamic religion their scriptures, which is a rather insulting concept to God—if anyone believes that God can be insulted. Abrahamic Religions have been fighting over the ‘Ownership of God’ for centuries.
Confusing…try this – From an old post:
Then, each of the Abrahamic Religions get broken down into “Branches.” For example, Christianity: “is divided between Eastern and Western theology. In these two divisions there are six branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Assyrians. Restorationism is sometimes considered the seventh branch.”
At that point I get lost, e.g., “Protestant denominational families are: Adventists, Baptists, Congregationalists, Lutherans, Methodists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians” – lost in the concept that each of those claim to be “uniquely and supremely true and all other religions are false.” This SITE claims: “We do make note of the fact that many independent congregations are not a part of any denomination. If those churches were to form an independent network with a name, we would consider them a denomination. Using this method, we report 45,000 Christian denominations in the world in 2019.” 45,000!?!
Religion can certainly be Political – to the point that they work hand-in-hand together. I believe it was Constantine the Great who wanted a perfect religion in order to control the Roman Empire, and brought in the greatest scribes from all over the known world at that time. Jews in Babylonian captivity saw how the Babylonians used religions to control their empire…
miguel cervantes:
On Conservative Judaism.
Also see this.
i still don’t see how it conserves, scripture that goes back at least 3,000 years have the basis of the things, but as Saul said ‘man knows the truth, and denies it’
I was speaking on strictly theological terms, politics are something else, now there is a social justice component in every faith, but is that the be all and end all,
I guess I struggle to understand why everything is as it is so messed up why we have strayed away from the faiths that sustain us, why Islam seems to be the Strongest horse in the theological arena, the only ones allowed to be,
Excellent, neo. Very insightful.
As for “Many churches have turned to the left and make no secret of that fact.” You ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie. This is true of the Catholic Church, and of Protestant denominations too. (Liberation Theology, anyone?) My former parish (Catholic) Church in Illinois was both leftist and pacifist in its leanings. E.g., it unilaterally removed the line “Yahweh is a warrior” from the Easter Vigil, because . . . well, you can guess why. Not incidentally, parish Churches in Polish neighborhoods in Chicago and Cook Country generally reject leftism and pacifism as insulting and nonsensical.
I “signed up” with my local Catholic Church when we moved to Chesterton IN. But I don’t go to mass anymore. Maybe I will in the future. Or maybe not. Since my recent bad experience with an asshole Opus Dei priest while I lay near death in hospital, I have been seriously reevaluating my faith . . . and my life, and my relationship with God. The whole nine yards.
Karmi:
From WHAT old post? Because that is wrong about Judaism. It is definitely not an exclusive religion in that sense. It does NOT believe that “salvation is found in only one religion.”
In fact, the word “salvation” is not really part of Judaism, which does not focus on the afterlife and which entertains many possible ideas about an afterlife. Plus, Judaism explicitly believes this:
Charles Curran ‘fundamental option’ was a heresy, that was going around in the mid to late 80s, it was mentioned at my Jesuit high school, which seems to be counter to what Catholicism teaches, Benedict helped stamp it out, when he was Enforcer of the Faith, they would prefer a rather blanc mange variety,
I know Jesuits have gotten a bad rap because among other things, the current pontiff, but then again every domination even religious order See the Knights of Malta, seem to be under attack, probably the worst of it was with Sy Hersh’s crazy notions re that group and the Seals, so only left wing affiliates seem to be bereft of any mark,
Say your prayers, have a clear preference for your own in your dating choices, aim to be married by age 25, aim for three children or more; and realize that your real enemies (in addition to the Arabs who want to kill you) are the people in occidental societies hostile to work, entrepreneurship, and accomplishment and admiring of adolescent manners and the pose of victim. Such people are not found among Southern evangelicals. They’re found among teachers’ college faculty, educational administrators, the ‘public interest’ bar, and sorosphere minions.
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No one wants my unsolicited advice, of course.
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As for clergymen, in this age they’re somewhere between a disappointment and a scandal pretty much everywhere. The lay church-o-cracy’s arguably worse.
A few decades ago I read a series of mysteries written by Harry Kemelman, the first of the series being “Friday the Rabbi Slept Late.” Kemelman’s main character was a Conservative rabbi, and in addition to enjoying the mysteries, I learned quite a bit about traditional Jewish practice reading them. I gather, however, from what I read about Conservative synagogues today, that Kemelman’s rabbi was highly old-fashioned and not representative of Conservative practice today. Reform is especially political rather than Torah-focused, and many Conservatives are also (according to what I read; I am not Jewish).
I think Markowicz is looking at her faith as many believing Christians today look at the denominations they’ve left. When Torah, or the Gospel, take a back seat to the leftist political issues of the day, it’s time to leave.
“Leave the pews” is what the congregation said to Baruch Spinoza, in whose world we find ourselves, perhaps to our rue . . . politically speaking, that is — theologically another matter altogether.
Neo:
Just from research on an old post of mine:
Abrahamic Religions – Politics and Religion
“When Torah, or the Gospel, take a back seat to the leftist political issues of the day, it’s time to leave.”
True dat.
miguel:
The Jesuits more than deserve their bad reputation among folks like me. I don’t know about the current Knights of St. John (Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, Hospitallers, whatever), but they used to be very cool. I’ve written and given lectures about their doomed defense of Rhodes and their splendid victory at Malta (and contributions to the victory at Lepanto), and in so doing I developed great admiration for them. I don’t know where they stand now. Can you tell me?
Interesting thing about Spinoza is that there are, it seems, a fair number of Japanese who find his pantheistic philosophy very much akin to Shinto and have set up a “Spinoza Society” there.
Then there’s the multitudinous number of Jooboos in various corners of the world, but let’s not get into that….
– – – – – – – –
With regard to how much conservativism there remains in the Conservative movement (of Judaism), things have been in flux for decades now (over the past one especially, given the amount of politics that have been allowed/encouraged to be injected into the service and the movement’s identity. Note that there are exceptions to this trend…).
The main problem, I think, is the great moral urgency that is given to what are essentially moral perversions.
Karmi:
I suggest you revise it then, because its is incorrect.
Neo:
From Britannica: The biblical tradition out of which Judaism emerged was predominantly exclusivist (“no other gods”).
Karmi:
And your point is ….?
Monotheism – look it up.
Karmi:
Did you read the quotes I offered?
Britannica is wrong, by the way, if by the term “exclusivist” it means – as YOU wrote – “Exclusivism” (or “Particularism”) is the view that there is only one way to God and salvation.” That “no other Gods” quote has nothing to do with what anyone other than Jews were supposed to believe, nor does it say anything about the afterlife.
You shall not worship any but the old gods dagon astarte moloch, gozer if he existed, to think they once had an Empire, now they are a Dhimmi colony,
A couple of observations.
” Social Justice” has become a type of religion. It works it’s way into established institutions, including religious institutions, and replaces the old beliefs.
There is a movement inside of Christianity to effectively jettison the Old Testament . There is another parallel movement, that seemed to have grown with the LGBT crowd and their supporters, to jettison the writings of the Apostle Paul. ” Red Letter Christianity” may have been around longer than this most recent form. In ” Red Letter Christianity”, only the red letter verses matter – Jesus quotes – but even then they seem to be selective. As I have tried pointing out in debates, Jesus quoted the Old Testament a lot.
that would leave a whole lot of the New Testament, all the way to Revelation, the Bible has to be understood for A-Z from Genesis to Revelation, otherwise what is the point, Christianity did try to make the Covenant more accessible by leaving out a whole lot of rules,
Went to Karmi’s site; there is a whole section on Abrahamic Religions (TLDR all of it) not sure what her/his point is other than some animus about “Abrahamic” religions, pining for Sumer and the ancient Egyptians, or love of Hinduism.
our nation was not founded on Egyptian Babylonia or Assyrian creeds, but Babylonian and the second one informed by the first one,
“A mind is a difficult thing to change.”
“Nobody is reasoned out of anything he didn’t reason into” makes it even harder.
One of Karmi’s gems:
This is after going after Judaism.
well thats a rather reductive reading of the matter, as Jesus said ‘he came to fulfill the law’ now what Mohammed though of his predecessor faith, that’s anyone’s guess,
This poor excuse for a Christian found great insight into the Jewish faith by reading Herman Wouk’s books “This is My God: The Jewish Way to Life” and “The Will to Live On.” I don’t know how to link the titles to Neo’s Amazon Link, so please click on her link and check out the books.
Hi Neo, here’s something may be useful for people who are trying to understand what you’re saying:
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/belief/articles/trapped-in-translation
– ‘How to explain Judaism in English—a language whose terminology around religion is built on Christian concepts…
English has words deemed essential for religion: faith, liturgy, Bible, even “religion” itself. None of these words really exist in (traditional) Hebrew. Certainly, not a single one of these Christian concepts correlates directly to anything that can be considered Jewish. etc’ —
Of course this is news to some/many Jews who grew up in the USA too.
Are those words really necessary or are there analogs
“Liturgy” usually has a Christian connotation, but I am quite sure that Jewish synagogue and family worship follow recognized forms.
“Today, someone like George Soros – an ethnic Jew raised without any religion by parents who were, according to him, anti-Semitic – is defined by many, especially those who hate him, as a Jew.”
It’s become apparent that antisemitism is far more virulent on the left, than on the right.
“secular Jews simply are not religious. But they might identify with some parts of Jewish identity, most likely ethnicity and culture.”
When the hard left comes for them and they will, the embrace of secularism by those of Jewish ethnicity will not save them because the hard left now shares the viewpoint of the Nazis… a Jew is a Jew is a Jew.
miguel+cervantes,
“Jesus said ‘he came to fulfill the law’ now what Mohammed though of his predecessor faith, that’s anyone’s guess,”
Not at all. The historical record is quite clear on what Mohammed thought of Jesus. Islam proclaims Jesus to have been a prophet but denies his death and resurrection, claiming that Jesus’ crucifixion was faked. Which of course invalidates Christianity as a religion.
Christianity’s claim that Jesus was divine rests upon his resurrection, which if accepted is prima facie evidence of his having conquered death itself. A far more impressive feat than Islam’s claim that Mohammed merely ascended into heaven. As Enoch and Elijah had already done that*…So the resurrection has to be rejected.
* both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches claim that the Virgin Mary did so as well, though the Roman Catholics waited until 1950 to declare that to be the case.
Yes, the secular and nominal Jews, Protestants, and Catholics aren’t in the pews to begin with. There’s a lot more that can be said, but it’s easy to get caught up in all the different categories and concepts of religion and secularity. At first I thought “leave the pews” meant become politically active. Now I think it means leave the synagogues and temple where leftist politics is emphasized.
I have a book, which I picked up in a Cairo bookshop, about “the Muslim Jesus.” Called “Issa,” not “Yeshua,” he performs random miracles for no particular purpose. Some of these are reminiscent of stories in the gnostic texts recently unearthed. “Issa” is quite a different guy from the biblical Jesus, and of course, as the Qur’an says, he wasn’t crucified or resurrected.
Markowitz was dead on target, sorry Neo.
I’m no Jew. Raised Presbyterian, married a lovely Buddhist and switched. (I’m a Zionist, though – if that means I think that Jews are entitled to a homeland in and around Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.)
No pew for you? Why not go try some and see. Take a month of Sundays, or Saturdays, and hit the services.
For many, it’s just social. It’s like that in Asia, too. You follow an important monk or nun, you meet lots of pals to have tea with, and you make connections. Reform and Conservative Judaism seems like that to me, plus your kids get bar and bat mitzvas, and that’s more social.
I know, you’re also trying to instill some morality in the kiddoes, smart. But is it still? What are they teaching now?
The Left began their march through mainline Protestant churches in the 19-teens, seemingly to end missionary work abroad as a first object. Certainly bore fruit in China; but really it withered fruit and brought death and tyranny.
Mom insisted I take communicants’ classes and join the Presbyterian Church back in the 70s. I did, the pastor was okay, could explain St. Paul. Then the pastor got replaced by a guy who didn’t know any Pauls, but was agog for the Sanctuary Movement. What a bore.
Oh, and how does the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church) stand on Israel now?
And you mention the UU?! That’s for Episcopalians and Reform Jews who don’t want to hear any more darn scripture. Their Sunday School, back in the 70s, was sex Ed.
Walt:
Richard Aubrey may know what the PCUSA thinks about Israel and the Hamashites/WestBankonians.
Our congregation left the PCUSA about 20 years ago.
Om
I check on Louisville most days. Used to do Presbtery Social Justice and Peacemaking committee. Takes a strong stomach.
Om:
The PCUSA was in the forefront of that hateful divest from Israel movement. Don’t know what they’re up to lately.
Feels like it was wrong to centralize with a Synod. Should have left governance to local Elders. Centralized things are easier to subvert.
But it’s rude of me to say: I left that church long ago.
I hope your church is sweet, helping families along.
Go with God, man.
” Bruce ” said ” …faith… certainly not a single one of these Christian concepts directly relates to anything that can be considered Jewish…”
Where did this poll come from? A poll of ethnic Jews who are also atheist ????
The OT is full of references and examples of faith, believing, trusting etc!
Genesis 15:6 ” And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” KJV
In Exodus chapters 11-12, you have the Hebrews being instructed how to observe the Passover meal and to place the blood on the door post of their house. Those that complied were spared the tenth plauge. “…and when I see the blood, I will pass over you…” Exodus 12:13 KJV
“O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust…” Psalm 7:1 KJV
” In the LORD put I my trust…” Psalm 11:1 KJV
” Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.” Psalm 16:1 KJV
” The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom will I trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Psalm 18: 2 KJV
” And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered…”
Joel 2:32 KJV
” Be merciful unto me, I God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in there: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpass.” Psalm 57: 1 KJV
I could go on and on.
WRT the PCUSA:
From time to time, I ask something like, “Tyree Nichols isn’t on the list you’ve been given as to where to ostentatiously direct your highly virtuous moral outrage. Why do you think that is?”
More politely, more or less. Maybe they think a little bit….
Peace in Gaza Means Hamas surrenders lock, stock, and barrel, right? Right? Guys? No? Why not? That would bring peace, right? Hello?
Jon Baker, you are correct. In fact, the Hebrew word “Amen” is related to the word for faith or belief, “emunah.” Maimonides’ 13 Principles are all about belief and faith.
Markowicz might have been a bit sloppy in her language, but her point was clearly that for the most part, even if Reform and Conservative Judaism are nominally religious, in practice they have become largely secular, espousing left-wing politics with some ritual window-dressing. There are some sincere adherents, but they are in the minority.
Jimmy; Jon Baker:
Bruce is more correct than you about Judaism. It is FAR less faith-based than Christianity and far more action-based. The two religions are more different than most people realize; it is a matter of degree and emphasis although both include faith and actions.
Re: Faith, Jewish and Christian
A quote I attempt to live by. Sounds like faith to me.
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Be fearless and undaunted, for go where you may, Yahweh your God is with you.
–Joshua, 1:9
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I sure hear the foundational aspects of Judaism in Christianity. I wouldn’t call it plagiarism. Is it that peculiar to note that most early Christians, including Christ himself, were Jews?
Plagiarism, however, works with Mohammed. He had no relationship to Judaism or Christianity. He just declared by his private revelation to be the fulfillment of both, while persecuting the Jews almost immediately, and creating a religion quite different and contrary to both.
Markowicz might have been a bit sloppy in her language, but her point was clearly that for the most part, even if Reform and Conservative Judaism are nominally religious, in practice they have become largely secular, espousing left-wing politics with some ritual window-dressing. There are some sincere adherents, but they are in the minority.
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Two things about that. One is that American Jews (and, as a rule, diaspora Jewish populations generally) benefit from what John Rawls called a ‘system of natural liberty’ (equal liberty and careers open to talents). There are qualifications one can make to the system of natural liberty so stated (subsidized services in the realm of medical care, l/t care, schooling, legal counsel, shipping-and-transportation – none of which were altogether novel in this country a century ago – and also social insurance programs, which have been present in the United States since 1935 and in Germany since about 1880). Private property, economic competition regulated by acquired skills, and recognition conferred consequent to accomplishment bounded by respect for law and canons of courtesy are features of a social order in which Jews can prosper.
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The left is all about making use of state power to distribute patronage to miscellaneous mascot groups, about trashing the cultural heritage of the vernacular population, and about lawyers, politicians, faculty members, the media, and the social work and mental health trade assaulting everyone else. What’s in it for Jews qua Jews?
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Note, one thing one might posit about clergymen is that they’re NGO employees and their defaults are commonly similar to every other NGO employee you’ve ever met. They speak in a different idiom than do school administrators and social workers, but the mentality is not too different. If they are actually orthodox adherents to a particular faith (and by that I mean those disposed to learn and respect received doctrinal and moral teachings), this works contra the modal cultural tendency you see in NGO employees and sometimes works successfully. (I’ve been acquainted with two Anglican vicars in the last forty years who struck me as serious and on the level. Both were notable for having put in decades in the business world and one had also had a dozen years in the Navy). Reform Rabbis are buffoons? That doesn’t set them apart from mainline protestant ministers (or from the segment of the Catholic clergy that Fr. Joseph Wilson described as ‘Jungians, Unitarians, and goofies’).
I’m probably the demographic the essay was aimed at and didn’t blink an eye at the idea of secular Jews in Reform and Conservative temples. —Except I quit going a long time ago because of the politics.
It’s easy to see where secular Jews in xyz temple sounds like a oxymoron. I’m not a rabbi, plus I’m a bad Jew, so I don’t know what I’m talking about. But, from what I understand, Judaism doesn’t require faith or belief in Judaism, it’s about following Jewish law. That varies in strictness and interpretation by denomination.
Personally, I prefer being secular and not following Orthodox, as opposed to not following Reform, if that makes any sense. It might be a more common combination in Israel. I would be pegged as Reform, by anyone guessing.
Thing is, there’s also feeling Jewish. I assumed everyone did. Like feeling female, or my feet, or tired or hot. But once someone told me she needed external cues to feel Jewish, which shocked me.
How do you not feel Jewish? I keep digging into myself to find a place where it doesn’t feel Jewish and coming up zip. I do keep finding God in there though. But I don’t know if he’s Jewish.
It’s weird.
Esther:
But the phrase she used wasn’t “secular Jews in Reform and/or Conservative synagogues.” That would – as you point out – be something quite understandable. Instead, she wrote “secular Judaism, in both the Reform and Conservative branches … ”
As I wrote: “But Reform and Conservative are branches of the religion of Judaism … “. Not “Jews”; “Judaism.”
Agreed that Judaism isn’t about what Christians mean when they discuss “faith,” although Judaism can certainly include faith and for many it does.
Looks like Judaism is the “new”(?) elephant in the Meeting Room (?) of the local Institute for the Blind….
(Not just Judaism, to be fair….)
It would be correct to claim that Judaism is action-based. (With all those laws, commandments, injunctions, instructions, precepts, recipes(?), how could it be otherwise?)
HOWEVER, it would be inaccurate to claim that Judaism is NOT faith-based: there are plenty of passages in the Old Testament to Love God, to follow God’s ways, to follow no other Gods, to essentially BELIEVE in God.
The DOING/HEEDING/BELIEVING confusion might come from the CENTRAL concept stemming from the quote, in Exodus 24:7, “We shall DO (that is, perform/act/keep) AND we shall HEED”—pronounced by the Children of Israel at the base of Mt. Sinai—which would appear to be counter-intuitive, i.e., totally backwards…(because wouldn’t it make more sense to claim “We shall HEED” before claiming “We shall DO?—Though one COULD say that the two verbs—DO and HEED—are not serial but concurrent; i.e., they only APPEAR to be serial because of the serial nature of language).
But assuming that they are NOT concurrent—i.e., that DOING takes precedence over HEEDING: while it is true that one can DO/ACT/PERFORM/KEEP the commandments without necessarily believing in God, the claim that DOING PRECEDES (or LEADS) to belief is central, since according to this formulation, the action (rather than theory or understanding) is THE mechanism by which one gains greater understanding leading to faith…since too much theorizing may in fact prevent, short-circuit or dilute faith.
IOW, if one, for whatever reason, CANNOT believe, one CAN DO/ACT/PERFORM/KEEP…which DOING may lead to faith. Perhaps.
Which, of courses raises the question: Why should one DO/ACT/PERFORM/KEEP if one does NOT believe in the first belief.
To which question, Jordan Peterson, and others, may provide some answers…
(OR…perhaps…whereas in the modern age the maxim amongst the learned and sophisticated was “Dare to be skeptical of the existence of God”, might the maxim TODAY be, “Dare to believe”?)
In my previous quote of Psalm 57 : 1, somehow ” …O God …” got changed to ” …I God…”.
Should be “Be merciful unto me, O God….”
Psalm 57:1 KJV
Note: Forgot to mention that “HEED” above can also be understood as “LISTEN”.
Changed a little over the years: Jewish Virtual Library – they also cover American Jews, Jewish voting in America, afterlife, etc.
She’s right, you know.
Bruce is more correct than you about Judaism. It is FAR less faith-based than Christianity and far more action-based.
I agree with that. But it’s a matter of degree, not black and white. I was just pointing out that faith (belief would be a closer translation) is not absent or even a minor thing among the Orthodox at least. It’s not central or primary as in Protestant Christianity, but it’s definitely present. Those 13 principles I mentioned are recited at the end of every Friday night service in the form of a hymn.
” Bruce ” said ” …faith… certainly not a single one of these Christian concepts directly relates to anything that can be considered Jewish…”
–Jon baker
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Bruce is more correct than you about Judaism. It is FAR less faith-based than Christianity and far more action-based.
–neo
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neo:
However, Bruce’s statement was not a degrees-of-difference statement as you proceed from, but an absolute. To repeat:
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…not a single one of these Christian concepts directly relates to anything that can be considered Jewish
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I can take your point that Jews are per-capita less faith-based than Christians. But I sure read the Old Testament prophets as totally wacked individuals of Faith. They were Joan of Arc people.
And that is quite different from asserting “not a single one of these Christian concepts directly relates to anything that can be considered Jewish.”
Hardly. Jon baker for the point.
@IrishOtter – my pastor is Opus Dei and is the best priest I have ever encountered. He is faithful to the Bible, Church teachings, and to the Pope (trying to explain what he means from a ‘orthodox’ perspective. Truly one of the holiest men I’ve ever met.
Don’t let Judas push you from Christ (and His Holy Catholic Church)!
Oh, not ‘secular Jews,’ I missed the nuance of “ secular Judaism, in both the Reform and Conservative branches, had become overtly political and not really religiously based at all.”
Maybe secular Judaism would be interpreting Tikkun Olam exclusively to secular activities like political activism, social justice and environmentalism.
There are also the non religious religious Ethical Culture, Jewish Humanism and Jewish Universalist movements.
IIRC, there was a Jewish Ethical Culture Temple when I was a kid, we went to a few of their functions. As a fidgety kid, it seemed to be in a nicer neighborhood, and had potlucks, but was all the boring parts of the religion and no god. It doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.
Something else that may fall under ‘secular Judaism’ may be Workmen’s Circle, now Worker’s Circle- which really careens into left wing politics. It bills itself as secular Judaism.
Then there is Birobidzhan, founded in 1928 by Stalin as an atheist, antizionist, Jewish Homeland without Judaism in Siberia. Featuring famine, purges and signs written in Yiddish. No Hebrew allowed. I believe it’s still there, just 5 1/2 days from Moscow for the plucky tourist.
I am a convert to the Catholic Church and attend Mass at least weekly in worship and giving thanks.
Historically it is clear that Judaism preceded Christianity by a thousand years or so.
But let us be clear about Christian worship. Jesus Christ said to apostle Simon Peter “on you ( the Rock) will I build my Church”. Simon was called Peter because Petros was the Rock, as Peter was also in ancient Greek. Simon Peter became the first bishop of Rome, giving rise to St. Peter’s Square and Basilica. The Romans eventually crucified Peter, and he asked (and was granted) to be crucified inverted so as to not imitate the original Cross and crucifiction of Jesus Christ.
There was only one Catholic faith until Luther, a priest, nailed his theses to his church’s door circa 1500 AD. But he remained a worshipful Catholic priest until death.
It is sad and more than a little bizarre that there are now about 30,000 protestant denominations like Unitarians (a social club which my son in MA attends) and Presbyterians, a product of the Reformation (and who today condemn Israel for being Israel), and a cloud of “feel good” non-denominational churches, often mega-churches. This while the Cathedral of Notre Dame serves mostly as a tourist attraction in Macron’s France. Worship? Naah.
RE “But he [Luther] remained a worshipful Catholic priest until death.”
He did not. In 1521 Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X and condemned as an outlaw by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms. After that he was no longer a priest, no longer Catholic. He may have remained worshipful . . . but not as a Catholic priest, at least not in the eyes of Holy Mother Church or the Emperor. If the Church and the Emperor say you’re out . . . you’re out.
Esther:
There are certainly secular Jewish groups and organizations. And there are definitely plenty of secular Jews. But there is no “secular Judaism.”
Cicero,
When Peter wrote the First Epistle , who do you think he was talking about, himself or Jesus? ” Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ” 1 Peter 2:6 KJV
And the “Rock ” that the Apostle Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 10:4 ? Was that Rock Jesus or Peter ?
You might also look up the Great Schism….long before Luther.
One of the things that Luther did was encourage the singing of hymns by the congregation in churches. As strange as it seems today, the Roman Catholic Church of Luther’s Time did not have congregational singing. “Church music ” was only sung by priest and Monks. Luther made a point out of reintroducing the Biblical New Testament model of congregational singing, which the Roman Catholic Church now has as well.
Eric Metaxes wrote a great biography on Martin Luther. He includes a discussion about Luther’s less than flattering comments on Jews, Muslims and the Papacy.
It’s been said on this site for many years that a liberal political bent supports the person’s self-image. I am being economical here.
Thus, conservative arguments and facts supporting conservative arguments not only threaten the liberal political bent but also the person’s self-image. The latter requires much more defensiveness than the liberal view of things by itself.
Okay. If the liberal person defined above also happens to be Jewish–ethnically but not religiously–does that identity with all its history and travails but even without religion have more to lose if conservative arguments threaten?
One of the great speeches in the history of Western Civilization was given by Luther at the Diet of Worms, when Luther was potentially facing the Death Penalty for his beliefs.
” Since then your serene majesties and your lordships seek a simple answer, I will give it in this manner, plain and unvarnished: Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or clear reason, for I do not trust in the Pope or in the councils alone, since it is well known that they often err and contradict themselves, I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. God help me. Amen. ”
Quote from Eric Metaxes biography of Martin Luther. Metaxas also wrote a great biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed for being involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler.
https://ericmetaxas.com/books/martin-luther/
I think spell check may have gotten me twice in my original quote of Psalm 57:1 KJV
Spell check does not like older styles of English.
Should be:
( I hope it is right this time )
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee : yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”
Esther said:
“Then there is Birobidzhan, founded in 1928 by Stalin as an atheist, antizionist, Jewish Homeland without Judaism in Siberia. Featuring famine, purges and signs written in Yiddish. No Hebrew allowed. I believe it’s still there, just 5 1/2 days from Moscow for the plucky tourist.”
Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Administrative center – Birobidzhan
..
Article 65 of the Constitution of Russia provides that the JAO is Russia’s only autonomous oblast. It is one of two officially Jewish jurisdictions in the world, the other being Israel.”
…
Federal subjects of Russia
An Autonomous Oblast has increased powers compared to traditional oblasts, but not enough to be considered a Republic. The only one remaining is the Jewish Autonomous Oblast; however, Russia previously had 4 other Autonomous Oblasts that were changed into Republics on the 3rd of July 1991.”
According to the intellects of Wikipedia, in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (Russia) “22% profess atheism”. 🙂 How do they profess it? Do they have a church and a holy atheist book?
How I took the essay is that Karol Markowicz is making the case that an overly leftwing “secular Judaism” has corrupted the Reform and Conservative denominations.
She seems to be trying to explain to the Jews caught up in it, that it is politics, not religiously based, and not Judaism— and it’s dangerous, run away.
Not exactly a church. More like a delicatessen….
I think Esther, 3:12 a.m., sees the Markowicz essay as its author intended.
There’s a Catholic saint who was born into a very conservative, observant Jewish family. Later she became an atheist and got her PhD in philosophy under Edmund Husserl. She read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila and became a Catholic and then later joined the Carmelite order that Teresa had reformed. When the Nazis came after the Jews where she lived in the convent in Cologne, her order sent her to the Netherlands. But when the Netherlands fell to the Nazis, she was sent to Auschwitz and killed there. Her religious name was Teresa Benedicta of the Cross but she is best know as Edith Stein.
conversely they could go over to the more orthodox synagogues, where they would learn the Law, but what fun would that be,
Powerline recommended an excellent personal essay about being a Jew in today’s world — and how the CIA is now an anti-Semitic entity.
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/my-mother-cia-antisemitism-israel
My Mother’s Secret BY JUSTINE EL-KHAZEN
“My mother was a top Middle East analyst for the CIA. On her deathbed, she begged me not to raise my children Jewish. To find out why, I asked her former colleagues. I’m still reeling from their answers.”
I understand why Markowitz, who was not born in the United States, used the word “secular” for *Conservative and Reform Jews but since that doesn’t distinguish them from unaffiliated secular Jews, I think a better term would be heterodox, which distinguishes them from both completely secular Jews and traditional orthodox Jews.
*The Conservative movement was intended almost as a holding strategy between Orthodoxy, which was losing adherents as children of immigrants Americanized and assimilated, and Reform, which had abandoned much of what makes Judaism actually Jewish. It was intended to conserve Jews as traditional Jews. I could argue that it more or less worked for a couple of generations, and many “Ba’alei Tshuvah”, Jews who embraced orthodoxy in the ’70s and ’80s, came from Conservative backgrounds. In general, though, the Conservative approach (eg. driving on Shabbat was permitted if going to synagogue) was really only adopted by a relative handful of affiliated families, and many Jews saw it as either “orthodox lite” or “stricter than Reform”.
Starting in the 1970s, though, one could start seeing more similarities between the Conservative and Reform laities in terms of levels of religious rituals and commitment. Observance of Kashrut went down, and intermarriage went up. Today the Conservative movement is literally dying out. Synagogues are merging or folding and attendance on Sabbath services is down. The Conservative seminary and rabbinate made a bad mistake in letting the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism be the driving force in the movement, making changes that made Conservative synagogues less welcoming for men. For centuries, the morning “minyan”, the quorum of at least 10 Jewish adult males needed for communal prayer, served a social function for Jewish men akin to fraternal organizations, or the corner barbershop/bar. A male place. Making women count, took that place away. Making women synagogue officers meant men had half the chance to be leaders. So men have walked away from the Conservative movement. There’s a huge gender disparity on Saturday morning services.
Essentially, almost two centuries of Reform and Conservative Judaism have failed because they decided to be less Jewish.
Who is a Jew? Someone who works hard at having Jewish grandchildren.
Johann Amadeus Metesky:
She used the term for Judaism. Judaism is not secular, although plenty of Jews are. Some of them even go to synagogues now and then. But Judaism is not secular. That was my point.
Neo, it could be argued that Reform Judaism is mostly secular.
Johann Amadeus Metesky:
“Mostly” secular? In other words, there’s a lot of social stuff and some politics along with the prayers? And yet there are prayers, and they are to God, and that makes Reform Judaism a religion and not a secular social club.