Rel3A0A: American Judaism (3) -------------------------------------------------------------------- This course will explore the creative tension in American Jewish life today through an examination of the development of the many forms of American Judaism: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and mystical, rationalist, feminist, and Zionist influences. After a brief introduction to the Jewish faith, we will examine the basic positions and practices of the four leading denominations in American life as well as the contemporary Havurah and Jewish renewal movements. All of this is set in the context of tracing the history of Jewish immigration to the United States and issues of assimilation from 1645 to the present. SOURCE http://www.artsci.lsu.edu/phil/relig/rscourses.htm#REL_3A0A:_American_Judaism_(3) ==================================================================== INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. What is Judaism? A. Historically, 1. Hebrew, Judea (sp?): citizens of an ancient small nation called "Judea" One of the namesakes of a group of people whose story is told in the Hebrew Scriptures. 2. Latin, "Judea" 3. A Jew is historically connected to that group of people who lived in Judea. B. Five Major Divisions in Judaism: 1. Reform 2. Orthodox 3 Conservative 4. Reconstructionist 5. Renewal 6. Secular: not affiliated with a Synagogue. C. Expressions of Judaism in the New World in some ways parrot-ed the Old, and on others were something completely different, because of different political climates. D. Political implications of being Jewish in the New World. 1. Old world Ghettos versus the New. Leadership in the Old was the Rabbi, who had the ultimate authority in the community. 2. New world communities provided choices for the Jewish community due to the American political scene and how it effects Judaism. a. Change in the role of the Rabbi in the congregation. E. Three Naive Conceptions: A. 1st Naive Conception: Judaism as "the religion of the Bible" 1. Canonization issues in Rabbinical Judaism. The Bible doesn't cover all the questions that we have. They took the principles of the Bible and articulated it to modern times. Nid-dah" mythology compared to "AIDS" mythology. B. 2nd Naive Conception: The Bible is a one-dimensional text. 1. Multi-dimensional gods with one God above others. Refer to the "Shema" declaration of faith. 2. Jeremiah 7th century. Judaism becomes more monotheistic. a) From animism to monotheism. A.aiah: 1) "We do not carry God. God carries us." 3. Apocalpticism: how God should be viewed when history doesn't turn out the way it should. C. 3rd Naive Conception: "Judaism is the religion of the Old Testament." 1. Naive conception among Christianity. 2. The Old Testament in the Christian Bible ends with the book of Malachi, which is in the middle of the Hebrew Bible (the Bible of Judaism), leaving out other Books. II. Sacred Texts of Judaism A. Hebrew Bible 1. Torah/Pentateuch - the "Law" a. Five books of Moses codified in BB0 CE, taken from the Oral Torah, which existed exclusively until B00 CE 1) CE = "Common Era" b. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 2. Prophets a. Books of prophesy concerned with a King. b. Ideas about reality spoken to persons of power. c. Written in a historical style but not actually history, per se. d. Feature ideas about reality that don't change over time and are still relevant today. e. Two Halves: 1) First half: Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. 2) Second half: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel 3. Sacred Writings: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Nehemiah and A - B Chronicles. B. Out of Date 1. In terms of specific points of view as they existed during the time of their writing. 2. Things that made sense to the authors of these books at the time of their authorship that wouldn't in our modern times. 3. Hopelessly dated expressions of values for which the underlying truths are always relevant and timeless. 4. Include particular illustrations of underlying principles. 5. Examples: a. Capital Punishment b. Homosexuality c. The statement, "In eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." 1) Equality principle. 6. Reason for which there is Rabbinical debate. a. Judaism is a dynamic a religious faith that seeks to apply principles to a broader scale. b. Seeks to replace literalism with conceptual symbolism. c. Seeks the meanings and underlying principles of the sacred texts. C. Talmud = Mishnah + Gemara A. Mishnah (Hebrew, "learning and teaching") 1. Body of legal teaching that reconstructs the Hebrew Bible for contemporary understanding. 2. Six orders of the Mishnah: q) Seeds b) Holidays c) Women d) Damages e) Holy Things f) Purities (Rabbinical law of Purity) B. Gemara (Iramaic, "completion") 1. Commentary on the Mishnah. 2. Commentaries on the meanings of the text of the Hebrew bible. III. The Diaspora A. "Dispersion" IV. The Origins of Anti-Semitism A. What have Jews have been so despised? 1. Jewish resistance to religions and deities other than their own. 2. A major component of Judaism involves the ideals of morality, equality, justice, democracy and an egalitarian point-of-view. 3. Jews refuse to participate in pagan rituals. 4. Non-Jews loathe the Jewish deity, whom they envision to be a powereful and austere God. 5. A human proclivity to "blame the victim." 6. Jews have always been "different." 7. The continuing presence of Judaism reminds Christians and Muslims that their own predictions have not come true. B. Anti-Semitic Philosophers 1. Tacitus: Roman poet and satirist who argued that the Jewish sabbath is an excuse for laziness. a. In reality, the Jewish sabbath is a day in which one is to leave God's creation alone and not alter it for one's benefit. b. For the Jew, there is no day off from the caring of animals. 2. Abion: Roman apologist arguing against Josephus circulated a story that Jews sacrificed a Greek citizen and consumed his entrails. C. Early Christianity: five principles of interpretation of the four Gospels of the New Testament. 1. All four New Testament Gospels quote that the chief priests and pharisees/scribes conspired together against Jesus. a. Chief priests were Roman political appointees and there was only ONE priest. 2. The Synoptic Gospels argue that Jesus final meal was the Passover Seder. a. Jesus is depicted as breaking leavened bread during the meal and during Passover, no leavened bread is to be eaten as the holiday is in remembrance of the exile out of Egypt for which there was no time for allow breads to leaven. 3. The Pharisees - the "ultimate bad guys" of the Gospels - plotted to kill Jesus because of their disputes with him. a. Polite disagreement/dispute is a foundation of Jewish thought and a Jew would not plot over a disagreement/dispute. b. Three pharisees actually defended Jesus' Christianity. c. The Jesus of the Synoptic Gospels of the New Testament were by persons who did not understand 1st Century (C.E.) Judaism. 1) "Rebirth" is a Jewish idea. 2) Crucifixion is a pre-emptive strike - by the Romans - against acts of sedition and POTENTIAL sedition (even before the act). 3) Pilate was the only Roman procurator recalled back to Rome on the grounds that he was "too cruel." 4) Rabbis Hillel and Gamaliel argued to "leave the Christians alone." (believing they'll eventually fall from popularity.) 4. The Gospels' portrayal of the trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrin is inaccurate because the Sanhedrin could not have been held at night. 5. The Gospels portrayal of the Sadducees and Chief priests opposing Jesus. a. The Sadducees were the wealthy elite who were incestuous with Rome and who controlled the money. b. There was only one chief priest. D. Christianity: Saul of Tarsus - the Apostle Paul. 1. Tent-maker from Tarsus and obsessive-compulsive who organized entire communities of Gentile Christians. 2. Argued that the Torah has become invalid. 3. In Romans 7, Paul argues the Torah is impossible. a. In the Torah, there are prescriptions as to what to do when one is in adversity. b. The Torah celebrates the repentant sinner over anyone who would claim to have not sinned at all. c. The Torah will tell one what to do when one fails. 4. Paul denies the necessity of the Jewish observance. E. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna coined the term of Jews as the "Anti-Christ." of keeping Kosher. 1. The misinterpretation of Paul's words and writings leads to anti-Semitism by those who don't understand 1st Century (C.E.) Judaism. a. This is the nature of prejudice: when there is a loss of subtle differences between individuals. b. Christian leaders who mis-adopt Paul's words and writings and the way these have been interpreted in the churches have lead to anti-Semitism. c. Amidah: Weekly Prayer of 18 Benedictionsx. 1) Thanking God for several things. 2) Gentile Christians added a benediction concerning the sectarian. 3) Birkat ha-minim: a blessing for the heretics to make them uncomfortable. 4) Jewish-Christians felt they were being excommunicated from the Temple and synagogues. 5) Rabbi Hillel the Elder coined the phrase, "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow." a) Pluralistic point of view of Judaism. 6. Three things Paul refuses to do: a. Keep Kosher b. Observe Circumcision c. Follow Torah F. More Misconceptions and Misunderstandings 1. The New Testament literally blames the Jews for the death of Jesus. a. The Romans played at least an equal part. 2. What happened to the Judges? Weren't Jews punished for the crimes of their ancestors? a. Judaism believes in punishing the individual responsible, not the ancestry. 3. Judaism was destroyed by the Romans. a. Only about 8% of Jewry were in Jerusalem at the time of the second destruction of the Temple. The rest were scattered in other parts of the known world. b. Judaism was alive and well elsewhere. 4. The Jews need to be converted. a. Jews are resistant to conversion. G. These misconceptions show a lack of understanding of 1st Century (C.E.) Judaism. H. It the heart of prejudice is the human tendency to categorize people in to simple categories. 1. With respect to a religious idea faith, prejudice is grounded in disagreements about those faiths. I. The Age of Enlightenment 1. Changes in the world that began with Copernicus and Galileo Galilei. 2. The beginnings of scientific challenge of the hegemony of the Bible. 3. The age of a new approach to intellectual truths. a. Testing theories or hypotheses. b. Does not rely on Church dogma. 4. Creates an air of political tolerance never before seen in Europe. 5. Provides a new way to belong to the human race in several specific and limited ways that become significant. 7. Hews hoped the Enlightenment would help reduce anti-Semitism. 8. Judaism hopes to re-organize itself in the face of modernity. 9. Scientific inquiry challenges Judaism as much as it does Christianity. 10.Jews see an opportunity to be viewed as intelligent persons of scientific inquiry. 11.Modernity destroys classical Judaism, Christianity and Islam. 12.The Jewish Reform Movement rises in response to modernity. The Jewish Orthodox movement rises in response to Reform Judaism. 13.Reform Judaism tries to be a "different" class, different from the world, by means of worldly education. a. Very false hope. b. Only the nature of the hatred against Jews has changed. 14.Jews now have an opportunity to obtain citizenship. 15. The scientific community of Christians want the Jews - as secular students - to abandon their faith for the idea of a "second chance." a. There will be no chance of a "second chance" as long as the Jews adhere to their faith. 16. Jews were indebted to political liberals for their emancipation ,but as people acquire more powere (and money), they become less liberal and more conservative. 17. While Otto Von Bismarck was supported by liberals in 1878, Jews still became the scapegoats of the Emperor. a. Christian Socialist Workers' groups supported Bismarck. b. The scientific community in Germany lent academic credibility to anti-Semitism. 18. Wilhelm Marr - racist and anti-Semitic philosopher. a. A racist anti-Semitic philosopher. b. Considered Jews as a "race." c. "Jew" becomes a racial term. d. This pseudo-academic gave a sense of respectability to anti-Semitism. e. Authored "The Protocol of the Elders of Zion." a) Later unmasked as a forgery. b) Later adopted by Henry Ford, who distributed the document to the dealers of Ford automobiles. f. A personal favorite of both Adolf Hitler. 19. During this time, Jews begin to look to American as a hope. J. What happens when people go to another culture? A. Utter fascination. B. Sense of insecurity. 3. Rejection of the greater culture. 4. Re-evaluation of the culture. 5. Reach a comfort level of acceptance. 6. Stop assigning values to cultural differences. ==================================================================== THE SHTETL -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Existed in Eastern Europe before World War one. II. Existed as small, self-contained towns in Eastearn Europe, Iustria, Russia and the Ukraine during the nineteenth century. III. "Poles of Settlement" A. These were used to mark the boundaries between the self-contained small town called "the Shtetl" and the surrounding countryside. B. Different rules apply on either side of the poles. 1. That which applies from within does not apply from without. IV. The Sabbath A. Life in the Shtetl is structured around the Sabbath. 1. Before Sabbath - before sundown on Friday 2. Imitation of God / imitation of the world. 3. Recalling the Exodus out of Egypt. a. Remembering the Exodus. b. Remembring the creation of a people. 4. Welcoming Sabbath a. Called "the Bride." b. Clean the house. c. Take a bath and put on one's best clothes. 4. Sabbath Proper - eighteen minutes after sundown on Friday. a. Candles ceremony. b. Sabbath blessings. c. Father's blessing. 5. Saturday a. Leaving God's creation alone by avoiding work. b. Ritual of Torah study and familial intimacy. 6. "Make the Sabbath Different." a. Hide the newspaper. b. Say, "This day is mine." c. Change in everyday routine. d. The Sabbath is a special day. 7. Separation Ceremony - sunset on Saturday. a. Havadalah b. Mikvah: ritual communal bathing by men. a) Men bathe BEFORE the mikvah. B) Helps separate the sacred and the profane. V. The Market A. An important place within the Shtetl where the residents interact with Gentiles. B.There is always a monetary medium of exchange between the Jew and Gentile, but in transactions between two Jews, barter is often used. C. Women are in charge of buying, selling and the family finances. A. "Pushke" a handkerchief within which a woman holds money back. B. She knows the needs of the household and how much to hold back. VI. Headcovering A. In the synagogues where only God is king, a Jew is allowed to wear his hat. B. In Eastern Europe, a Jew is required to bow and remove his headcovering for a Gentile. C. The Shtetl is a place where a Jew can cover his head and not have to remove it for a Gentile. VII. Jews and Money A. A fleeing Jew needs to be able to carry all that he owns in his pocket. B. A Jew in the Shtetl may have a lot of money because he may not be allowed to own anything else. C. Money is strictly a commodity to the Jew in the Shtetl. It is not the most important thing. Study is of the highest value in the Shtetl. VIII. Social Classes and Values A. Scholarship and Study 1. Have the highest value in the Shtetl. 2. Within the Shtetl, a. 1,000 will have a basic education. b. 100 will have a preparatory education. c. 10 will have a college or university education. d. 1 will become scholar. 3. Scholarship is supported by Jewish families. 4. There will always be a place for the scholar in the Shtetl. 5. Every little Shtetl has a Yeshiva of its own to try to produce a scholar. IX. Role of the Rabbi A. Resolving disputes. B. Family counseling. C. Upholds the traditions. D. Controls the Shtetl because he is the scholar. E. After Immigration to America: 1. The end of autocratic rule of the Rabbi in the Shtetl. 2. Jewish immigrants were affected by the American idea of democracy. 3. American political climate affected the way Judaism can be practiced. X. Only in America A. Can Jews can be respected as equal citizens. B. Can the Jews view freedom in a pluralistic society. C. Is there a system taylor-made for progressive Judaism. D. Is the autocracy of the Shtetl Rabbi destroyed. ==================================================================== EARLY AMERICAN JEWISH IMMIGRINTS I. Immigration to America A. America is the land of opportunity and attracts immigrants on a large scale. II. Perspective of the Immigrants A. Transplanting a Culture 1. Utter fascination. 2. Sense of insecurity. a. Immigrants know how to do something in their own countries but not in this one. b. Very negative experience. 3. Rejection of the greater culture. a. Caused by the insecurity of being out of one's own culture. b. Alienation by losing the security of the Old World. c. Jewish immigrants lost the only security blanket they have ever known. 4. Re-evaluation of the culture. a. Seeing how everything fits in as a whole. b. We actually learn about the culture and appreciate why the new culture does things a certain way. 5. Reach a comfort level of acceptance. a. Not being identified as an "outsider." 6. Stop assigning values to cultural differences. III. Common Experiences A. Self-sufficiency in the old country. B. Isolated labor in the new. C. Labor occurred in the home in the old world. D. Labor occurred outside the home in the new. E. The new world introduced a division of labor. F. Issue of religion and the traditions applied to a religious idea belief. G. For the Jew, there is a a religious idea or rationale for everything he or she does. H. Entering the new world means no longer following a tradition with a religious idea or rationale. A. Example: working on the Sabbath. IV. Immigrant Generations A. There is a fundamental idea that the succeeding generations would surpass the previous. B. Living "the old way" courts failure in the new world. C. Jewish immigrants often found themselves in an American ghetto without the presence of the authority of the Shtetl Rabbi. D. Crime: we do the worst things to our own people. E. Jewish life becomes splintered into factions vastly different from the life of the Shtetl. V. Reconstructing the Old Culture A. Adapting old customs to he new world. 1. Example: traveling to the synagogue during the Sabbath. B. It is impossible to re-create the Shtetl atmosphere in the New World. C. Religious Pluralism 1. Intermarriage. 2. Assimilation 3. There is no state-sponsored religion in the New World. 4. All religions are competing in an open marketplace. VI. Problems of Adapting to a new world and a new religious idea. A. First Generation: "Trying to adjust." 1. Strict orthodox Judaism. B.Second Generation: "Trying to make a living." 1. Were scattered in smaller cities where they were the ONLY jewish family in the area. 2. Were engaged mostly in the retail business. C. Third-Forth Generations: "Trying to make a difference." 1. Lived under better economic standards. 2. Enjoy more opportunities for education and career opportunities. 3. Were raised with no religious education or observance. 4. Sought to move back to the cities to re-discover Jewish life. 5. Developed community organizations and political movements. 6. Re-attached themselves to their a religious idea in a historical precident for Jews living outside of shtetl life and were not discriminated against. VII. Late 19th century historical happenings. A. The Third Generation A. The second generation of Jewish children become aware of the differences their own lives involve and threw itself of achieving success in American at the expense of certain aspects of their Jewish identiy. B. The third generation faced some different prospects. The speak American English well and they are able to observe the Sabbath. There arises a feeling that Judaism needs to revive itself. Haunnakh (a minor celebration) is observed about the same that Christians celebrate Christmas. Third generation Jews are re-defining what it means to be a Jew in America. This is a recurring phenomena. 3. As the world changes, Judaism changes in response to these new outside influences. 4. During Assryan, and then Babylonian dominaton of the two kingdoms of Israel, a re-definition of God becomes necessary. One after the other, there is a new overlord over Judea, calling for a redefinition of the faith, refefine what it means to be a Jew. 5. Elightenment in Europe brings the idea that all men are equals with a religious idea differences being secondary and the opening of the gates to the Shtetl. 6. The Reform movement forces a lot of Jews to draw into their shells as they find that the Enlightened world is not as liberal as the Shtetl Jews thought it would be. B.Pluralism A. In America: there are people from many different countries who all have the same political status: different languages, different a religious idea perspectives; all have the same political powere in America. C. The Christian Century A. Late A9th Centry America: a new optimisim. "The Christian Century" was believed to be the time when Christian ideals would manifest themselves and become actualized. B. A88A Czar Ilexander of Russia classifies human beings according to their value to the state as if Russia were some kind of a dog show. The spark of human intellect that all humans posses was left out of this classification system. This leads to millions of Jews and Poles to immigrate out of Russia. D. The Rabbi and the Cantor A. Disparity between salaries of Cantors and Rabbis: a cantor can earn three time that of a Rabbi. Cantors are more important to the Torah service and they must be scholars and they must be able to sing in Hebrew. They also need to know at least five tradtions in leading a service. E. Three things took place in American Reform Judaism: A. Playing of instruments (work on the Sabbath) in American Jewish synagogues and temples - very non-traditional. B. The Reform movement begin calling it's Rabbis "ministers." 3. Introduction of the veracular for services. F. The Reform movement opens up a "seminary" instead of a Yeshiva. The first ordinands are in A883. G. The Pittsburgh Platform A. Only the moral laws of Judaism are considered binding. (sounds like Christianity) B. Splintering results from the plank. H. Conservative Judaism - United Synagogue of America A. Solomon Schechter a. Intellectual Hero b. Has an earned Doctorate from the Univ. of Berlin. c. Multilingual d. Ordained in the Orthodox Tradition. e. English gentleman. f. Becomes a great fund raiser. Read "Aspects of Rabbinic Theology" A. Three groups of Jews (Sarna) A. Pious Jews who tried to transplant the Old World into the New. a. They find it impossible to transplant their customs to the New World. B. Sphfitzer (hustler) doing whatever they can to earn a dollar, legal or otherwise, including prizefighting. a. Their fatih becomes the dollar. b. They open stores with non-Jewish names, like Sears and Roebuck. c. They woried less about Judaism than they did for themselves. d. They give money to the synagogue only if it benefits them. 3. Free-thinking Radicals come to American with a social/political agenda, and is probably aginst all institutins, including the Synagogue. J. Once you get to America where religion become s voluntary affair, Judaism has a lot work to do and the whole way of training Rabbis needs to adapt to the changing times. This becomes the ultimate problem of being Jewish in America. VIII. Twentieth-century Immigration A. Existed under the shadow of zenophobia. A. In unreasonable fear of "the other." B. Occurs in cycles. B.The "Liberal Jews" 1. It one time many Jews were Socalist, only to be disappointed later. 2. Jews often align themselves politically with liberals. a. American Civil Liberties Union b. Organized Labor c. Child welfare advocacy d. Social Security e. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation f. Womens' Rights g. Civil Rights h. Voting Rights 3. Reason: "If any group could be targed for discrimination and oppression, 'we' would be on the list." C. Americanism: a worldview dominated by the concept of throwing off the bonds of immigration heritage and become "Americans," first. D. Religiousity 1. Conservativism: opposition to change; to conserve or "keep." a. I a religious idea idea that the truth has already come and the truth doesn't. change. b. Once perfection is achieved it is to be kept and preserved. c. The idea that one's truth is the ONLY truth and it must be preserved. E. Progressive/Reform Jews 1. Build a different construct of truth from the preceeding generations. 2. Is heavily influenced by American Protestantism in the absence of Shtetl culture. a. Passover becomes THE most religously essential practice in Progressive/Reform Judaism. 3. Have no interest to return to the old ways. 4. Structure their Synagogue after that of the Protestant church. 5. Make the Synagogue the social center of the community. a. Not unusual also for Protestant churches. b. Quote: "All of life needs to be touched." 6. Build Jewish community centers. F. The American Rabbi of the 20th Century 1. Currently has among the following career options: a. Counselor b. Administrator c. Cantor d. Preacher e. Teacher f. Pages announcer 2. Has absolutely nothing in common with the Rabbi of the Shtetl. ==================================================================== Mintz, HASIDIC PEOPLE I. How does one know if one is Hasidic? A. If one does more than the required 630 mitzvot. II. Founder: Ba'al Shem Tov A. "Master of the Good Name" B. Became famous for the way he acts. III. Mysticism or Spiritualism? A. Spiritualism: the belief that God is the Divine Other that cannot be known. B.The Hasidic people focus on the spiritual aspect of Judaism. IV. The Rabbi and the Rebbe A. Rabbi: academic, scholar, teacher. B.Rebbe: community leader, mentor, spiritual leader. A. Tische: (lit., "table") the honor of sitting at the Rebbe's table. B. Cult of personality. 3. The spiritualistic aspect of Judaism trumps the academic in the eyes of the Rebbe's followeres. 4. The Rebbe is considered a holy person that can be petitioned to give blessings and healing. 5. What are the frustrations associated with this? V. Parallels with Christianity A. Some individuals are proclaimed to have the gift of healing. B.That gift is said to have come from God. C. When a healing fails, the person to whom it fails is blamed. A. This created a strain in the Hasidic community. D. Rabbi Sham Stauber -- The Door of Hope Clinic A. Just ouside of Williamsburg, across river from Brooklyn. E. Who would you want to heal you: an ignorant - but well-meaning - believer or a well-trained, highly qualified practitioner? F. Human life trumps animal life and a Jewish heart surgeon will handle aheart valve from a pig to save a human life. VI. Where are the Hasidic people? A. Williamsburg, across the river from IIrooklyn. B. Crown Heights C. Borough Park VII. Disparate Elements within Hasidic Judaism A. Modernity B.Neo-Orthodoxy C. Lubovitch (sp.?) Court: wanted to prostelyze non-Orthodox Jews. ==================================================================== Class Discussion Sarna, 208-71 -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Orthodoxy A. The Yeshiva B.Do Not like being called a "demonination." A. They consider themselves the only "real" Jews. B. Other "demoniniations" considered "sub-Jewish" or "heretic." B.Set up their own schools for their children. A. Public schools posed the problem of following a Christian calendar, making it difficult for the children of observant Jewish immigrants to observe the Jewish holidays. B. American wanted to create a secular society in which the Jewish school child would be able to sit next to a gentile school child. 3. The traditional Jews were one group nearly wiped out by the American frame of reference. 4. Despite segregation, Jews were the highest-educated minority in America. a. Reason: Centuries of having to teach themselves and now having faced with a society for which success depends upon one's educational achievement. b. American Jews became obsessed with education after feeling second-class for B,000 years. C. Continuing waves of new traditional Jewish immigrants helped keep the numbers of the orthodox very stable. D. Three possiblities for the new immigrants: A. Run from their Jewishness. a. Change their name. B. IIecome Reform Jews. a. Some were attracted to the idea that "If were weren't so 'Jewish,' we'd be more acceptable to American society." b. These were more interested in immigrating themselves into American society. D. Transplant: Tries to transplant Jewish life from the Shtetl to American life. II. Conservative A. Jewish Theological Seminary B.Kept the Hebrew language in its liturgy. C. Kept the dietary laws (kasruit). D. Understands that "one cannot be what one isn't." E. Transform: Takes the best of Judaism and re-structures it for American life. A. Tries to "graft" Jewish life into American society. B. Often calls the Torah the "Tree of Life." F. Financially, A. Were often poorer than Orthodoxy and the Reform movement. B. Solomon Schecter: modern scholar and master fund-raiser. a. World-class Scholar. b. Fluent in English c. I master fund-raiser for Conservative Judaism. III. Reform A. Hebrew Union College B.The first to put in place a program of a religious idea education. C. Ittraction: one can pursue a Jewish education without being "different" and pursue the American Dream while retaining their Jewish identity. D. Transplace: Tries to create a "new" Judaism for American life. E. Some become conservative Jews to try to find a more authentic Judaism. IV. Reconstructionist A. Hebrew Union College ==================================================================== Group 4 Wertheimer. I People Divided -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Judaism in post-World War One America. A. Participated in America's mass exodus to the suburbs. A. Synagogues and Temples followed along, too. B. Jewish schools opened up in the suburbs. B.There were many Jewish refugees from the European continent. C. The world was changed forever after World War One. D. Judaism becomes more "modernized" betwen the 1960's and the A980's A. Jews re-define their concept of God in each succeeding generation. B. Some Jews only attend temple or synagogue twice a year, during the High Holy days. 3. "God-ness" becomes a compositie force for goodness and morality. 4. The synagogue performs a different role in the life on an American Jew. E. There is no "out-option" or "opt-out" for being a Jew. II. Returning Veterans A. Returning vets sought Jewish services. A. They had received Jewish services while in the military, mostly by conservative rabbis. III. Denominations A. Orthodoxy B.Conservative 1. Experienced the most growth after World War Some. 2. Most rabbis serving Jewish American service men and women were conservative rabbis. C. Reform 1. Were involved in social action movements during the 1960's 2. Re-introduced the Bar-Mitzvah and shofar. IV. Zionism A. Before and During World War One 1. Attitudes towards a modern state of Israel. a. Orthodoxy - does not approve of a secular, non-a religious idea Israel. b. Reform - anti-Zionist for political purposes. c. Conservative - Zionist as it wished to moderninze the principles of Judaism for Jewish Americans. B. After the War 1. Attitudes towards a modern state of Israel. a. Orthodoxy - still Anti-Zionist. b. Reform - undergoes a radiical split. 1) Beth Shalom temple forms in 1948. V. Havurah Movement 1. Began by young third generation Jews who sought a more intimate Jewish experience. B. Definition: a committe or small social group. C. Includes Jews meeting together to discuss Judaism. D. Something of an artificial Jewish society. 1. Judaism can be many things. E. Consists of small cells of reconstructionist Judaism. F. Includes the Feminist Movement in Judaism. 1. A God without gender. 2. Features female rabbis wearing a Kippah. G. Is a Jewish renewal movement that focuses on prayer and religous experience. H. Alvin Toeffler: "The past should have a vote, but not a veto." I. Mordechai Kaplan: "Judaism as a civiliation." ==================================================================== Tuesday, 11 November Zionism and American Jews I. Zionism A. Goes back to biblical text B. Exile Pslams have the theme of returning back to Isreal, Jerusalem and Judea. C. Is a very old idea that goes back 1600 years and includes the Messianic age. II. Rebirth of Zionism I. Founded by Austrian journalist Theodore Hertzl. A. After the Dreyfus affair, began to believe that Jews should have a nation of their own for which Jews would be the majority. a. Jews would no longer be "homeless in their own nations." B. Encouraged by a situation in Europe that was percieved as intolerable at worst, undesirable at best. C. Anti-Sentimism is a compelling reason to leave Europe. D. Attracted secular Jews in their own expression of sentiment for a return to Israel/Jerusalem. 1. There's nothing religious about what the secularlists' were doing. a. They were trying to get themselves out of an undesirable political situation. III. Historical Perspective I. Europe became enamored with the Enlightenment 1. There was optimism among white, Anglo-Saxon protestant males that the world was interconnected. a. Western Europe was only a small part of the world at the time. Western Europe was "their world" 2. The Enlightenment was not at all friendly to the orthodox or traditional Jew. a. Traditional or orthodox Jews were very suspicious of rationalism because it contradicted with the traditionalist idea of truth according to Torah and Talmud. II. Dreyfus Affair A. Occured in France, the first country to offer emancipation to Jews. 1. A French newspaper column referred to Dreyfus, not as a French officer, but as a "damn Jew." B. Studied by Austrian journalist Theodore Hertzl, who would one day lead the modern zionist movement. IV. Competing Ideas following the Enligtenment A. Universalism 1. Reflects ideas of revolution, change and goals for humankind. 2. Romantic Rationalism: a philosophical school which advocates that the only truth is that which can only be known by the mind. a. In this light of thinking, Germany and Italy unified those with common languages and cultures in their respective countries. b. Traditional Jews were suspicious of rationalism because it contradicts with their idea of truth according to Torah and Talmud. B. Nationalism 1. Does not fit into the universal idea. 2. Ippeals to the baser instincts of people. 3. Leads to two world wars. 4. Idvocates a superiority/inferiority dichotomy. 5. Leads to dogmatic racism in western Europe. a. Creates a seed bed for racist though in western Europe. C. Socialism 1. Idvocates a centralized government and no private property. 2. Jews became revolutionaries in Tzarist Russia. a. Some become as corrupted with power and greed as those of the regime they helped to overthrow. b. Others become so disenchanted with the new regime, they, too; sought to return to Israel/Jerusalem. D. National Socialism. 1. In western Europe, doesn't include Jews. a. Considered a "homeless people" without a nation of their own. 2. The "emancipated Jew" a. Is "emancipated" by the nation. b. Need to be de-Judaized of the trimmings and trappings of their external Jewishness c. Seeks the basic rights of citizenship. d. Was so emancipated so that the Jew could be converted to Christianity. V. Eastern and Western Europe A. Eastern Europe 1. Dispora 2. Orthodox Judaism 3. Racist B. Western Europe 1. Homeless in one's nation. 2. Reform Judaism 3. Nationalism VI. Conclusion: either way would mean an end to Jewry. A. Universalism wanted to emancipate the Jewish population of nations so they would be eligible for conversion to Christianity. B. National Socialism simply wanted to be rid of European Jewry alltogether. ==================================================================== Group 6 Hertzberg The Zionist Idea -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Zionism - a return to Zion. A. A search for Jewish nationlism. B. A desire to acquire both a land and a language. C. A desire for a national identity for a people thousands of years in exile. D. Is NOT exclusively a religious idea. E. Is mostly secular. 1. Synthetic Zionism. 2. Secular messianic intentions. a. In the Jewish tradition, the Messiah is a human being. II. Some - of many - purposes: A. Fulfillment of a biblical prophecy by returning to a land that is special and holy. B. To safeguard and secure Jewish traditions. C. A secular impulse for a national identity. III. Zionism and the Hebrew Bible A. To the Jew, the Hebrew Bible is more than a religious text. 1. It is also a history of her or his people. B. The Hebrew is a historical record of the Jews. C. The Jew in the Diaspora (in exile) is figuratively at war with the rest of the world in an apocalyptic sense. D. "Abudah" ('Ah-boo-dah') 1. Abudah for Pharaoh was slavery. 2. Abudah for Yahweh is worship. IV. Zionism and the New Testament and Holy Ku'ran. A. The "Chosen People" is a term applied to Jews by non-Jews. B. "People of the Book" is a term applied to Jews and Christians by Muslims. C. Zionism according to the apostle Paul, focuses on the Jews' "privilege." 1. What about the responsiblity Jews bear upon themselves to be Jews? a. Being "the chosen" is an enormous responsibility. V. The Zionists A. Were mostly non-observant or secular Jews and Gentiles. B. Realized that they had no control others' looked at them. 1. The ultimate prejudice is based upon a single given charactistic. C. Reclaimed what was once a very - for 500 years - neglected part of the former Otoman Empire (1519-1919). D. Included: 1. Socialists 2. Communists 3. Revolutionaries E. Wanted to take control of their own destiny. F. Wished to earn the right to own the land in which they settled and for which they - by their own labor - reclaimed. G. Left their vocations as doctors and lawyers in the Diaspora to become farmers, growers and laborers in Israel. F. Come from all over the Diaspora and spoke any number of different languages. 1. Israel became an ideal place to learn different languages. 2. A common first greeting from Israeli citizens to someone living in israel for the first time usually includes, "What is your native language?" and usually, the Israeli citizen greeting the newcomer will be fluent in the newcomer's language. ==================================================================== Group 4 The Israelis -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Six-day War A. Arabs backed by Russia and let by Nasser. 1. There were 23 Arabic countries, all of which Nasser wished to be the leader of. 2. The Soviet Union supplied the Arabs, hoping for a foot-hold in this oil-rich area. 3. Nasser and his military leaders badly underestimated the military abilities of the Israelis. a. Many Israelis were survivors of the Holocaust and knew enough misery and suffering that they considered themselves already dead. b. Israelis fought like a trapped and wounded animal. B. Israeli intelligence knew of the military build-up and kept track of the schedule of Arab pilots flying overhead. 1. As a result, the tiny Israeli Air Force flew in to the air bases and destroyed planes, runways and facilities while Arab aircraft were flying to and from Israel. C. Fears of American involvement kept the Soviet Union out of directly participating in the war. 1. Upon hearing rumors that Americans were involved, Russia pleaded with the United Nations to intervene in the war to try to stop the fighting. D. Why did Lenin admire the Jews? 1. He called them "Fanatics who fight like revolutionaries." 2. "They don't know when to stop fighting." II. A Jewish State in Palestine A. Is the aim of the Zionist Movement B. Israelis are represented by 102 countries of origin who are linked by . 1. Zionism 2. Nationalism 3. Religion C. Four important towns in Israel. 1. Jerusalem - THE holy city. 2. Hebron - burial place of the matriarchs and patriarchs. 3. Tiberius - ancient intellectual center of the 6 - 9th centuries. 4. Saphia - mystical holy city. D. Palestinian Refugee Camps E. "Sabra" a Jew born in Israel. 1. Literally, "cactus." 2. Prickly on the outside but capable of sustaining life on the inside. ==================================================================== Modern American Judaism - Lecture -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Change is often seen psychlogically as a "loss." II. Psychological conflicts that AmericanJudaism has been dealing with since 1664. III. American has been a wonderful hom e but therre is no question that American is a Christian dominant culture. IV. Judaism is a civilization, one part of which is it's culture, the other is its religious liturgy and worship. V. The culture and religion of Judaism are often intertwined. VI. Most differences between Shepardic (Yiddish) and Ashkenazic (Yiddish) Jews are cultural. VII. The Jewish immigrant experience comes at a loss to the immigrant who has lost that which is familiar to them. VIII. The freedom to keep or not to keep kosher comes with the loss of the familiar stores and shops that carry only kosher products. PROTESTANTISM IN AMERICA I. The dominant forces of the early United States where White, Anglo-Saxon Prodestants. A. Calvinist work ethic leads to the hatred of the poor. B. Idea of individualism. "God is judging YOU!" II. The Hebrew bible is all about a community of faith. A. Translated into different ideas of protestantism. B. Translated into Biblical warrant for one's own interpretation. III. There are no protestant seminaries in America. A. Most protestant leaders were not religiously educated. IV. Presents Jewish immigrants with a confusing religious environment. V. Religion in Europe doesn't really matter. What church you go do really matters in America. ISSUES FACED BY JEWSH IMMIGRANTS I. Idea of God A. For the Jew there is only one God. II. Doctrine of Man - Two oppositing viewed of human beings. A. Jewish idea of man is just a little less than pefect. B. Protestant idea of man is a horrid, wretched creation. 1. Humans are born sinners and basically evil. C. Makes it impossible to have a dialogue between Jews and Christians. D. Why is man a sinner? Because he was born in a condition of sin - the "original sin" of Adam and Eve. 1. The Jew doesn't hold one responsible for what one's ancestors have done. 2. The Jews holds one responsible for one's actions. 3. Judaism doesn't condemn the person, Judaism condemns the act. 4. "Sin" in Judaism is not a condition - it is an action. III. Forgiveness A. In Christianity, God has to find some merit in a person to forgive them often throught the idea of "grace" in the sacrifce of Jesus for one's sins. B. Forgiveness is personal and corporate in Christianity. IV. Eternal Life A. Jews define "eternal life" as the Torah, which is eternal to the Torah. Only Torah (truth) is eternal. Humans aren't. B. Christians determine that "eternal life" means that a person will live forever. C. That which is eternal is that which cannot die. D. Hebrew has no word for "soul." V. Abortion A. How is the argument framed? 1. Pro-life. a. Clever argument to dichotomized the "other" as "pro-death." 2. Pro-choice. a. Opposite suggests "no-choice." B. In Christian theology, one becomes a sinner at conception. C. To the Jew, the life of the mother is paramount. ==================================================================== Class Discussion Sarna, pp. 272-377 -------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Comparable Sociological Phenomenon A. First non-white President of the United States. 1. Results in the transformation in the African-American community by creating hope for future generations of African-American children. II. Role Models in Jewish Society A. Jewish Athletes (1930s-1940s). Jews were succeeding where formerly, only Gentiles could. 1. Bess Myerson 2. Sandy Colfax a. Refused to participate in a game that was held on a Jewish High Holy day. 3. 1/2 of all American boxing champions were Jewish. B. Jewish Politiicans 1. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) a. Orthodox Jew 2. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a. First Jewish Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. III. Confirmation and Affirmation A. "One of our boys." B. Emotional impact of a successful role model to a minority people. C. A successful minority role model allows more people to be included in society. D. Successful minority role models in Louisiana. 1. Governor "Bobby" Jindal. 2. LSU Athletic Director and Baseball Coach "Skip" Bertman. a. Member of Temple Bina'i Israel. IV. Sources of Tension in American Judaism A. Social Integration, Conflict and Identity 1. The integration it a society is never smooth. 2. Is always conflicted. B. Founding of the Modern State of Israel 1. American Jewish identity gets a boost from the outside. C. The Holocaust 1. There was little discussion for twenty-five to thirty years after World War Two and the discovery of the camps because the Holocaust was so painful to so many American Jews to come to terms with what has happened. D. Professional Integration 1. Law 2. Medicine 3. Commerce and Finance E. Intermarriage -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Use your browser's [BACK] button to return to the previous menu. | -------------------------------------------------------------------- LAST UPDATED