In the spirit of Purim, a story:
Once upon a time a powerful Emperor of the Rising Sun advertised for a new Chief Samurai. After a year, only three applied for the job: a Japanese, a Chinese and a Jewish Samurai.
"Demonstrate your skills!" commanded the Emperor.
The Japanese samurai stepped forward, opened a tiny box and released a fly. He drew his samurai sword and *Swish!* the fly fell to the floor, neatly divided in two!
"What a feat!" said the Emperor. "Number Two Samurai, show me what you do."
The Chinese samurai smiled confidently, stepped forward and opened a tiny box, releasing a fly. He drew his samurai sword and * Swish! * Swish! * The fly fell to the floor neatly quartered.
"That is skill!" nodded the Emperor. "How are you going to top that, Number three Samurai?"
The Jewish samurai, Obi-wan Cohen, stepped forward, opened a tiny box releasing one fly, drew his samurai sword and *Swoooooosh! * flourished his sword so mightily that a gust of wind blew through the room.
But the fly was still buzzing around!
In disappointment, the Emperor said, "What kind of skill is that? The fly isn't even dead."
"Dead?!" replied the Jewish Samurai. "Dead is easy. Circumcision... THAT takes skill!"
***
We trade in symbols. It is through outward appearances - how we dress, where we shop, where we go to synagogue, whether or not we are still buzzing around - that we are most readily judged. Symbols are shortcuts - they are the means by which we most readily understand and focus life. They help us see what we cannot easily see.
Q: What is the most well-known symbol of Jewish life?
A: The Magen David, the star / shield of David.
Q: What should it be?
A: The Ner Tamid / Eternal Light.
Once upon a time a powerful Emperor of the Rising Sun advertised for a new Chief Samurai. After a year, only three applied for the job: a Japanese, a Chinese and a Jewish Samurai.
"Demonstrate your skills!" commanded the Emperor.
The Japanese samurai stepped forward, opened a tiny box and released a fly. He drew his samurai sword and *Swish!* the fly fell to the floor, neatly divided in two!
"What a feat!" said the Emperor. "Number Two Samurai, show me what you do."
The Chinese samurai smiled confidently, stepped forward and opened a tiny box, releasing a fly. He drew his samurai sword and * Swish! * Swish! * The fly fell to the floor neatly quartered.
"That is skill!" nodded the Emperor. "How are you going to top that, Number three Samurai?"
The Jewish samurai, Obi-wan Cohen, stepped forward, opened a tiny box releasing one fly, drew his samurai sword and *Swoooooosh! * flourished his sword so mightily that a gust of wind blew through the room.
But the fly was still buzzing around!
In disappointment, the Emperor said, "What kind of skill is that? The fly isn't even dead."
"Dead?!" replied the Jewish Samurai. "Dead is easy. Circumcision... THAT takes skill!"
***
We trade in symbols. It is through outward appearances - how we dress, where we shop, where we go to synagogue, whether or not we are still buzzing around - that we are most readily judged. Symbols are shortcuts - they are the means by which we most readily understand and focus life. They help us see what we cannot easily see.
Q: What is the most well-known symbol of Jewish life?
A: The Magen David, the star / shield of David.
Q: What should it be?
A: The Ner Tamid / Eternal Light.
Why?
Well, for one thing, scholars tell us that the Magen David has only been in wide use by the Jews for about 1000 years or so. That’s really not so far back, in Jewish time. But the Ner Tamid, the constantly-burning lamp that is described in Parashat Tetzaveh as part of the accoutrements of the mishkan (tabernacle), is as ancient as the Israelite nation. (Of course, we cannot really put a date on that, but let’s say that it’s at least 2500 years old, and perhaps quite a bit older.)
Another reason is that while the Magen David symbolizes protection by God (perhaps deriving from Psalm 18, wherein God is described as a magen, a shield), the Ner Tamid represents the light that the Jews cast into the world, illuminating the dark places and bringing knowledge and righteousness to everybody. It declares that as Jews, we should be “Or LaGoyim,” a light unto the nations (reading with Isaiah 60:3):
Well, for one thing, scholars tell us that the Magen David has only been in wide use by the Jews for about 1000 years or so. That’s really not so far back, in Jewish time. But the Ner Tamid, the constantly-burning lamp that is described in Parashat Tetzaveh as part of the accoutrements of the mishkan (tabernacle), is as ancient as the Israelite nation. (Of course, we cannot really put a date on that, but let’s say that it’s at least 2500 years old, and perhaps quite a bit older.)
Another reason is that while the Magen David symbolizes protection by God (perhaps deriving from Psalm 18, wherein God is described as a magen, a shield), the Ner Tamid represents the light that the Jews cast into the world, illuminating the dark places and bringing knowledge and righteousness to everybody. It declares that as Jews, we should be “Or LaGoyim,” a light unto the nations (reading with Isaiah 60:3):
וְהָֽלְכ֥וּ גוֹיִ֖ם לְאוֹרֵ֑ךְ וּמְלָכִ֖ים לְנֹ֥גַהּ זַרְחֵֽךְ׃
Vehalekhu goyim le’orekh, umlakhim lenogah zarhekh.
Nations shall walk at your light, and kings at the brightness of your rising.
But the Ner Tamid also suggests that we should be
“Or LaYehudim,” a light unto ourselves, the Jews, to remind us to be the
best people that we can be; to focus our energies not only on spreading the
light of our Torah, but also the enlightenment that comes from uniting the best
of ancient teachings, contemporary wisdom, and good judgment for the benefit of
society at large. It is in the context of these last three points that I feel
the need to discuss recent events in Great Neck.
You may be familiar with the brouhaha surrounding
a free “lunch and learn” program offered by a synagogue close to Great Neck
North High School. For the benefit of those who have not heard, let me recap:
Students at Great Neck North are allowed off-campus during their 40-minute lunch period, and many leave to purchase food in nearby restaurants. It has recently come to light that a synagogue that is conveniently located on Middle Neck Road, Torah Ohr Congregation, has been offering a free kosher lunch to students to encourage them to come in and listen to lectures by the congregation’s rabbi, Rabbi Avraham Kohan.
The school district has asked Rabbi Kohan to require that children attending have a written permission slip from their parents, and to desist until that matter is resolved. Rabbi Kohan has not agreed to do so. The principal of GNN, Bernard Kaplan, sent a letter to all school parents about this at the end of January, and Torah Ohr took their case to Agudath Israel, the umbrella organization for the Haredi community, and to the ADL, and as a result Principal Kaplan was persuaded to apologize for his letter, which he did in a subsequent letter. (It should be noted that the principle of separation of church and state prevents a school district from targeting any religious institution for praise or criticism. Because of the open-campus policy, it seems that Torah Ohr is operating within the law.)
A number of newspaper articles about the lunch & learn debate have appeared in the last two weeks, citing frustrated school administrators and irate parents on both sides of the issue.
What Rabbi Kohan is doing is apparently legal. However, I do not think it that it meets the “benefit of society at-large” standard that I mentioned earlier. They have been asked by the school district to at least require parental permission to participate, something which I think that they would want, so that parents can feel more comfortable knowing what their students are doing during lunch.
I have heard that, in a related case, Principal Kaplan recently asked a US Army recruiter to cease approaching students on lunch break at Dunkin’ Donuts, and the recruiter complied. My guess is that Rabbi Kohan sees himself as bringing Or LaYehudim, light to the Jews, by teaching his version of the Torah at all costs, bravely standing up to more civic-minded critics, that is, progressive Jews like us.
Let’s face it. There is a part of me, as a Conservative rabbi, that is envious of Rabbi Kohan’s lunch & learn program. I wish that 40 teenagers were coming to Temple Israel for lunch, with their parents’ blessing, and that they were learning the Torah with me and Rabbi Stecker, using all the modern, rational tools that we do. I wish that those kids, a portion of whom I know to be members of Temple Israel, who celebrated benei mitzvah on this bimah, who were my students, I wish they were enrolled at the Youth House, participating in all of the wonderful, open, inspiring programming that we offer.
But here is the difficulty that I cannot get past. It’s the symbols - the indicators of that which we cannot see. First, we know from news accounts that boys and girls are separated during these lunch & learn events: girls are invited on Tuesdays, and boys on Thursday and Friday. This also implies to me that they think that girls are only entitled to half as much Torah as boys are. This is deeply troubling, suggesting that these learning sessions violate everything for which we at Temple Israel stand.
Second, that this congregation has flouted the requests of the school district is also of great concern. This symbol suggests that Torah Ohr cares little for American society and values, and for the very principle of the separation of church and state that enables them to continue to function. And that makes me even more concerned about what indeed Rabbi Kohan may be teaching them, if not in words than at least by example.
Students at Great Neck North are allowed off-campus during their 40-minute lunch period, and many leave to purchase food in nearby restaurants. It has recently come to light that a synagogue that is conveniently located on Middle Neck Road, Torah Ohr Congregation, has been offering a free kosher lunch to students to encourage them to come in and listen to lectures by the congregation’s rabbi, Rabbi Avraham Kohan.
The school district has asked Rabbi Kohan to require that children attending have a written permission slip from their parents, and to desist until that matter is resolved. Rabbi Kohan has not agreed to do so. The principal of GNN, Bernard Kaplan, sent a letter to all school parents about this at the end of January, and Torah Ohr took their case to Agudath Israel, the umbrella organization for the Haredi community, and to the ADL, and as a result Principal Kaplan was persuaded to apologize for his letter, which he did in a subsequent letter. (It should be noted that the principle of separation of church and state prevents a school district from targeting any religious institution for praise or criticism. Because of the open-campus policy, it seems that Torah Ohr is operating within the law.)
A number of newspaper articles about the lunch & learn debate have appeared in the last two weeks, citing frustrated school administrators and irate parents on both sides of the issue.
What Rabbi Kohan is doing is apparently legal. However, I do not think it that it meets the “benefit of society at-large” standard that I mentioned earlier. They have been asked by the school district to at least require parental permission to participate, something which I think that they would want, so that parents can feel more comfortable knowing what their students are doing during lunch.
I have heard that, in a related case, Principal Kaplan recently asked a US Army recruiter to cease approaching students on lunch break at Dunkin’ Donuts, and the recruiter complied. My guess is that Rabbi Kohan sees himself as bringing Or LaYehudim, light to the Jews, by teaching his version of the Torah at all costs, bravely standing up to more civic-minded critics, that is, progressive Jews like us.
Let’s face it. There is a part of me, as a Conservative rabbi, that is envious of Rabbi Kohan’s lunch & learn program. I wish that 40 teenagers were coming to Temple Israel for lunch, with their parents’ blessing, and that they were learning the Torah with me and Rabbi Stecker, using all the modern, rational tools that we do. I wish that those kids, a portion of whom I know to be members of Temple Israel, who celebrated benei mitzvah on this bimah, who were my students, I wish they were enrolled at the Youth House, participating in all of the wonderful, open, inspiring programming that we offer.
But here is the difficulty that I cannot get past. It’s the symbols - the indicators of that which we cannot see. First, we know from news accounts that boys and girls are separated during these lunch & learn events: girls are invited on Tuesdays, and boys on Thursday and Friday. This also implies to me that they think that girls are only entitled to half as much Torah as boys are. This is deeply troubling, suggesting that these learning sessions violate everything for which we at Temple Israel stand.
Second, that this congregation has flouted the requests of the school district is also of great concern. This symbol suggests that Torah Ohr cares little for American society and values, and for the very principle of the separation of church and state that enables them to continue to function. And that makes me even more concerned about what indeed Rabbi Kohan may be teaching them, if not in words than at least by example.
What are these kids learning
during their “free” lunches? Are they teaching them that the way that their parents
practice Judaism is insufficient? That their homes are not kosher enough? That
the only way to be a “good” Jew is to reject the observance patterns of your
family? Perhaps this is why Rabbi Kohan does not want parental consent; perhaps he would rather encourage these kids to violate the fundamental mitzvah of kibbud av ve'em, honoring your mother and father.
I hear stories all the time of families right here in Great Neck that are being torn apart because of right-wing rabbis who are sowing these very divisive ideas. I do not know if this particular rabbi is of that ilk, but failing to comply with the school district’s simple requests sends the clear message that their teachings are more important than what your parents or teachers tell you.
But the third symbol, and perhaps the most valent, is the open question of responsibility. These are children, minors who are living in their parents’ homes. When they leave campus during lunchtime, who is responsible? Who is in loco parentis? If the school district is indeed responsible for these children during lunchtime (as I suspect it is), then they are neglecting enforcement of the principle of church-state separation by providing unsupervised time in which Rabbi Kohan may cajole them with free lunch and indoctrination; Torah Ohr is as much at fault by stepping into a responsibility void that should be left unmolested by religious organizations.
This is not a case of “proselytizing” (an unfortunate word choice in Principal Kaplan’s first letter), since the students in question are already Jewish (I have been told that they do not allow non-Jews to attend). And it is a trap to see this as a case of Jew vs. Jew – progressive Jews pitted against Orthodox Jews. Rather, this is a case of a religious organization taking advantage of a loophole in the responsibility gap promoted by the open campus policy. The same concerns would be raised if a Christian group were targeting Christian students, or a Muslim group, and so on.
Ladies and gentlemen, we stand for a Judaism that is open, non-judgmental, and firmly based in tradition. Temple Israel is a place where all are welcome and nobody will be told that their religious practice is wrong or insufficient. Furthermore, we are committed to Judaism, to modernity, and to American ideals. We are indebted to the separation of church and state, obligated to uphold it, and committed to respectful interaction with other institutions, religious, secular, and governmental.
No teenager should be discouraged from Jewish learning. But as a parent with a child in the Great Neck school system, I would certainly not want my child learning at a place that would lure her in without my consent. And I would wager a fair bet that if Rabbi Kohan had a child in public high school, he would be more than a little incensed if the Conservative synagogue across the street were doing the very thing that he is doing.
Tonight, when we read Megillat Esther, we will say the following (Esther 8:16), which you might also recognize from the havdalah liturgy:
I hear stories all the time of families right here in Great Neck that are being torn apart because of right-wing rabbis who are sowing these very divisive ideas. I do not know if this particular rabbi is of that ilk, but failing to comply with the school district’s simple requests sends the clear message that their teachings are more important than what your parents or teachers tell you.
But the third symbol, and perhaps the most valent, is the open question of responsibility. These are children, minors who are living in their parents’ homes. When they leave campus during lunchtime, who is responsible? Who is in loco parentis? If the school district is indeed responsible for these children during lunchtime (as I suspect it is), then they are neglecting enforcement of the principle of church-state separation by providing unsupervised time in which Rabbi Kohan may cajole them with free lunch and indoctrination; Torah Ohr is as much at fault by stepping into a responsibility void that should be left unmolested by religious organizations.
This is not a case of “proselytizing” (an unfortunate word choice in Principal Kaplan’s first letter), since the students in question are already Jewish (I have been told that they do not allow non-Jews to attend). And it is a trap to see this as a case of Jew vs. Jew – progressive Jews pitted against Orthodox Jews. Rather, this is a case of a religious organization taking advantage of a loophole in the responsibility gap promoted by the open campus policy. The same concerns would be raised if a Christian group were targeting Christian students, or a Muslim group, and so on.
Ladies and gentlemen, we stand for a Judaism that is open, non-judgmental, and firmly based in tradition. Temple Israel is a place where all are welcome and nobody will be told that their religious practice is wrong or insufficient. Furthermore, we are committed to Judaism, to modernity, and to American ideals. We are indebted to the separation of church and state, obligated to uphold it, and committed to respectful interaction with other institutions, religious, secular, and governmental.
No teenager should be discouraged from Jewish learning. But as a parent with a child in the Great Neck school system, I would certainly not want my child learning at a place that would lure her in without my consent. And I would wager a fair bet that if Rabbi Kohan had a child in public high school, he would be more than a little incensed if the Conservative synagogue across the street were doing the very thing that he is doing.
Tonight, when we read Megillat Esther, we will say the following (Esther 8:16), which you might also recognize from the havdalah liturgy:
לַיְּהוּדִים, הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה, וְשָׂשֹׂן, וִיקָר.
Layyehudim hayta orah vesimhah vesasson viyqar.
For the Jews, there was light, happiness, joy, and honor.
The enlightenment that was afforded to us in
our victory over the forces of darkness in the tale of Esther reminds us that
we must remain vigilant. Our Ner Tamid continues to remind us of our
need to cast light inside and outside the Jewish world as we support, as our Prayer for the Country puts it, “the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country.”
Shabbat shalom.
Shabbat shalom.
~
Rabbi Seth Adelson
(Originally delivered at Temple Israel of Great Neck, Shabbat morning, 2/23/2013.)
Superbly stated and argued. Being away from Great Neck at the moment, I haven't been able to read up on all of the articles being published about this hot-topic, but I do have a feeling well written articles from this standpoint are not as frequent as articles from the other.
ReplyDeleteMarina B. Nebro
Right on. Needed to be said. Too bad Rabbi Stecker has not delivered similar comments. It's time to stand up to this assault by primitive Jewry on modernity. Like we are bringing the worst of Israel to Great Neck, with Orthodoxy preying upon young people with poor Jewish education. Fight on!
ReplyDeleteRabbi Stecker will surely be addressing this as well, and so will the Great Neck Clergy Association.
ReplyDeleteAlso, please note the following clarifications:
1. I found out after delivering this that Rabbi Kohan himself does not actually teach some or all of the classes. He has other teachers, but of course these teachers reflect his Jewish outlook.
2. A congregant who is very involved in the school district has informed me that the school is in fact NOT responsible for children who leave the grounds during lunch; the responsibility for what children do during this time falls to the parents. Parents may "opt out" of the open campus policy, but of course if they do so then their children may not leave. If they do nothing, they give tacit approval and are responsible for what happens when kids leave campus.
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ReplyDeleteWho said anything about drugs? It seems beyond silly to suggest that asking Rabbi Kohen to obtain the consent of the parents of minor children attending his lunchtime religious lessons will lead to drug use by these children. What's unreasonable about the request? Would you feel differently if Monsignor Riordan set up a lunchtime program at St. Aloysius and taught the Catholic catechism during that time? I guess if it prevents drug use, then it would be okay. I'd feel the same way if Temple Israel or Temple Beth-El had a lunch program for minors and didn't get consent - but maybe that's what Temple Israel and Temple Beth-El should do so that kids don't do drugs.
DeleteInteresting that your takeaway is that the rabbi has no love for fellow Jews. That's a tortured reading of a simple request that shuls who host minor children for lunch and lessons get the permission of their parents. What's so terrible about that? - what's to be afraid of? - that the parents might say "no"? Whether it's constitutional or not to require it is one thing - it is clearly the responsible thing to do, especially in an age when parents need to be extra careful about which adults their minor children form bonds with. I'd also be interested in the study that shows that Rabbi Kohen's program keeps kids off of drugs. I bet Jews for Jesus could say the same thing, but I'd like to know if my kids were lunching with them.
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ReplyDeletePer the American Religious Identification Survey, all religions are down, not just Judaism, but there is a rise in spirituality. Limiting the idea of loss of members to just Judaism is ignoring a much larger picture.
ReplyDeleteThe most recent published survey is available here.
http://commons.trincoll.edu/aris/files/2011/08/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf
There are almost 7 billion people in the world. There about 13 million Jews. We are less than a quarter of the world population. We claim torah Judaism is correct and all else is false. When they take polls that all religions is on the decrease and spirituality is on the rise obviously it's talking about all the false beliefs out there. Torah Judaism is so small that even if it was which it is on a significant rise it wouldn't be noticeable since we are so small.
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ReplyDeleteI am bothered by the "anonymous" comments made here on this post, clearly by other Jews. We as Jewish people need to stay united as one faith and show tolerance amongst each other. While I may not agree with how the reformed or orthodox Jews practice their faith, I am still accepting and respectful for who they are - Jewish people. The hatred and intolerance exhibited in these comments reminds me of a time my grandparents lived through in Eastern Europe and it is a disgrace that you as Jews would behave in such a way with the above comments.
ReplyDeleteThe bototm line is that NO religious organization of ANY faith should be offering minors free lunch and free religious education without parental consent. Period. And even if we gave you the benefit of the doubt in that you did not know better, once the public school expressed their concerns and asked you to cease, you ignored their requests. To me, this sounds more like the practices of a cult than a religion.
I am proud to be a conservative Jew who is not judged by how I live my life and practice my faith. How dare you criticize this Rabbi who shares YOUR faith. That, quite frankly, is a disgrace in itself. Shame on you.
I could honestly say, that I don’t think that you even read Rabbi Adelson’s sermon stated above and just scrolled down to the comments. Because his whole sermon was, the criticism of another Rabbi, being of HIS (Rabbi Adelson’s) own faith.
DeleteAnd if you read this Rabbi Adelson, can you please tell us if Temple Israel get signed parental consent forms from every “minor” that has or is getting any benefit from your Temple. Because what I am getting from your sermon, and all of this criticism about Torah Ohr is that a minor (under the age of 18) is not allowed to get any benefit from any religious institute until they have a signed parental consent form (being during school hours or any other time). And are you going to be checking ID before you talk to anyone or let anyone in your Temple to make sure that they are not “minors” if they have no form. Basically you are opening a can of worms by making this Temple go beyond the law.
You make a good point.
DeleteIn general, all children who enter our premises for educational and recreational activities, including teens, have been registered for the program by their parents, who signed a form that includes their consent. (This is obviously not true for synagogue services, when there may be many guests of attendees and so forth.)
If we were to run a program like the lunch and learn at Torah Ohr (and there are members of our congregation who are advocating for such a program), we would surely require parental consent.
In any case, I would draw a distinction between children leaving a public school campus for lunch and children who, with their parents' permission, have chosen to participate in after-school programs at the synagogue to which their family belongs.
To Anonymous -
DeleteI believe the Rabbi is saying that ethical standards, given the nature of the instruction, would require asking parents for permission to educate their minor children. Yes, the law doesn't require it. But the law permits a lot of things - like allowing the Westboro Baptist Church to protest in front of Great Neck synagogues to harass Jews. The conduct is legal (in order to allow the rest of us to say what we want), but it is not responsible or moral conduct. The issue here is whether the leader of a religious institution should feel any responsibility whatsoever to inform the parents of minor children (to the extent they are not members of the shul) who frequent their lunch lectures on religious instruction. He doesn't HAVE to, but he SHOULD unless he is afraid that he won't get consent. And if he is afraid, what type of person is he? And does he think it's okay for Jews for Jesus to similarly have a lunch and learn program in Great Neck for his congregant's children? The truth? Rabbi Kohan would be up in arms. Let's face it - there's a difference between children going to the (kosher) Dunkin' Donuts for lunch with their friends and going to a lecture hall where the lecturer is afraid of parents knowing that he's speaking with their children.
To the Anonymous who support the Torah Ohr lunch program and its curriculum:
ReplyDeleteI am puzzled and dismayed by the people who believe that in the absence of this lunchtime religious education, the immediate and unavoidable alternative is drugs and illicit behavior.
Seriously?
I am a graduate of a public K-12, a conservative afterschool religious education, college at a very liberal university... and I *still* managed to be the nerdiest drug/alcohol/addiction-free person possible. It is a credit to my parents.
If you (the supporters of the lunch program's curriculum) find the parents too weak/dumb to keep their kids off drugs, well, then you ought to run a parallel class for the parents......who'll never show up because they're too smart to fall for your crap.
You have not stated, the years that you had gone to school from K-12. But I am sorry to say, that times have changed. If you simply Google "High School Drug Use", you will get a better sense. And Great Neck being one of the wealthiest parts of America, compounds the problem. Because the kids, have more money to spend on drugs. So please "modernize" you knowledge before you use the word, crap.
DeleteThank you to Rabbi Adelson for expressing the concerns that many in (some would say a majority of) our community have and do not publicly express their thoughts, either as a respect to fellow Jewish congregations or fear of retaliation.
ReplyDeleteI am an Iranian Jewish immigrant who is extremely proud of my heritage and the traditions of several thousand years, which I have inherited.
I am confident that our Principal Kaplan’s letter was intended with the good intention of advising parents of his students what is taking place, and probably with pressure from many parents to act on it.
Although religious organizations are protected from governmental interference, the fact that our minor children are being solicited, without parental consent, by a religious group, is unacceptable as a parent.
I have read posts and emails arguing both sides. This is a good thing as long as the writers are respectful and acknowledge each persons right to free speech.
There has been justifications and arguments made that a “Free Lunch & Learn” will help the kids getting off or staying away from drugs. With all due respect, I don’t buy this logic. A “Free Lunch” will not sway someone who can afford expensive drugs. If anything, the students may be saving the money that their parents have given them for lunch and using it for things that the parent did not intend the money for.
If an organization has a plan and a method for helping our children, I will support it, provided that they reach out to me or to my wife (the parents) and ask for participation, not by approaching our minor children without our consent and/or knowledge.
How you practice your religion is your individual right. I do not support anyone who is imposing their practice on those who do not observe their strict beliefs.
(either by intimidation, such as threatening boycotts of retailer)
I consider myself a conservative Jew and would like to share this link with my fellow Orthodox Jews, which reflect how Orthodox Jews are being treated by certain Ultra Orthodox Jews in Israel. I think this will help our community to understand that we should not create divisions by categorizing ourselves.
We have survived for over five thousand years as Jews. I don’t foresee that our heritage and religious beliefs will vanish if we are not all orthodox Jews.
With All Respects
Your Fellow Jewish Brother
Link to Follow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq8twVXl4GI
I think before you give your opinion you should first learn some Jewish history. TheJewish people have not been around for more than 5000 years. The torah was given to the Jewish people a little over 3300 years. Another point is nobody ever solicited anyone to come to the lunch and learn program. The kids come on their own because they like what the teachers have to say. The last point is about the drugs. No one is saying they will come to get lunch therefore they won't do drugs rather because they get inspired that life is not all about gratifying desires (like what you are teaching your children) they learn that life is about becoming better by overcoming animalistic desires.
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DeleteTo Anonymous quoting Dvarim 28:15 - it's interesting that you reference a section used frequently by Christian missionaries and "messianic" Judaism to make your point. The rational extension of your argument, however, is that only the Satmar should survive, not some far less religious group like those at Torah Ohr. Good luck with that. And calling someone an "ignoramus" is much more effective when you actually spell it correctly.
DeleteFirst of all I would like to give you my background. I grew up in an Orthodox environment in Brooklyn. I am not observant and except for being invited to a wedding or a bar mitzvah I attend services only on Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.
ReplyDeleteI am a member of Temple Israel of Great Neck( a CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE, not a PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE). The Liberal Jews (about 75% of American Jews) are ashamed of the word Conservative and are attempting to substitute the name Progressive to replace Conservative. They are doing what all liberals are doing. Progressive has a better ring to it then Liberal and more frequently you hear the word Progressive used rather then Liberal.
Now my take on the situation at hand. I have lived in Great Neck since the great school wars that took place, when the suggestion that kids should be bussed from the Bronx to Great Neck aroused the ire of not only the few political Conservatives but of the so-called Liberals who believe firmly in NIMBY.
The current situation would never have taken place if prayer in school was allowed. When I went to HS at Brooklyn Tech we started every auditorium session with "The Lord's Prayer" There were many Jews at Tech and we agreed that none of us would say it and not bow our heads. No one in the school administration objected to our actions and I never felt that we were subjected to any form of proselytizing. I along with my Jewish classmates were none the worst for having to stand while the non-Jews recited their prayer.
What Rabbi Adelson seems to be afraid of is that the number of congregants at Reform and CONSERVATIVE synagogues is decreasing and the number of congregants at Orthodox Synagogues is increasing. He wants to prevent that from happening, but he will not succeed.
I think that this whole matter of where the students have lunch is a tempest in a teapot.
Leonard Weiss
Shalom, Len. Thanks for reading the sermon and for your remarks.
DeleteAllow me to point out that the reason that the Conservative movement is called that is because its original purpose was the conservation of Jewish tradition in the face of the far more liberal Reform movement. The "Conservative" title dates to the beginning of the 20th century and Rabbi Solomon Schechter. The first convention of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism was Feb. 23, 1913, almost exactly 100 years ago. The term has nothing to do with American politics, but everything to do with how we relate to Jewish tradition.
I am a proud and loyal Conservative Jew, having grown up in the movement. I used the word "progressive" to refer to all non-Orthodox Judaism (i.e. Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, etc.), which has a spectrum of progressiveness regarding Jewish law. In the progressive Jewish world, the Conservative movement is the most conservative when it comes to halakhah - like Orthodoxy, we accept Jewish law as being binding upon us, but we are more liberal in our understanding of the Torah and halakhic codes, seeking leniencies where possible.
I am happy that there is no prayer in public school today; let's keep religion out of school. Our kids have enough to deal with in math and science. But the "tempest in a teapot" to which you refer has upset many members of Temple Israel who have children in public schools and who feel that the Torah Ohr congregation has crossed a line. My only concern is transparency - that parents know where their children are during lunch, and what religious teachings their children may be receiving. Certainly I would want to know this for my own children.
Meanwhile, I would not write off the Conservative movement just yet. At Temple Israel we have a very strong congregation, and we continue to build. I hope to see you soon in shul!
RavHaz, Can you please explain your thoughts on this link.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/will-your-grandchild-be-jewish-chart-graph.htm
Rabbi,
ReplyDeleteI am quite familiar with how and why the Conservative movement began. The point that I was trying to bring up is that the very word Conservative raises hackles in the minds of Jewish Liberals. Non-Jewish liberals are beginning to feel the same unhappiness when they are spoken of as liberals. They seem to prefer being known as Progressives. As a matter of fact one of the very wealthiest Jews in the US started up an insurance company a few years ago and named it Progressive Insurance Company.
I have heard some liberal Jews who have felt that the Conservative movement should change its name to the Progressive Movement of Judaism.
The reason that I dwell on this topic is that you used the word Progressive frequently in your sermon.
I also feel that you are a bit out of touch with HS and college students. Not too many are spending a great deal of time studying Physics, Math, and Science. From what I hear and read the main subject for these students is partying. I therefore don't think that time cannot be found for them to engage in other activities. Prayer might be one of those activities.
You close your response to me with your assessment of The Conservative (Progressive) movement's future. I hope that what you say happens. I am a Conservative Jew in every aspect of the word. I hope its future is long and successful. However that being said, you cannot use TIGN as an example. If not for the influx of the Persian community I wonder where TIGN would be today?
You expressed concern about the fact that the students might be too influenced by the Orthodox Rabbi that started t
his lunch program.
I would rather that these Jewish kids be influenced by an Orthodox Rabbi then by a rogue organization like Jews for Jesus.
Leonard Weiss
Mr. Weiss - There are "liberal" Jews in Great Neck Synagogue and in Young Israel as well. And many in the Haredi Orthodox community here and in Israel are very "progressive", as far as taxpayer-funded subsidies go. I wouldn't worry too much about where the Conservative/Masorti (meaning traditional in the Jewish sense) movement is going. There are ebbs and flows that snapshots in time don't necessarily predict. No one foresaw that the Modern Orthodox movement would be alive at this time. It is still much, much smaller than the combined non-Orthodox movements. No one would have foresaw that the Reform movement would become more traditional over time. The fact that a large Persian community can find a home in a Conservative synagogue is an example of its relevance, its ability to host k'lal yisrael. In Israel, if liberal government subsidies and big-government control of religion and marriage did not give the Haredi movement hegemony over religion (in a Stalinist/Maoist liberal fashion), then it is quite likely that the moderate, traditional Masorti movement would attract most of Israel's secular Jews (and many of the Jews of traditional, but non-Hasid/Litvak background), as the Conservative movement attracted millions of people who left the confines of Haredi Judaism in the first half of the 1900s.
DeleteAt the end of the day, there is nothing wrong in being influenced by Rabbi Kohan - the only thing wrong is that he fears to let his students parents know that he's teaching him. There's something skeevy about a clergyman who hides the fact that he is meeting with minor children from their parents, even if that's his technical right under civil non-religious law.
I'm sorry but there is something very wrong with a parent who doesn't know where his/her child is going during lunch. Now, everyone knows that this program exists. So if you don't want your child there tell him/her not to go.
DeleteAnd the rabbi is not hiding anything. He also is not the one teaching. Excuse me but I dont know about every program offered in TIGN or Temple Beth El. I dont know who the teachers are at every program and what their background is. How do I know if my kids are there or not?? Do I expect their Rabbis to email me their after school programs? No, I raise my kid to tell me where he goes during the day, especially if he is a minor.
Parents need to stay informed through their children. The movie theaters, colleges and bars are not going to keep you in the loop. It is your responsibility as a parent to know where and what your child learns during the day.
Dear Rabbi,
ReplyDeleteI am perfectly aware of the history of the Jewish Conservative movement. I have been a member of Conservative Synagogues for 58 years. Before moving to Gt. Neck I lived in Bayside and was a member of the Bayside Hills Jewish Center. Joining TIGN was almost the first thing that I did when I moved to Gt. Neck.
My comments about the word Progressive were made because so many liberal Jews belonging to Conservative Synagogues seemed annoyed with the word conservative. Unaffiliated liberals dislike the word liberal. Both groups have expressed a desire to replace liberal and conservative with progressive.
However semantics are not the issue before us.
Your reply to my earlier comments indicated that these poor overworked students have little time for anything but math, science, and physics. That is hardly the case. I think there is another subject that takes a great deal of their time;partying.
In any event I don't think that Rabbi Kohan represents a great threat to Judaism.
A greater threat to Judaism is Jews for Jesus. It just came out that they are planning an all out push to become a greater force in our society. Of course when it comes to rogue organizations the liberals immediately shout "freedom of religion. One thing about the left wing in this country; they are masters at playing the double standard game.
Leonard Weiss
My background is the opposite of Leonard Weiss. I grew up in Great Neck as a traditional Jew and later on became more observant.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that has set Judaism apart from other faiths is the tremendous emphasis put on constant study and the seeking of truth even among children and laymen. In fact, the main tool that many Jewish oppressors have attempted to use in the past to blot out our religion is to stop us from teaching and learning Torah. The Greeks, Romans and the former Soviet Union are excellent examples.
This is one reason that I and many others are extremely dismayed over the past few weeks regarding the controversy surrounding the “lunch and learn” program. In this generation, where there are so many things that take a person away from learning, I would expect people to admire those students who take their own free time to go to a synagogue to learn about their heritage and religion instead of doing whatever it is that students do during lunch.
Some parents may not want their child attending a synagogue where they may be taught something with which the parents disagree. However, it is difficult to comprehend why these parents can’t dissuade their children from attending “Lunch and Learn”. It is difficult to believe that a slice of pizza or a sandwich has such an enticing effect that makes children disregard their parents - especially in a town where most people have an above standard living, and many of the students drive luxury automobiles.
“Rabbi” Adelson compared this parental concern to how Rabbi Kohan would feel if there was a program at Temple Israel, which attempted to “entice” his children by offering a free pizza worth $2.50 (if kosher, non-kosher is cheaper). Others have made the same comparison to a church. Obviously, no one could speak on behalf of the Rabbi, but I doubt he would be so concerned. I am sure that if he didn’t want his child to attend such a program, he would simply tell them not to and he would agree.
.....continued from previous post.
ReplyDeleteThe allegations in “Rabbi” Adelson’s lecture, that the program may cause children to disrespect their parents and that it is biased against females, is clearly false when analyzed by someone who has actually studied the written and oral Torah. Since the Torah puts a tremendous amount of emphasis on the respecting and honoring of parents, it would be difficult to understand why this would cause them to have greater disrespect for their parents than other children who don’t adhere to Torah values.
In regard to women, the Torah sources are clear that in many ways they are much greater than men. There are limitless in this respect, but any learned Jew could site many examples of this from memory, such as instances between Abraham and Sarah and Barak and Devorah. The notion that the synagogue believes that girls are only entitled to “half as much as boys are” is rather ridiculous. I think “Rabbi” Adelson should do some more research on the programs offered at Torah Ohr. I believe he will realize that there are a comparable number of girls programs. If the girls do not have lunch and learn the same number of days as the boys, then that is likely as a result of lack of interest or the possibility of a lack of teachers. Or they may prefer to attend programs at a different time, such as after school.
Indeed, the alleged reasons stated by various parents and “Rabbi” Adelson against “lunch and learn” don’t really make any sense. So why are the parents from Temple Israel so concerned? Are they really concerned about their own children attending the program? And if so, why?
A part of the reason could be what Mr. Weiss stated in his comment, that certain parents and “Rabbi” Adelson are afraid that as time passes, there will be less and less congregants in their Temple, as the number of Orthodox Jews continues to increase. Indeed a Harvard study completed in February of 2006 (which can be viewed at http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/will-your-grandchild-be-jewish-chart-graph.htm) shows that if you would take 200 Conservative Jews today, in four generations, they will decline to a population of about 29 Jews. Orthodox and Modern Orthodox Jews have a positive growth rate (in 4 generations a population of 200 Orthodox Jews will grow to approximately 3,400 Jews).
I don’t know if “Rabbi” Adelson cares about the reality of the assimilation problem. It is likely that he does not. If he did, instead of attacking Rabbi Kohan and his congregation, he should try to learn what is being taught at Torah Ohr that interests some of the students at Great Neck North.
Also, why are none of the parents at Temple Israel concerned about what Great Neck North is teaching their children? Do the parents know that in the school there exists a culture which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on children to commit indecent sexual acts? Do parents know that if they search through their daughter’s phone, they may find a naked picture that she sent to a boy to entice him so that she will be accepted by her friends and the rest of her school? Do parents know what “Road Rally” is? Do they know that their child may have been involved in a sex orgy or homosexual activities in order to win this competition? Do parents know that the school culture advocates premarital sex and that 14 year olds are taught in class how to put a condom on a banana so that they can fornicate with a clear conscience?
Why are the parents at Temple Israel attacking Torah Ohr again?
Thank you for reading and commenting.
DeleteOf course I care deeply about the issues of assimilation and intermarriage. My response to those issues, just like that of Rabbi Kohan and every other rabbi I know, is to teach Judaism, to try to reach as many Jews as I can with the messages and traditions of our illustrious heritage. (That is one reason that I have a blog.)
My concern as a Conservative rabbi is that I want to ensure that a vibrant, modern Judaism continues to exist, a Judaism that acknowledges that women need not be relegated to the other side of the mehitzah, that our history and tradition of study acknowledges different points of view (yes, even on points of halakhah) and has never been disconnected from scientific inquiry or the wider society in which Jews have always lived, that we have a positive role in this world that goes beyond our community, and that the messages of the Torah apply to us in ways other than the purely ritual. The response to modernity should not be to isolate ourselves, but rather to engage in a way that honors our tradition. We have always done this.
Our question moving forward should not be how to prevent intermarriage by separating ourselves from American society, but rather, how can we maintain our Jewishness in the way that we have always done, navigating tradition and contemporary society, thinking critically about who we are, what we do, and where we are going. We have done this for thousands of years (consider the story of Esther, or of Joseph in Egypt, or the Spanish-Jewish poets of the 11th and 12th centuries, or countless other examples), and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Weiss,
ReplyDeleteI generally do not categorize myself in any affiliation of Judaism. There terms were invented in Europe a few hundred years ago, and I believe that they have caused so much dissent within the Jewish people all these years. I am a proud-observant-Sephardic Jew. If I were to describe myself using these modern day terms, I would have to say that I am a Conservative/Modern-Orthodox/Orthodox/Ultra-Orthodox Jew, simply because there are so many variables that go into this ridiculous equation. I run my house according to the laws in the Talmud, Maimonides and Shulkhan Aruch (based on this description I may even be considered Conservative according to the Schechter Institue in Israel, one of the foremost Conservative Judaism movement organizations in Israel. By the way they opine that it is forbidden to drive a car on Shabbat). I enjoy my extended family gatherings which consists of traditional/Orthodox Persians and Conservative American Jews (again I hate these descriptions). We all love to get together on Rosh Hashana, Pesach, many Shabbatot etc. during the year and we love each other and would do anything for each other. We discuss many times what our different Rabbis from different backgrounds have taught us and we listen, discuss, agree and disagree respectfully.
But my main point is to thank you. Thank you Mr. Weiss for speaking the truth. Yes, there are many who shy away from the word Conservative and try to use Progressive - unfortunately our religion is becoming too political. And you are right. Rabbi Kohan is not the threat here. We have bigger problems to deal with. Each temple and synagogue has what to deal with, so why do we need to go and belittle each other and put down other Rabbis in the community in which we live without first engaging in dialogue with them.
Also, teens today do have free time. They come home at 3pm. They go to sleep at 12/1am. We know what most do in those 9 hours. denying what happens is being stupid/naive. They certainly have time to go to synagogue for some prayers.
Parents, if you don't like what Rabbi Kohan is teaching then please tell your children not to attend Torah Ohr. If they are being lured/enticed by a free slice of pizza, please give them an extra 3 dollars for the day and tell them to go get a sandwich or a slice of pizza on their own. If all else fails, then maybe Rabbi Adelson needs to reteach them about Kibud Av Va'Em.
Rabbi Adelson, please concentrate on your temple. Mr. Weiss is true to question where TIGN would be had it not been for the influx of Persian Jews. There is no need to go questioning the practices of Torah Ohr when you are not familiar with what Rabbi Kohan teaches. You already corrected yourself and explained that Rabbi Kohan does not teach the students of Lunch and Learn. Yes you were probably misinformed. Would you like to find out a little more about the amount of learning programs Torah Ohr offers women in the community before you imply that Rabbi Kohan believes that women are half as entitled to learning as men are? I'm surprised you expressed your opinion before you researched some of the facts. Perhaps it is time to question the integrity of those around you?
And to all Jews, please stop fighting. We do not agree with each other's views but there is no need for name calling or putting anyone down. We can still comment on this blog with respect to each other. There is no need to make a big deal on such a stupid issue. No need to have Rabbi Stecker address this. There is no need to have the Clergy Association to address this. Let's just concentrate on being Jews!
Rabbi Adelson,
ReplyDeleteAre you apprehensive about the lunch and learn program, Rabbi Kohan and Torah Ohr because of their connections to Orthodox Judaism or is there another problem?
Do you have a problem with their connection to Orthodox Judaism and the fact that they follow Orthodoxy?
Not at all. Orthodoxy may not be my path to Judaism, but it is the spiritual home of many Jews.
DeleteMy problem, and the problem that the members of my congregation have, is that Torah Ohr has refused to request parental consent, and the message that this sends.
So how do you propose to solve this problem? Besides for writing about it on your blog?
DeleteMy role as a rabbi is to teach. In this case, I think that my point has been made adequately.
DeleteRavhaz, you never responded to my link..
ReplyDeleteWhat is your response to the below link from Harvad University?
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/will-your-grandchild-be-jewish-chart-graph.htm
Also, I wanted to point out that when a girls stands up in front of me with a really short skirt I find it hard to pray. Is that wrong?
The effect on your concentration would seem to be your problem, not that of the wearer of the skirt.
DeleteRegarding this chart, simple Internet searches about the authors reveal nothing but this "study" - they are not serious demographers whose work is academically recognized. By comparison, try typing "Steven M. Cohen" or "Sergio Della Pergola" or "Jack Ukeles" into the search engine of your choice, and see what comes up. I highly doubt that this was "from Harvard University," as you seem to claim.
Regardless, there is no question that non-Orthodox Jews are intermarrying at higher rates and having fewer children than Orthodox Jews. That is indeed a very upsetting problem; having attained full acceptance in American society, Jews have excelled at assimilation. A great part of my work as a rabbi is to remind Jews of the value of Judaism, and why they should care about having Jewish grandchildren. In this regard, we in the non-Orthodox world have a greater challenge before us, and the Conservative movement in particular because not only do we not perform intermarriages, but we also do not accept children of a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother as being halakhically Jewish.
But none of this has anything to do with the subject of my sermon above, which is Torah Ohr's troubling refusal to require parental consent for their classes. If you have some insight into why this is or is not acceptable, please share.
Rabbi I am affiliated with tign but I am deeply disturbed that you would devote a sermon to discussing innuendo, and conjecture. Please check and recheck your information before you use your position, the bimah to lambast anyone, especially a jew. While no human is perfect, these comments devalue your authority and role as a peace maker in this town.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a huge assumption to imply that Torah Ohr values Torah education for boys more than girls. What real evidence is there to support that claim? Additionally, you claim that many families are being torn apart as a result of the influence of right wing Rabbis influencing their children. Perhaps so. But we can't ignore that intermarriage and assimilation (progressivism, call it what you will) are also tearing families apart. Obviously this is a blog and thus not intended to be objective or unbiased, just sayin'.
ReplyDelete