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April 2008

Many of us have been disheartened to see the “Who is a Jew?” issue resurfacing around the world. That debate, always unsettling, has recently taken on a new dimension, as now even some orthodox Jews in this country are considered suspect by the rabbinate in Israel (which maintains a list of diaspora rabbis who “can be trusted,” and is now questioning not only converts but also “Jews by birth.”)  URJ President Eric Yoffie has been quick to point out the irony that orthodox authorities in America who have traditionally defended the “Jew certification” system when it was directed primarily against the non-orthodox community, now aren’t so sure about it.

Jim Levinson, Sh'liach Tzibur
 

Happily, that issue needn’t affect most of us at all. Much more pertinent to us is the matter of “Jews by choice.” Traditionally, the term “Jew by choice” meant a convert to Judaism. Today, however, there is an increasing consensus within progressive Judaism that we all should be “Jews by choice” – that even “Jews by birth” need to make a conscious choice about our identity as Jews, and our commitment to both Judaism’s heritage and its ideals.

Faith and I have been discussing the “Jews by choice” issue, and I’ve been delighted to hear that the Northeast Council of the URJ is beginning to give serious attention to such matters.

Some of us have made that choice long ago, while others of us have made it more recently, and some of us are still in the process of making it. Wherever we find ourselves on this spectrum, it may be valuable for us to be able to affirm or reaffirm that choice in a sacred space surrounded by our Jewish community. Recognizing this, we’re going to provide just such an opportunity at our Shabbat evening service on May 9 (a service during which we’ll also be celebrating Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance of those killed in war or by acts of terror, and Yom Ha-Atzma’Ut,  Israeli Independence Day.)

Our little ceremony will provide an opportunity for any of us who are so moved to step under the large tallit and, again if we are so moved, to make a simple statement about something in Judaism or in our lives that leads us now – or led us earlier - to make or re-affirm our choice. We can decide to do this in advance, or we can do it on the spur of the moment. (One of the people doing it for sure will be Jim Levinson.)

There are lots of places in Hebrew Scripture where we are invited – in some cases commanded - to choose. The best known of these is the injunction in D’varim to “Choose life.” But there’s also an intriguing sentence in the Book of Job. After asking Job to choose, HaShem adds the words, “Say now what you know.” Or stated otherwise, “Say a word about the choice you are making or reaffirming today.”

I’m looking forward to this.

B'shalom,
Jim