Orthodoxy At a Crossroads?: Look Both Ways

Dubbed as a symposium to define an Orthodox vision for the next century, the Orthodox Union's November 17 Centennial Forum kicked off its forthcoming year of events to celebrate its 100th year of existence. Drawing a capacity crowd, the event was held at the magnificent and historic Spanish & Portugese Synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Moderating the panel discussion was CBS national news correspondent Dan Raviv. The panel included some of Modern Orthodoxy's most erudite and respected scholars and leaders: Rabbi Marc Angel, Ph.D., spiritual leader of the Spanish & Portugese Synagogue; Dr. Judith Blech, Ph.D. Professor at Touro College; Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, Ph.D., West Side Jewish Center rabbi and editor of the Torah U'maddah Journal; Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz , Ph.D., J.D., spiritual leader of the Woodside Synagogue in Silver Spring, Maryland and Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Law School; Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, Ph.D. of Atlanta's Beth Jacob Synagogue; and Rabbi Elazar Muskin of Young Israel of Century City, CA.

In the introductory speech, OU President Mandell Ganchrow, M.D., began to unravel the meaning of the rather vague title of the event, "Orthodoxy At a Crossroads: The Legacies and Opportunities." Ganchrow asserted that halakha recognizes changes in society and has appropriate ways of dealing with those changes. He added that the OU will continue its mission to expand Torah knowledge among Jews in order to prevent ad hoc decision making within the community. With this, Ganchrow turned the evening over to Dan Raviv, who assumed the role of talk show host/moderator for the panel discussion.

After a bland introduction of each panelist, Raviv began his first volley of questions. Given a measly one or two minutes to answer each question, the panelists had to be as direct and to the point as possible- at least that was the intention. When asked whether Orthodox Jews should consider themselves a part of American society, Rabbi Breitowitz answered that the crisis for Jews is the integration of identities. Breitowitz claims that contemporary American Jews are the "opposite of the Marranos" in that our Judaism is too external with not enough on the inside. He concluded that Jews fit too well into society. Dr. Bleich, who appeared to be popular with the audience based on the applause she received, said that what we need as Orthodox Jews is a sense of separateness, but not a climate of insularity. Bleich referred to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch's philosophy in which Jews garner the best of secular studies and "secular attainments" while still maintaining a strong "kehillah" structure. Raviv questioned Bleich's notion of separateness, wondering whether this separation creates a walled-in community. Bleich retorted that a wall separating the community is not necessary, but rather noted that we need to live together in order to "intellectually engage one another." She added that it is essential that the community enable itself to reach out and play a role in greater society.

Pointing to a fundamental challenge that contemporary Orthodox Judaism faces, Rabbi Schacter mentioned the prevalent sociological phenomenon of individualism in which "personal autonomy" is an American value. Schacter cited an example from one sociologist's book, Habits of the Heart, where the author interviews a certain woman named Sheila. This woman holds that there is nothing wrong in having her own god, own religion, and own relationship to that god, coining her religion Sheilaism (Schacter amusingly wondered what her religion would have been called had her name been Judie). According to Shacter, the American ethos of individualism which encourages a climate in which "I make my decision," and have the right to choose, poses the greatest challenge to Orthodox Jewish life. Schacter suggests that adequate education is necessary in order to curtail the effects of this individualistic ethos.

In order not to affront the American flag gallantly streaming on the cover of the event's program, Rabbi Angel commented that we still desire individual thinkers who draw from the best that American society has to offer. Angel applauded human rights and other freedoms afforded the Jew in this country as values that we should all appreciate and enhance. Rabbi Schacter added that he fears that certain values espoused by American society are entirely "anathema to Judaism."

Leaping at the opportunity to generate controversy among the panelists, Raviv posed a question concerning the role of women in Orthodox Judaism. (While the woman seated at my right nearly fell out of her seat in anticipation of a thorough treatment of a burning controversy, it was only appropriate that Dr. Bleich respond to the question first.) Bleich contended that the future of women in Orthodoxy has already occurred, and that the changes have already occurred, citing the recent growth in the number of women's seminaries and the like. Bleich insisted that the watershed "changes" proposed in media hype are adjustments that "halakha does not accommodate." Rabbi Schacter opined that many Orthodox women are unhappy with their current participation within the community and that it is necessary to deal with the issues as long as we know where to draw the line. To this, Rabbi Feldman posed the question as to why these matters are not submitted to the Poskim if people are in fact so committed to halakha. Muskin agreed, saying that there is a will to debate such issues, but asserted that the buck stops where the halakha clearly says "no."

Responding to a question about dealing with secular Jews, Rabbi Angel cited a "growing intellectual narrowness" prevalent among Orthodox Jews who feel that there is only one way of thinking. Angel asserted that we need all movements within Orthodoxy to preserve their unique identities, preserving different approaches within Orthodoxy. Dr. Bleich agreed with Rabbi Angel, also citing an "inappropriate narrowness of thinking," adding, to a thunderous applause by the audience, that there needs to be increased tolerance amongst all Jews.

Moving swiftly to the next hot controversy, Raviv inquired about the recent public condemnation of Reform and Conservative Judaism by the Agudath HaRabbonim. Rabbi Schacter responded that he seeks amcha among the Jewish people and is feeling "frustrated" with the lack of dialogue with non-Orthodox Jews. He added that there is an inappropriate anti-Orthodox camp developing that is drawing inferences beyond what the Agudath Harrabbonim asserted in their public statement. Rabbi Angel concurred with Schacter's view and cited a growing Orthodox stereotyping among non-Orthodox Jews. Angel felt that it is "not decent of non-Orthodox to castigate Jews in such a manner."

To conclude the evening, Harvey Blitz, the Centennial Co-Chairman, addressed the audience, asking them to realize that the discussion only skimmed the surface of these complicated issues, and that further, more intense, discussion and debate is essential. Blitz added that while the evening dealt with the "burning issues of the day," he is greatly concerned about the impact of today's changing society on the Jewish community of tomorrow. Blitz affirmed the OU's commitment to confronting "the issues that are going to face us in the decades still to come."