The problem seems not to have changed. Back when I was at college, the egalitarian services couldn’t get a minyan, and so, while I didn’t like Orthodox liturgy, and didn’t approve of the mechitza (prayer barrier), I still schlepped up the extra flight of stairs to the traditional minyan, week after week. Whatever my personal preferences, it seemed that only Orthodox Jews cared enough to make the system work.
Today, I feel like the challenge remains the same — only writ much larger. Historically, progressive Jews have had trouble mustering the same degree of zeal as traditional Jews, whether regarding synagogue affiliation, in-marriage (and affiliation post-intermarriage) or any number of other values. This, the Orthodox often say with a degree of deserved smugness, just goes to show you.
Now, along come the Conservative movement’s efforts to create a Magen Tzedek, a seal for food products that would certify conformity not to the ritual particulars of kashrut, but to the deeper and more profound requirements of Jewish social justice law.
I think the Magen Tzedek is a fantastic idea — if it works. It makes a strong case for Judaism’s ethical relevance, a 21st-century update of the old Hebrew National advertisements — “We answer to a higher authority.” In fact, the Magen Tzedek is even better than the original, which, after all, was a ritual “authority” only tangentially related to contemporary health or sanitary concerns, It is a “higher authority” on values that really matter, to religious Jews, secular Jews and non-Jews alike.
Imagine if Jews were known in America to be the super-ethical people instead of the super-ritual ones. We’re the people who won’t eat a hamburger unless the workers at the restaurant are paid a fair wage. We’re the ones who consider environmentalism to be a matter of religious concern. Because doing the right thing matters to God.
This is good P.R., to put it mildly, both “outwardly,” in terms of the wider population, and “inwardly,” in terms of the Jewish community. This is a Judaism that stands for something meaningful, something more compelling than Jewish survival, or the ritual purity of cloven-foot animals. (Full disclosure: I keep kosher myself.) I’m not saying that the Magen Tzedek would end antisemitism and assimilation, but it would be a potent weapon against them.
And, contrary to the objections of some, it’s grounded in authentic, ancient Jewish values. Of course, the specific details of living wages and green production are new, just like the details of how to kasher a microwave. These will, and should, be debated: Many current Magen Tzedek requirements do seem to be needlessly obscure and overly strict. But the basic principles are indubitable. And I would suggest that in the Age of Madoff, making our ethical reasoning as current, comprehensive and mandatory as our ritual reasoning is, itself, a Jewish obligation. As many Orthodox rabbis said this past Yom Kippur, we need to be glatt yosher (ethically ‘straight’) even more than glatt kosher.
But it’s that pesky adjective — mandatory — that will be the biggest obstacle to the Magen Tzedek’s success. Practicing Orthodox Jews simply will not eat food whose preparation wasn’t properly supervised, even if they’re really hungry and there is no alternative. Will practicing progressive Jews be similarly strict? Or will this be yet another optional practice that, like my egalitarian minyan at school, has the right values but no followers?
There are some positive signs. I know people who will not eat non-eco-kosher food (for example, factory-farmed meat or eggs, over-fished species of fish) and will not use environmentally unsound disposable plates, even if it means missing out on treats, snacks or full meals. And of course, there are increasing numbers of Americans who will not feed their children pesticide-laden vegetables or processed McFood made mostly out of corn. Some of this is motivated by health concerns, but some of it is value based, and much of it is every bit as strict as Orthodox kashrut. But such behaviors are still on the fringes. Will they ever become mainstream enough to make obtaining a Magen Tzedek worth the financial and administrative costs of doing so? Will progressive Jews care as much about progressive values as traditional Jews care about traditional ones?
I am both despairing and hopeful.
Within the Jewish community, I have my doubts. Conservative Judaism probably has the largest gap between ideology and practice, and it’s not clear how the Magen Tzedek will be any different from the 100 other Conservative rules and regulations that most laypeople ignore. Orthodox Jews have already, by and large, rejected it, although some have created their own version, which I’m not sure helps or hurts. And Reform Jews may not care about a specifically Jewish certification. That doesn’t leave much of a Jewish constituency.
But if the Magen Tzedek proceeds in its current direction, it will be of value far beyond the Jewish community. According to sources quoted in the Forward, the Magen Tzedek has the potential to be the most comprehensive “green seal” in America, and such seals matter economically. If the Magen Tzedek were to capture a share of this market — though, to be sure, there is already plenty of competition — it could indeed reach critical mass.
The dirty little secret of kashrut certification is that it works the same way. The kosher food industry has boomed in recent years: a 15% annual growth rate (compared with 4% for the food industry in general), and a $9 billion market. But according to a 2007 survey, 55% of kosher food consumers buy kosher because they believe it is healthier. And the majority of them are not Jewish.
This has to be the model for the Magen Tzedek — although not on the half-truth that kosher food is healthier, but on the whole truth that Tzedek food is more just. The takeaway is clear. If the Magen Tzedek gains traction among non-Jews who care about how their food is produced, it is sustainable. If it relies on Jewish observance patterns, it isn’t.
In a way, this is an unfortunate result — that a Jewish seal is of more value to gentiles than to Jews. But maybe it’s not so unfortunate at all.
In the coming century, sociologists tell us, Judaism will become less like an all-or-nothing proposition — ethnicity, identity, culture, nation and religion, all wrapped up in one — and more like one source of values, identity, spirituality and culture among many. We should get used to someone practicing Jewish dietary laws, Buddhist meditation and secular ethical values, whether that someone is born of a Jewish mother or not. Jewish culture and religion are going to survive not because of endogamy, but because they remain relevant to people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds who find them to be meaningful. Like it or not, the Kabbalah Centre, Matisyahu and the Magen Tzedek are the future of Judaism; they thrive not because the Jewish tribe maintains them, but because they appeal to a wide range of people.
This is a meaningful transition in the way Jewishness is understood. For some, it is terrifying. But for me, it represents a compelling model of how particularism can survive without ethnocentrism and despite assimilation — not quite a Judaism without Jews, but Judaism beyond the confines of the Jewish population. Yes, there will always be things that only Jews do: I don’t see the lulav and etrog suddenly holding universal appeal. But in the 21st century, progressive Judaism’s survival depends on its relevance to the other 99.9% of the world.
Thus, rather than seeing the Magen Tzedek’s dependence on non-Jews as a liability, I see it as an asset. Imagine an evening in which you enjoy African-American music, a Japanese-American car and Chinese-American food, and it’s all certified according to American Jewish ethical values. Could be worse.
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omg yes!
There is no need to limit the stamp of approval to narrowly Jewish products. The OU appears on many major national brands, so why not also the Magen Tzedek ?
There is no industry like the food and restaurant business is so corrupt, that employs more illegal immigrants, every establishment has two sets of books, pays cash to its workers, avoids all kinds of taxes for most of their income, ethical? how about stop the fantasizing.
Magen Tzedek = Do as we say and not as we do Judaism. Hey Conservative Judaism: Provide pre-school teacher's with health insurance. Then preach to me about ethics.
The major factual error the underpins this article is the categories it puts people into: the idea that all Jews are either Orthodox, Reform, or Conservative; the idea that Jews are either strictly kosher or not.
In fact, all of the data from population studies and other surveys shows that kashrut practice varies along a broad spectrum, and that, depending on the survey, either a plurality or majority of Jews do not affiliate with a synagogue of any movement.
And if the orthodox are the only ones that make it work, why are they so vastly outnumbered, if not outvoiced? The other movements are strong and vital, but just because they don't do it the same way, the are said not to be. Also, the "100" ways in which Conservative teaching differs from how it's practice—so, what do you suggest? They all just decide either to be Reform or Orthodox?
Other than these overbroad generalizations and condescension towards other kinds of Jews, I'm glad to see that this article is in favor of Magen Tzedek. It's a way that we might get more of these people that aren't good enough for the author to make it work in their not good enough Conservative and Reform synagogues, or maybe just a little bit at a time in their own private lives, as our rabbis taught us.
I have read every word of the standards. They are ridiculous. There are even provisions about microwave ovens in the work place. All silliness.
Today I went to by my kosher store to buy breadcrumbs at the only kosher store in town. I do need to tell you that everything is over priced and not really better quality. I have wondered for years both when I had a job and years ago when I did not how low income Jews who keep kosher afford the over pricing in the "kosher" food inustry. Years ago I worked in a Jewish Shelter and was responsible for ordering the food. Every Passover the prices went up for items that were sometimes sold all year round. It has left me angry and of course I never got an answer from anyone (beyond the common sense one I already know). Yes the Kosher food industry is a sad industry and no where near what the Torah aspired it to be. I am a vegetarian and today the clerk at the above mentioned store ask me if I ate meat (Kosher of course). My answer was Thank G-d I am a vegetarian! Jews need to sit down w/ each other and talk about the lies, low substandard moral conditions at meatplants, and cut the politically correct BS and double talk.
MIchaelson presents a brilliant analysis of the significance of Magan Tzedek. His observations concerning the challenges and ambivalences of “Progressive “ Conservative and Orthodox Jews regarding Magan Tzedek is evenhanded . While Magan Tzedek might appear to some to represent change, it clearly-is an embodiment of mitzvot,-both ritual and ethical. This is not to say that some of the innovation- may not overreach or be unachievable . But Michaelson is not dogmatic and indeed encourages debate about the details. Magan Tzedek’s rejection by Orthodoxy is more a function of institutional, political, commercial and organizational self interests than a disagreement with the validity of the underlying value concepts. Ironically the Conservative rabbis ,whose halachic construct of Magan Tzedek represents the ethos of “tradition and change” ,will probably muster scant support among their congregations. Neither will Reform, Progressive or the masses of other identifying , but non-affiliating Jews muster much of a constituency. Hence his perceptive hypothesis, perhaps Magan Tzedek will generate the historic dynamic of “a light unto the nations” , meaning that majority non-Jews whether their motivation be immigrants rights, environmentalism or consumerism will become the vanguard,
The perceived “danger” to which he alludes is that “amcha” consciously or by acculturation (not the same as assimilation) will be drawn into beliefs and practices and values that are currently perceived as being outside of the Torah. We do not know whether the influence will be American style pluralism, New Age Spiritualism or the emerging Green Movement . Nor can we predict how these forces will transform Jewish life. This dialectic has challenged and enriched us since the age of the Patriarchs.
Let me start by saying, I think it's great for families to have a garden. I'm very supportive of the local foods movement. And I think eating more fruits and grains, and far less meat, would improve Americans' health dramatically.
However, my husband just finished fall harvest this week. Over a two-month time period, our family — three men — harvested 128,000 bushels of corn, 14,000 bushels of wheat, 45,000 bushels of soybeans and 25,000 melons. We'll ship more than 200 semi-tractor trailer loads this year. If we had grown these crops organically, the weed pressure would be so intense our farm's yields would be halved in one year and eliminated in five.
It rankles a little to hear uninformed people talk about "pesticide-laden vegetables or processed McFood made mostly out of corn."
To believe we can feed the planet organically is to think as a child does. Growing organic takes a tremendous input of labor. From where would all these farm workers come? Who would hire them and pay their wages? What would Americans do when food prices rise exponentially? And how could people in the Third World even think of affording food?
And if we expect Americans to grow their own food, what about people who live in cities? Whose property is shaded by trees and buildings? Who are too old or sick to garden? Who don't have the 20 hours a week it takes to keep a successful garden producing? What happens in winter, when snow lays on the ground? Would we eat turnips?
Many strident opponents of conventional agriculture don't even bother with a few tomato plants in June, much less spend their summers canning cauliflower.
Life expectancy in the USA is 78 right now. Without a plentiful and inexpensive source of food, life expectancy would only diminish. The bottom line is, STARVATION is the only the alternative to crop protectant chemicals and plant genetic trait selection. American farmers feed the PLANET. By all means, shop locally and make healthy choices. But don't thoughtlessly denigrate the system that makes sure billions of people don't live in misery and starvation.
This is silly and has nothing to do with kashrut.