At our Seder table, the Four Questions are introduced by a brief commentary noting that they are meant as illustrations of question-asking, be the questions trivial, picayune or cosmic. Anything goes. (Except, of course, “When do we eat?”)
In that spirit, I’ve decided that it may be useful now and then to pose questions that arise out of the ongoing Haggadah of our lives. (Do bear in mind what Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav said: “As your answers have become my questions, perhaps my questions may become your answers.”)
So, for starters: Who is a Jew? It’s back on the front burner in Israel just now, in an especially vexing, even scandalous, way.
A woman converted to Judaism 15 years ago and was married. She and her husband have lived in Israel all the while, had two children, and recently decided to divorce. Marriage and divorce in Israel are the exclusive domain of rabbinic courts.
In the course of examining the plea for divorce, one of the judges inquired as to the woman’s compliance with “the yoke of mitzvah,” the acceptance of which is an explicit condition of conversion. Upon learning that the woman had never been observant, the court ruled that her conversion itself had been invalid; neither she nor her children, therefore, were Jewish, and consequently there was no need for a divorce, since their marriage was treyf.
I will spare you the endless details of the controversy; galaxies of detail can readily be found all over cyberspace. The operative bottom line is that all conversions performed by Rabbi Haim Druckman, who has headed the state agency that manages conversion, are potentially (or actually, depending on which authority you listen to) null and void.
In part, the imbroglio reflects a difference in worldview between Haredi Jews, those often referred to as “ultra-Orthodox,” and the rest of the Orthodox world. How open and tolerant should Judaism be?
But in larger part the problem arises from an ongoing and evidently implacable disagreement regarding religion and its role in the modern state — and also, oddly, from a specific demographic development.
The Haredi reading of Judaism is literalist and fundamentalist. Indeed, it is not “a reading”; it is the thing itself. The Jewish religious tradition, which is divinely ordained, is not a matter of opinion or personal preference. It is precise, comprehensive and binding. Its interpretation and application are the domain of recognized authorities. End of discussion.
Quite unlike the American fundamentalist movements that are so prominent in this country, the Israeli version operates with the full power of a modern state paying the salaries of its functionaries and providing it formal space to enforce its views.
That version becomes positively wacky when we recognize that the conversion controversy has been impossibly compounded by the vast number of immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union who are either not Jewish at all or whose Jewish pedigree is open to question. Estimates vary widely, but there are probably on the order of 300,000 people who fall into that category. Their admission to Israel under the Law of Return may be viewed as an instance of humanitarian inclusiveness — who, after all, is going to check the paper trail for each person with some sort of claim to being Jewish? — or of a misguided endeavor to increase the proportion of Jews in the Jewish state.
Just how misguided can be seen in the proliferation throughout Israel of Russian churches, in the insistence by Israeli army inductees that they be sworn into their military service on Christian bibles, and, latterly, on the return to the former Soviet Union of significant numbers, now that economic circumstances there have changed.
The Druckman conversion system was, in effect, devised by Ariel Sharon to expedite the traditionally sluggish conversion process. And now, this: Retroactively, converts who were less than wholehearted in their vows to lead an observant life are not Jewish — and even those whose hearts may have been whole at the time but who have since strayed into cheeseburger land may be cast out.
Way back, in the wake of the Holocaust and because of political exigency, too, the idea of carving a public space for the exotic and esoteric cult of Haredi Jews, so unbearably mauled in Europe, seemed like a no-brainer. The tide of history was manifestly not in their favor, and little harm would be done by indulging them in their waning years. But as we now know, history is tricky, and it is today the case that the Haredi community is doing the carving.
The current estimate is that by the year 2012 — around the corner — one-third of Israel’s elementary school students will be Haredi, their education essentially independent of state standards.
What we are left with, therefore, is a system that cannot yet be called theocratic — the scope of Haredism is still constrained by a large body of secular law — but that is increasingly incompatible with the world most of us inhabit. And if the Enlightenment has proved less enlightened than we imagined and expected, the benighted alternative now so vigorously embraced by a growing number of Israelis can no longer be accepted as a quaint Amish-like tourist attraction. It is, instead, a swelling danger.
Israel is not even within hailing distance of readiness to deal with the danger. So people outside the world of Orthodoxy grouse and grumble, but know (or believe) there’s no real remedy, not now.
But ought we not — at last, the question — at the least acknowledge and defend the principle that short of a radical separation of church and state in Israel, the issue of who may be considered a Jew will ooze onward, bringing ruin to the state and ultimately to Judaism itself? Or: Is it not time to say, boldly, that we live in a world of Judaisms, none of which warrants exclusive claim to state sponsorship?
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Robin raises four points of "poor treatment" that non-Jewish Russian speaking immigrants have to endure. All four points are very strange and incorrect. "Mix rabble" (a translation of the Biblical "erev rav") is very obviously an extreme comment by some individual (and no one can stop the speech of this fool or of that weirdo). It cannot be an expression of official Israel or of the media which are quite PC. The term "non-Jewish" is indeed used in Israel, but it is beyond me why Robin sees such a matter-of-fact expression as "poor treatment". The American Jewish community refers to non-Jews as "non-Jews" (or "gentiles"). Arabs refer to non-Arabs as "non-Arabs", etc. It's very normal. The claim that Russian immigrants suffer discrimination in seeking employment is absolute nonsense. The integration of this immigration into Israeli society is a gigantic success story. As far as preventing them from converting - well, this is not an issue of "mixed-families" or of "Russian speakers". This is an old debate within Israeli society about Jewish identity. The rabbinate is not willing to convert people who will end up being secular Jews. The rabbis are fighting a battle that has been raging since the beginning of Jewish modernity. It is, therefore, very difficult to convert in Israel - period. Every wave of immigration to Israel has caused some difficulties. Immigrants are bitter about "discrimination", and veteran Israelis are bitter that newcomers get so much "aid and preference". People are sensitive, and mass-immigration is a traumatic experience (for the entire society). Yet, within a short time the immigrants become "veterans", and they too will express their misgivings about the next wave of immigrants (see the wonderful skit with Arik Einstein and Uri Zohar in "Lool" from the 1970's Israel TV). All in all, as mentioned, it is simply a tremendous success story - and this is why Israel keeps her gates open, and the vast majority of newcomers stay.
Whenever I read an article in the Forward (such as Mr Fein's) in which trends and issues of Jewish life in Israel are discussed and criticized, I actually find it quite pleasant. Criticism is a positive phenomenon - and certainly criticism is an indication that there is something worthy of attention and deserving of improvement. Indeed, there is a Jewish society in Israel in which some kind of "Jewishness" is everyone's primary identity, and in which the Jewish legacy is common knowledge. Clearly, this is interesting to a Jewish reading public. However, I don't think that I've ever read in the Forward a sincere and intelligent critical analysis of the Jewish experience in America. Most American Jews receive a very meager Jewish educational experience. Most of them don't belong to Jewish organized life. For most, their identity as Jews is not the primary experience of life. Mr Fein is concerned about the percentage of haredi school children (in a society in which ALL children receive a Jewish education), but the fact that most American Jews couldn't read their own names in Hebrew script (or recite the names of the months of the Jewish calendar) doesn't ever worry him. Mr Fein is concerned that some soldiers in the IDF are sworn in on the New Testament (in a society in which ALL participate in a collective Jewish experience and drama), but the fact that many or even most American Jews don't participate in any collective Jewish experience is apparently unworthy of mention. I'm glad to read that Israel is so interesting, and I will continue to read Mr Fein's observations about her problems. I only wish that Mr Fein would regard the American Jewish experience as interesting as well - and hence worthy of attention and a few critical insights.
Well said, and boldly reinforced by the writings of one Jacob Neusner, a professor with impeccable credentials. As far as seperation of Qahal and state, even if it occurs, will never be accepted by the Haredim. I am a convert and certainly attempt to stay actively frum, however I am not critical or disturbed by other Jews who practise varying forms of Judaism. All Jews are precious to me, including the Haredim.
Dear Leonard Fein: I have long been a fan of your perceptive and kindly articles, but I was disturbed by this one. You seem very disappointed and unhappy with the Russian-Jewish descendants of intermarriage living in Israel, because some of them attend Russian Orthodox churches, some are sworn into the IDF on a Christian bible, and some have moved back to Russia, after the Russian economy improved. Mr. Fein, as the Coordinator of the Half-Jewish Network, the largest international organization for adult descendants of intermarriage, I would urge you to consider that the Russian-Jewish Israeli descendants of intermarriage have been treated very badly by the state of Israel. What is surprising is not that some of them attend church or have returned to Russia -- what is amazing is that so many of them remain in Israel, despite the very poor treatment that they have endured. Among many other instances of bad treatment, they are: 1. routinely referred to in Israeli newspapers as "non-Jews," "a mixed rabble" and worse names; 2. routinely discriminated against when applying for jobs; and 3. routinely prevented from studying or converting to Judaism; and 4. even after years of residence in Israel and IDF service, they are still treated with suspicion, coldness, and called "non-Jews" by other Israelis. For a more complete explanation of their plight, you may wish to visit the Association for the Rights of Mixed Families (AMF)(in Israel), at: http://www.mixedfamilies.rustreet.com/english/staff.php Only a few American Jewish organizations are helping the AMF. I would urge you to use your influence to encourage those Jews who are interested in social activism projects to add the AMF of Israel to their list. Cordially, Robin Margolis www.half-jewish.net
Why is it so ridiculous to want order and uniformity in Torah and Judaism? How long does a religion last when it suddenly becomes okay, actually, ENCOURAGED, for everyone to go do their own thing, or whatever makes them feel good about themselves? Judaism cannot last as a 'pick and choose' religion. Jews need solidarity more than anything.
Dear Friends: Yehuda says that I am not telling the truth about the poor treatment of the thousands of Russian-Jewish Israeli descendants of intermarriage. I challenge anyone who reads this to visit the website of their Israeli Jewish advocacy organization, the AMF of Israel at: http://www.mixedfamilies.rustreet.com/english/staff.php and see for yourself the exact details of their heartrending mistreatment within Israeli society. They would welcome your tzedakah dollars. I also suggest that anyone curious about the subject read the free, online, English language editions of the Israeli Jewish newspapers, which run frequent stories about the abusive treatment of members of interfaith families in Israel. The descendants of intermarriage in Israel do not appreciate being called "non-Jews" and a "mixed rabble" and being denied basic civil rights such as being able to marry in Israel, study for conversion to Judiasm, and being discriminated against in the job market. What kind of a "success story" is it when Jewish-identified descendants of intermarriage leave the anti-Semitic former Soviet Union, where their lives were made very difficult by having a Jewish parent or grandparent, only to arrive in Israel, where their lives are made very difficult by having a Christian parent or grandparent? As the Coordinator of the Half-Jewish Network, the world's largest international organization for adult children and other descendants of intermarriage, I hear from adult children and other descendants of intermarriage all over the globe. Israel's poor treatment of interfaith families encourages Diaspora communities to mistreat their interfaith families. It is not moral, kosher or Jewish to engage in legal and social discrimination against people because of their parentage. Sincerely, Robin Margolis www.half-jewish.net