The other day I enjoyed a visit with Prof. Fred Greenspahn, who taught Jewish studies at DU, 1979-1994, and now holds an endowed chair at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Our discussion prompted a trick question: Which is the fastest growing segment of American Jewry
Reform
Conservative
Orthodox
Renewal
Reconstructionist
Correct answer: None of the above.
The fastest growing segment is just Jewish. As a percentage of the totality of American Jewry, the streams are shrinking. Taken individually, all but the Orthodox are losing members, the individually successful synagogues notwithstanding.
Prof. Greenspahn observed that the decline in denominations in Judaism is influenced by a similar decline in Christianity. Its a cultural thing. I dont know if there is such a thing as just Christian, but the influence of American religion on contemporary Judaism is clear.
This leads to such phenomena as the biggest synagogue in Denver: the JCC. More people go in and out of it every day than all the synagogues combined, Stuart Raynor told me. He is JCCs executive director, and hes right. Just look at the JCC parking lot.
The denominational decline leads to other phenomena: rabbis who arent rabbis leading flocks of people who may or may not be Jewish. The extreme example is messianic Judaism. But there are others, as Greenspahn points out. Since American secular law can impose no religious requirement on a rabbinical seminary, any group can call itself a Jewish seminary and ordain a rabbi.
Its happening.
So is the phenomena of fathers ordaining their own sons.
And rabbis who may be rabbis but who are not scholars, and who ordain their students.
Each of these cases may be limited, but they add up.
Plus, theres the Internet. The influence on American Judaism isnt just Christianity. The Internet has elevated the voice and the independence of the individual. Rabbinic ordination can now be obtained online.
No doubt, some of these non-traditional ordinations are worth more than others, but as a whole the streams have lost control over the destiny of the rabbinate.
This is already adding to the impact of American religion and culture on synagogue life. For the Internet is far more than a vehicle for off label rabbinic ordination. It nourishes decentralization.
The Internet says: I. My voice counts. My voice is heard. I no longer need a political party, a position of leadership in a house of worship or in any other organization in order to be heard. The Internet has undermined the elites.
The very individuality of ones personally chosen email address or hashtag says it all. The I is at the center more than ever before. So, if I want to become a rabbi online, I can.
Not to mention, I no longer need to affiliate with a synagogue to do Jewish. I can gather friends and make Shabbos with them, or study Jewish texts with them, or support Israel with them, all without belonging to a synagogue or, for that matter, a federation or a pro-Israel (or anti-Israel) organization.
Many peoples deepest Jewish loyalties today find expression in their own informal friendship circle or through JNF, AIPAC and other non-synagogue bodies.
There is no conference of any American Jewish religious stream or fundraising body that comes even close to the attendance at the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington.
This is the challenge to synagogues to denominations today. Decentralization.
Its why its harder to get a minyan, or why, in order to have a large attendance on Shabbos, it has to be a special Shabbos.
Its why non-institutional programs like Judaism Your Way are popular. Its why Chabad thrives.
Its why Orthodox outreach groups often ask for neither membership nor dues, yet grow.
Its why Reform temples turn to non-traditional, Carlebach-like davening.
Its why non-Orthodox Jews support Orthodox institutions. Since these institutions no longer have the hold they used to, an individuals personally driven Jewish preferences can include the Orthodox. (I no longer need to be observant to be part of the scene.)
Dont ask what the future of American Judaism will look like. Its already here very different from the recent past.
Copyright © 2015 by the Intermountain Jewish News
