What Independent Minyanim Teach Us About the Next
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Riv-Ellen Prell ~al that, while he struggles of another ey share with their WHAT INDEPENDENT MINYANIM TEACH US ractice, a distaste for the ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION OF JEWISH ~ vision for Judaism that COMMUNITIES transformation, but Ethan Tucker =ty, religious intensity, :>os few commentators In the last decade, a host ofindependent minyanim have sprung up in :sibility that the Jewish communities in North America and throughout the world. While the ns of}ewish practice, not overall number of people involved in these minyanim remains a tiny percentage ferent issues, born into of the Jewish population at large, there is no denying that these emerging '!et all of these communities have already had an impact on the way Jews - in particular ~pectations that younger Jews - are thinking about Jewish communal life and commitment. ts educated elite, and Independent minyanim, diverse in their practices and religious assumptions, ination of any have initiated a structural revolution, rather than an ideological one. That usm is in a renaissance, it structural revolution has included certain assumptions about what makes for a n shape within specific compelling Jewish life, how normative questions ought to be addressed, and :0 their own time and on what it means to empower individuals and communities to live out a religious vision. But a prayer community is ultimately only one slice ofJewish life. In this essay, I will examine the realities that produced these independent , minyanim and propose a broader vision for extending this structural revolution so that it can have an impact on numerous other areas ofJewish life. I begin with noting the following three critical facts that must, I IlllI believe, form the starting point for any vision of Jewish life in the contemporary ner his world: Jews live modern, autonomous lives outside of the sphere ofcoercive rabbinic power (at least outside of the State of Israel) and thus will make their own normative choices - including the choice to empower others to make decisions. m Jews are increasingly highly educated, possessing a college degree or ,fit nd higher, and have thus been trained to think critically about texts (non-Jewish ted ones, at least) and to evaluate them as potential sources ofwisdom rather than as self-evident sources ofauthority. Despite the challenges from modernity, many contemporary Jews care deeply about what Judaism has to say about challenges great and small and actively seek traditional language for grappling with their personal and Spring 2007 . 39 Ethan Tucker communal concerns. available. For example In this reality, Jewish life must do three things if it is to flourish and night will flock to a sta succeed: I) it must be compelling and ofexcellent quality, so that people will the musical experience choose it; 2) its discourse must be serious, honest, adaptable, deep and thoughtfully tailored tc transparent, so that it can provide spiritual guidance that truly responds to unreflective presentati' spiritual seekers; and 3) it must empower people and communities in order to Second, an ave create the motivation and the resources to perpetuate the full gamut of Jewish boundaries when pract life. While Jewish life in the modern world has focused on ideological independent minyanin commitments (such as the authority of Jewish law or the nature of sacred text), existing religious deno the above factors are primarily structural, rather than ideological, and will be embrace all who are in discussed in turn. First I will discuss the values in theory and then apply them confronting people Wil to particular practical examples. the most part, simply i This model urges a pr~ Excellence community with a spel To the extent Jews yearn for Jewish life, it is because they yearn for its conversation that is be potentially powerful and transformative message. Earlier generations, by force of a successful, cohesiv or by choice, may have sought Jewish connection out of familial, economic, difference in the Jewis social, and communal interests. Today, however, those younger Jews who do communities rather th choose Judaism do so because ofthe merits ofwhat it has to offer intellectually, and breed frustration: spiritually, and emotionally. The success of many independent minyanim has emphasize their distin been in providing a moving prayer experience that truly immerses people in davening and invites them to think further about their own spiritual quest in the Seriousness. Depth, l-l context of community. Beyond prayer, the rhetorics of global obligation,']ewish People choost social responsibility, and God's covenantal relationship with human beings are millennia-old religion all critical, but the essential point is in translating the ideological message into a which reflects contem concrete, compelling experience. How can the success of independent are significantly more minyanim inform such an effort? are most non-Hasidic First, an emphasis on quality. Educated Jews, most of them in urban ofJudaism, they are d centers, have come to expect excellence in their intellectual, cultural, culinary, in to the ancient conv aesthetic, and even recreational lives. Independent minyanim have recognized contemporary answer, that a key element of their success is their ability to deliver quality davening, Instead, by choosing 1 Torah reading and teaching as part of their services. More broadly, this means from other times and that anything the Jewish community does must be held to the highest standards want the intensity of I in order to attract those with the freedom to choose other options. Tribal this process will make loyalty to Jewish institutions has ebbed, and while the language ofconsumerism belief. In short, they may be antithetical to some aspects of spiritual life, it nonetheless informs how aggadah, midrash and young Jews select among multiple offerings; they want the best Jewish product Ofall these, I 40 . ZEEK Ethan Tucker THE NEXT GENERATION OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES available. For example, Jews who used to settle for standard melodies on Friday ~s if it is to flourish and night will flock to a start-up minyan featuring new and unfamiliar melodies if ality, so that people will the musical experience speaks to their soul. And a well-structured class that is _ptable, deep and thoughtfully tailored to students' needs and expectations will beat out an hat truly responds to unreflective presentation by a more seasoned educator every time. =ommunities in order to Second, an avoidance of being defined by unnecessary ideological the full gamut ofJewish boundaries when practical coexistence is possible. Part of the success of ~d on ideological independent minyanim is driven by their unwillingness to affiliate officially with the nature ofsacred text), existing religious denominations, an unwillingness that has enabled them to ideological, and will be embrace all who are interested in the minyan's concrete practice. Instead of -ory and then apply them confronting people with an ideological choice, independent minyanim have, for the most part, simply invited people to join their specific synagogue practices. This model urges a pragmatism that transcends pluralism: build a Jewish community with a specific set of practices rather than open an ideological because they yearn for its conversation that is bound to emphasize differences that will impede the launch -lier generations, by force ofa successful, cohesive community. Ultimately, the best way to address of familial, economic, difference in the Jewish world is to create competing and complementary :e younger Jews who do communities rather than by building overbroad coalitions that stifle creativity has to offer intellectually, and breed frustration and resentment. Emerging Jewish communities must ependent minyanim has emphasize their distinctive substance over institutional loyalty. ly immerses people in r own spiritual quest in the Seriousness, Depth, Honesty and Transparency )fglobal obligation, Jewish People choose to engage with Judaism because they specifically want a p with human beings are millennia-old religion, as opposed to a non-religious social group, or an ideology ideological message into a which reflects contemporary values alone. Most newer independent minyanim s of independent are significantly more emotive and traditional in their prayer experiences than are most non-Hasidic synagogues. Similarly, when Jews ask spiritual questions most of them in urban ofJudaism, they are doing so because they are seeking answers that will tie them ~ctual, cultural, culinary, in to the ancient conversations of our people. If they wanted purely inyanim have recognized contemporary answers, they would consult purely contemporary sources~ Jiver quality davening, Instead, by choosing to ask Jewish questions, they want to know how voices .fore broadly, this means from other times and places might guide them in their religious quest. They d to the highest standards want the intensity ofengaging with all layers ofJewish history, knowing that ther options. Tribal this process will make them wiser and more thoughtful about their practice and language ofconsumerism belief. In short, they seek the guidance of the Jewish discourses of Torah, tlonetheless informs how aggadah, midrash and halacha. : the best Jewish product Ofall these, halacha in particular gets a bad rap, primarily because of Spring 2007 . 41 specific holdings and co as well as because of its employing the term, haJ the Jewish past for insi§ discussion will conclude everybody. I t thus ougl:: communities - not just ultimately including an~ halacha to bear on cont· differently in different. normative guidance fro live - is, I think, at the I:: Jewish community, "h~ These discussic must be honest and tnu all well-intentioned qUi must give meaningful r. textual authority ("the. ("this movement has ta down discussion. Ram undergird various texts (and have them refinec immediately intuitive. Empowennent Empowermenl communal. On the inc motivation to engage VIi participate in prayer, st class on how to do hag" it is making a strong st; elite, but open to all wI required to learn it. Si content but text skills I ~ Heather G.