RECONSTRUCTIONISM

world, the necessity to enhance Jack J. Cohen the methods and the quality of our worship, and the realization Kaplan's Reconstructionism that ethical problems involve not has informed my whole intellec­ only the refinement of moral tual career. I emphasize values but the cultivation of the "Reconstructionism" rather than act of ethical decision. "Kaplanism" because it is all too 2) Reconstructionism thus easy, in the case of a charismatic serves as a check list against teacher, to fall prey to the per­ which Jewish thinkers and com­ son and to lose sight of the inde­ munal leaders can and must THE pendent career of the ideas he judge their activity. propagates. Kaplan himself, de­ Reconstructionism calls upon INFLUENCE spite the confidence he had in them to avoid focusing on one the correctness of his vision of area of the above agenda without Jewish life, was too honest a taking note of its organic rela­ OF thinker not to realize that he had tionship to all the others. A not spoken the last word about change in Jewish polity, for ex­ MORDECAI Judaism, in general, or even ample, such as occurred with the about his own philosophy of establishment of the State of Is­ Reconstructionism, in particular. rael, could not have come about M. KAPLAN, He expected his students to unless our people had revolution­ think for themselves. In that ized its understanding of how Z"L: sense, Kaplan's influence as a God functions in human affairs. teacher reached far beyond those Nor should it have been ex­ of us who consider themselves to pected that the creation of a sov­ part two be his disciples. Beyond the ereign state with a Jewish major­ Reconstructionist circle, there ity could have left untested tradi­ are countless men and women in tional Jewish attitudes toward We continue here the tributes to Rabbi Kaplan's influence upon Jewish life. We will several countries, who studied the ethical values involved in re­ continue to publish these short tributes for under Kaplan and reject his con­ lationships between Jews and several more issues. cepts but who owe their ability non-Jews. to wrestle honestly with their 3) Reconstructionism has put own doubts and uncertainties to into the key of scientific thought his influence. and method the approach of For myself, Reconstructionism many of us to our understanding provides the perspective within of Jewish tradition and its devel­ which I have seen Judaism in the opment in the future. I believe course of my professional career. that our commitment to the ob­ I list just a few items in that per­ jective search for truth has chal­ spective. lenged us to take the risks that 1) Reconstructionism might be are involved in stepping from defined as that version of Juda­ modernity to post-modernity. As ism which embraces all elements a result of our acceptance of the of Jewish civilization. That is to scientific orientation to the study say, a philosophy of Judaism has of reality, including human be­ to take account of the changing havior, we Reconstructionists no character of Jewish polity, the longer have the problem of try­ need for periodic readjustment of ing to square some of the faults our visions of God, man and the we discern in the biblical and

8 Reconstructionist RECONSTRUCTIONISM

rabbinic views of things with the disposition, I was privileged to never forget the prophetic fervor assumption that the Written and grow to maturity in the institu­ that moved him to raise his fist Oral Law is God's revelation to tion he founded — the Society and vent his fury against the man. We believe that the Scrip­ for the Advancement of Judaism evils that beset us. Hypocrisy, tures will take on fresh meaning — and to root my own faith in intolerance, obscurantism, arro­ and a fresh kind of authority the words he spoke and the fiery gance, and, above all, dishonesty once they are properly inter­ passions he aroused. His writings — in thought and in action — preted in this new light. seem, in retrospect, to be more were his deepest enemies. His 4) Reconstructionism has ac­ philosophical than poetic, more love for his people shone in his cepted the democratic method of precise than suggestive, perhaps sermons with a light that the free and open discourse and of even more scientific than reli­ decades have not dimmed. The majority decision or consensus in gious, as that term is commonly centrality of the Jewish people the process of formulating and understood. But that impression was far more than a philosoph­ effectuating the next stage of — as those of us who lived in ical or sociological construct. It Jewish peoplehood. The need to the milieu he created knew well was and is a blessing to be nur­ progress toward a renewed na­ — belies the essence of the man tured and a force that moves our tional covenant based on the cen- and his teachings. lives. Jewish life, he taught, was trality of Eretz Yisrael and the Above all, Mordecai Kaplan an evolving reality, not a play creation of organic communities was a believer. He believed that with its script already written to throughout the diaspora motiv­ a Jew in the twentieth century be ritually enacted on special oc­ ates us to strive for Jewish could live an observant, Jewish casions. ecumenism. The concept of klal life without surrendering his From our perspective, the yisrael must be understood as faith in science and in the virtues measure of his contribution can the duty to heighten responsible of the life of freedom. He be­ be taken accurately by asking interaction between the ideolog­ lieved that mankind could be what our lives would have been ical segments of our people. united in the "dream and the without the vision he inspired These and other fundamentals hope of freedom" without the in­ and the reality he and his follow­ of Reconstructionism have tervention of a messenger from ers created. We would surely guided me throughout the years. an imagined, unmanifest other- have forsaken Jewish life, as I seek here to express my pro­ world. He believed that modern many of our contemporaries and found indebtedness to our men and women could write their descendants have. For teacher for the grand conception prayers and poetry that would some, of course, which he gave us during his life­ sustain them and their fellowmen compartmentalization smooths time and which he has now be­ in their darkest hours, and uplift over the evident contradictions queathed to us to refine, de­ them when their momentary between our religious professions velop, expand and, if necessary, concerns seemed overwhelming. and our real beliefs — profes­ correct. He believed in unflinching integ­ sions that are quickly abandoned rity. He refused to utter Hebrew whenever the more "important" prayers which were conceptually matters of money and power DR. COHEN, a Contributing Editor of unbelievable or abhorrent. In­ call. No one raised in Mordecai the RECONSTRUCTIONS directs the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations in Israel. stead, he and his followers took Kaplan's presence can comforta­ up the themes of the siddur and bly accept that "solution" to the recast them in molds that could problem of faith in a world beset contain our most enlightened un­ by spiritual and moral entropy. George B. Driesen derstanding and our deepest Nor can we accept the polite rel­ hopes. "Sing Unto the Lord a egation of religion to a ceremo­ The debt I owe Mordecai New Song," he taught. And sing nial irrelevancy any more than Kaplan, z"l, moves me to add to he did. we can surrender to the revival the tributes now being paid him. Those of us who were privi­ of superstition and fundamental­ With a few others of like age and leged to hear him preach can ism.

MARCH, 1984 9 W RECONSTRUCTIONISM

Rather we are compelled to worship. There was kavanah — really happened at Sinai was the see religious faith as the ground more than enough — but also crucial question of modern Juda­ upon which we stand, inextrica­ dignity and insight. There was ism. Something had indeed hap­ bly bound up with the awesome contact, in Dr. Kaplan's voice pened there that transformed the majesty of the universe of and demeanor, between him and Jews through the ages. Einstein and Gamow and the ex­ the spirit of our people through I must recall the effect that hilarating air of free inquiry we the ages, between him and the Dr. Kaplan's opening every class are privileged to breathe. He Power that comforted, consoled, with a prayer had upon me. He kindled our hopes for a worthy brought meaning out of chaos was the only professor who not Jewish life. He gave us a frame­ and transcendence out of de­ only spoke about religion but work within which we could em­ spair. Dr. Kaplan, on that even­ practiced it in a moving and rele­ brace the songs, the poetry, and ing, confirmed for me the truth vant way. Dr. Kaplan's ability to the heroic past of our people of faith and the validity of wor­ extract four or five different in­ without flinching from the task ship. The injection of the per­ terpretations out of every passage of examining its present with a sonal element — his own prayer of Genesis Rabbah was nothing critical eye. — made me understand what the short of miraculous. Finally, I To learn from him was to ac­ rabbis had intended when they must recall his difficulty ac­ quire a field whose fruits we har­ referred to worship as the service cepting his students' inability to vest year after year. If we cannot of the heart. read Yiddish. Yiddish language say of him zikhrono livrakhah, Although that was the first and literature were very close to then we can say that of no one. time I saw Dr. Kaplan, it was his heart. not my first contact with his When I came to serve as Exec­ thinking. Rabbi Arthur utive Vice President of the MR. DRIESEN, who now resides in Zuckerman, the Hillel Director Reconstructionist Foundation, Chevy Chase, MD., grew up a member of the Society for the Advancement of at City College, had introduced Dr. Kaplan and I became very Judaism, where Rabbi Kaplan me to Dr. Kaplan's thought a close. He insisted that I call him officiated at his bar mitzvah ceremony. few years before and had gotten "Mordecai." (He was more than me to read some of his writings. half a century my senior.) He Emanuel S. Goldsmith But it was getting to know Dr. confided in me and I often com­ Kaplan personally and sitting at forted him in moments of de­ I saw Dr. Kaplan for the very his feet in the Seminary, as well spair when he became frustrated first time when he was observing as in the classes of Rabbi Jack with American Jewry's refusal to the mourning period for his first Cohen, that convinced me that I heed his message. What was the wife. I joined a group of stu­ was a Reconstructionist. message? Be better Jews and bet­ dents from the Seminary who A few months after the experi­ ter Americans! Let Zionism be went to the Kaplan home for the ence in Dr. Kaplan's home, I our modern religion! Let's be­ evening service. Dr. Kaplan led phoned him to ask whether I come a de jure people once again! the service and the experience might come over to speak to Let's unite, despite our differ­ was one I shall never forget. If him. He welcomed me with open ences, to strengthen Jewish Ufe! there is such a thing as prayer arms on that Christmas eve and Let's find a new way to worship with kavanah — inner intention was delighted to be able to con­ God and buttress our faith in hu­ — it was Dr. Kaplan's prayer verse with me on an evening manity! that evening. At the conclusion when Jews traditionally remain One summer Rabbi Kaplan of the amidah, Dr. Kaplan re­ in their homes and refrain from and I were both at Cejwin cited one of his own prayers in study. Over a glass of wine, the Camps. During a heated debate I English. conversation ranged from con­ told him that what he was saying What moved me so during the temporary problems all the way contradicted his writings. He service was that it was my first back to the experience at Mt. told me that I didn't begin to experience of what, for lack of a Sinai thousands of years ago. Dr. understand his teachings and better term, I shall call rational Kaplan told me that what had that he was infuriated with me.

10 Reconstructionist RECONSTRUCTIONISM

The following morning he came gian, a dynamic orator and a inspired us to face the problems over to apologize. "Manny, challenging humanist, Mordecai of a new age out of our tradition you're right," he said with a Kaplan's full impact on the his­ but while not being enslaved to twinkle in his eye. "I looked my­ tory of the Jewish people may that tradition. He encouraged us self up!" not be understood for decades to to strive to become a civilization Dr. Kaplan's emotional life come. He taught us how to tran­ unified through democratic was so inextricably intertwined scend our differences and to fo­ communities of Jews. Kaplan of­ with everything that happened to cus upon those ethnic and cul­ fered a challenging definition of the Jewish people that he be­ tural values which unite Jews. Judaism which is today almost came a seismograph of Jewish He challenged us to treat women universally cited as a vital op­ life. I personally saw him shed with religious equality and re­ tion, "Judaism is the evolving re­ tears over the plight of his peo­ spect, and he inspired us to ligious civilization of the Jewish ple and glow with pride over its enrich Jewish life with a sense of people." achievements and rejoicings pluralism and egalitarianism. Mordecai Kaplan gave us a many times. His love for the Reform Judaism provided world view of ourselves, and Jewish people was boundless and Mordecai Kaplan the philosophy caused us to adopt a different completely selfless. for free and open exploration of perspective of each other as Dear Mordecai, my rabbi, one's Judaism. He applied this Jews. He strove for a world-wide teacher and friend: I shall never open spirit to his own principles unity of the Jewish people, for cease thinking of you and loving and ideas. What Reform thinkers he was convinced that common you. You made it possible for accomplished in the religious bonds and strengthened faith me to serve my people and hu­ sphere, Reconstructionism would insure our survival. Above manity with intellectual and achieved in the cultural and phil­ all, Rabbi Kaplan sought to re­ emotional integrity. You made it osophical realm. Our two move­ construct Judaism for the twenti­ possible for me to love and fear ments continue to share a com­ eth century and beyond. After a God and to believe in the future mon frame of mind. For the Re­ long lifetime of leadership, it is of my people and my world. form Jew, as for the now Mordecai Kaplan's legacy Reconstructionist Jew, Judaism that will provide us with hope. It in great measure represents a re­ is a legacy worth keeping as we DR. GOLDSMITH, a past Executive ligious humanistic mission: to Vice President of the Jewish face the challenge and uncer­ Reconstructionist Foundation, is a take Judaism out of its narrow tainty of our Jewish future. member of the Yiddish Faculty at constraints and set it into the Queens College. marketplace of ideas that exist in the world today. DR. GOTTSCHALK serves as the President of the Hebrew Union College- Alfred Gottschalk Reform Judaism believes in Jewish Institute of Religion in the continued evolution, refor­ Cincinnati. To say that Mordecai M. mation and rebuilding of Jewish Kaplan changed the course of life in America and Israel, the Jewish life in America is to un­ centrality of which for the Jew­ Benjamin Wm. Mehlman derstate the immense influence ish people he long espoused. Re­ of his thought on contemporary form Judaism joins in the Jewish I first met Rabbi Kaplan when Judaism. In much the same way ecumenical spirit of I became a member of The Soci­ that Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise Reconstructionism, a spirit ety for the Advancement of Ju­ shaped American Judaism for an which is dedicated to "the resur­ daism thirty-six years ago. I later earlier century, so too did Rabbi rection of the Jewish people," as was associated with him in the Kaplan create a twentieth cen­ Kaplan once stated in a sympo­ Jewish Reconstructionist Foun­ tury Judaism uniquely Ameri­ sium we shared. dation, the formation of the Fed­ can. In this turbulent century of eration of Reconstructionist Con­ A brilliant thinker of philo­ change, Mordecai Kaplan gregations and Havurot, and the sophical bent, a searching theolo­ changed American Judaism. He establishment of the

MARCH, 1984 11 RECONSTRUCTIONISM

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Rabbi Kaplan. He was an exam­ cision. College. The significance of his ple to us of integrity, intellectual In my struggle to understand life and work on those institu­ honesty and courage. It was and construct the character of tions and on the American Jew­ deeply satisfying to us that this the synagogue, Kaplan's en­ ish community has been well- great man was our friend and larged vision of the role of reli­ documented and needs no fur­ that we were his. It was an gion played a critical part. He ther comment from me. I can honor and a privilege to have wrote, "To have religion in com­ state, however, what the effect of known him and to have been as­ mon, people must have other our association with him has sociated with him in the growth things in common besides reli­ been on Evelyn, my wife, and on of the Reconstructionist Move­ gion." That helped me under­ me. It has been profound and ment. He enabled us to tran­ stand that sanctuary Judaism is a enriching. scend what might have been an consequence, not the motivating Reconstructionism, as ex­ ordinary life and to enjoy one of cause of Jewish identity and fi­ pounded by him, Ira Eisenstein service to the Jewish People and delity. What Jews do Jewishly and Jack Cohen, shook us out of to the Reconstructionist move­ outside the sanctuary will pro­ our apathy toward Jewish life — ment. foundly affect what they know apathy caused by revulsion and do and feel within its walls. against an unacceptable theology His focus on the interdepend­ and sterile ritualism. Like many Currently the Chairman of the Board of ence of belonging, believing and Governors of the Reconstructionist others, I had rejected the Ortho­ Rabbinical College, JUDGE MEHLMAN behaving encouraged me to inno­ doxy in which I had been raised, has served for many years in vate and implement programs yet my wife and I wanted to leadership roles in all of the institutions which could provide the of the Reconstructionist movement. have an active part in things Reconstructionist laity with vehi­ Jewish. Reconstructionism cles through which to discover showed us how that could be and express the quality of their done. Rabbi Kaplan and his dis­ Harold M. Schulweis Jewish lives. It served as the un­ ciples gave us the rare opportu­ derlying rationale of the syna­ nity and privilege of learning In my earliest years in the rab­ gogue havurah, the para-Judaic what a joy it is to be Jewish. binate I complained to my men­ program, the para-professional We were inspired to study and tor and friend, Mordecai counseling program and the in­ learn of all phases of Jewish civ­ Kaplan, that his theology of clusion of programs which had ilization — its religion, its folk­ peoplehood was too abstract, been cast outside the synagogue ways, its literature, music and that it had little resonance in the to be taken up by secular and art — of which I was not deeply pulpit. I felt myself addressing non-Jewish agencies. Kaplan's knowledgeable despite years of no community, no peoplehood, emphasis on the therapy, moral­ Hebrew School education. We but rather an audience of private ity and mystique of Jewish be­ learned we could accept those persons. Kaplan made reference longing brought me to the reali­ ideas and concepts of theology to Hans Vaihinger, a philosopher zation that Jews need Jews to be which we believed, and could re­ who wrote a book entitled Phi- Jewish. It led me to understand ject those which we could not losophy As If "When you speak that one of the critical functions believe, without rejecting all of to an audience, you must speak of the religious leader is to make the Jewish religion. We were en­ as if you were addressing the connections between Jews and to couraged to take part in Jewish Jewish people." Kaplan lived establish mediating structures so education and community affairs and wrote with an that Jews can situationally ex­ and to accept positions of leader­ uncompromising faith in the press their doubts and hopes, ship. We learned the importance Jewish people. The reality of the their competencies and compas­ of Israel to ourselves and to all people, like that of God, must be sion as members of a living peo­ the Jewish People. behaved, not only believed. The ple. With full regard for the Most significant was the per­ proof of its reality lies in our past, Kaplan helped many of us sonal relationship we had with witness and our will and our de­ (completed on page 34)

12 Reconstructionist É CORRESPONDENCE

Jabotinsky himself took, on occa­ understanding of Begin's foreign Likud's foreign policy. In Israel to­ sion, actions for which he was ac­ policy is very different from the day, anyone who disagrees with the cused — even by his own admir- Howe-Peleg understanding. It seems "Line" is either an "anti-Semite" (if ers(!) — of being dictatorial. Thus, that they support the annexation of he happens to be a gentile) or a when Jabotinsky found himself in a the occupied territories, see in any "traitor" (if he happens to be Jew­ minority of one (against four) in the opposition to annexation an anti- ish). Though I share Rubinger's call Executive of the Revisionist Party on Israeli act, perceive the Palestinian for "rational discourse," I believe the question of loyalty to the World problem as "a propaganda ploy that it is about time those who sup­ Zionist Organization (as against loy­ against a Zion," support Begin's port the ultranationaliste cease to alty to the Party), he suddenly and "cultural autonomy," and believe question their opponents' commit­ single-handedly announced the sus­ that, in general, what we need is ments and loyalties. pension of the Party Executive and more of what we have had since Thirdly, Rubinger's perception of the establishment of a "Provisional 1977. the Palestinians as similar to Secretariat." Even Schechterman, Though my article did not focus America's ethnic groups and Jabotinsky's admirer, friend and bi­ on all of these aspects, it is suffi­ Krantz's belief that their plight is ographer, says that the action had ciently related to them — as was merely an anti-Israeli "ploy" are, ul­ "no legal foundation," and that it correctly recognized by my critics — timately, fundamental obstacles to­ was undemocratic arid anti- to warrant at least a brief response. wards solving the dispute. Those po­ constitutional. Others among the Re­ First, I believe — along with many sitions are equivalent to that taken visionists (!) called it "a putsch." It others — that annexation not only by some of the Arabs toward the ba­ is interesting to note that in order to will make Israel a non-Jewish state, sic right of the Jews in respect to give his acts the semblance of legiti­ insofar as it will fundamentally their political presence in Eretz macy, Jabotinsky called for a plebi­ change its demographic constitution, Yisrael. In short, the negation of scite — another illegal initiative — but will also undermine Israel's each other's identity is not the route in which he received 93.8% of the character as a democratic, liberal, leading to a solution. vote, as expected. Needless to say, open society — as envisioned, While I do not have "a magic for­ according to the rules of his own among others, by Theodore Herzl. mula" to bring the Arabs to the con­ movement, Jabotinsky did not have (It is interesting to note that ference table today (Krantz), it is the authority of suspending the duly Jabotinsky claimed that he, and not clear to me that by saying "no" to elected Executive, appointing a Pro­ his opponents, represented the any and all peace proposals — visional Secretariat or calling for a Herzlian vision.) including Reagan's plan of Septem­ plebiscite. He acted on the basis of Secondly, the perception of my ber 1, 1982 — and by proceeding the emotional link between himself position as being "vitriolic" full-speed with settling Jews on the and the Revisionist masses. (Rubinger) and "a program for the West Bank, Begin was not heading Regarding issues of more immedi­ dissolution of the Jewish state" in the right direction. My article at­ ate relevance for the present, it is (Krantz) is disturbing, but it is quite tempted to explain the intellectual obvious that the Krantz-Rubinger typical of many who support foundations of his policies.

(continued from page 28) Hirsh cates there that, as early as 1947, the 6. An illuminating example of this (continued from page 12) CCAR was on record as welcoming a problem is the famous case of Brother child of a mixed marriage, as described Daniel, a priest who, upon moving to Is­ Schulweis above, into a Reform Religious school, in rael, claimed citizenship under the Law recover the sacred sense of the which the education received was consid­ of Return because his mother was Jew­ ered "to be the full equivalent of any rit­ ish. Although his claim to Jewish identity present, the responsibility and ual or ceremony of conversion." was denied by the Israeli Supreme Court, power of our contemporary deci­ 3. See further, several survey articles Judge Silberg, writing for the majority, sions. in the Journal of Reform Judaism 30,1 admitted that Brother Daniel was a Jew (Winter, 1983): 1-56. from the viewpoint of the halakhah. The 4. RECONSTRUCTIONIST 34,8 denial of his claim was based on extra- HAROLD SCHUL WEIS, a Contributing (5/31/68):30. religious considerations, and on the fact Editor of RECONSTRUCTIONIST, 5. Reconstructionist Rabbinical Associ­ that the Law of Return was not based on serves as the rabbi of Congregation ation Guidelines on Conversion (pam­ halakhah. Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, phlet), p. 4. California.

34 Reconstructionist ^s

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