Society THE VANISHING AMERICAN JEW By Berel Wein The recent population study of born to Jewish parents and claimed has been a feature of American Jewry American Jewry by The Graduate Judaism as their religion. By 2001 that since 1970.” The children of such mar- Center of The City University of New number had shrunk to 2,760,000. In riages are in the main being raised out- York, published in 2001 (and repub- 1990 there were 813,000 people born side of Judaism—in any of its forms. lished in 2003 by The Center For to Jewish parents but claimed no reli- The rates for intermarriage were Cultural Judaism), reveals one glaring gion as their own. In 2001 that num- reported at 52 percent in 2001, no real fact behind all of the graphs, technical ber had risen to 1,120,000. The study change from 51 percent in 1990. language and statistical weights— also shows that there are approximate- What this demographic disaster may American Jewry is shrinking, American Jewry is shrinking, and at a ly 2,300,000 people who somehow yet mean in terms of Jewish political rapid and seemingly irreversible rate. consider themselves Jewish or were influence and philanthropic support of In 1990 there were, according to either born to Jewish parents and/or Jewish causes and institutions is truly and at a rapid and seemingly this census report, 3,365,000 people had a Jewish upbringing, yet currently frightening to contemplate. living in the United States who were adhere to or practice a faith other than Judaism. This is almost the same num- irreversible rate. Rabbi Wein is director of Destiny ber as what the study calls “core Foundation, a media outreach organiza- Jews”—people born to Jewish parents All of this is sad enough. And tion. He is also a Talmud lecturer at who profess Judaism as their faith. still more frightening is the fact that Yeshivat Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem The report blandly states that the there are many who have attacked the and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post. reason so many Jews are practicing a study as being biased—in favor of His latest book is Pirkei Avos: Teachings faith other than Judaism is “due mainly prettying up the picture (!)—and that for our Times (New York, 2003). to the high rate of intermarriage that the true figures are even more Spring 5764/2004 JEWISH ACTION JEWISH ACTION Spring 5764/2004 Jews marry later, if at all, have fewer children Orthodox Jews will have to become less and attend religious services less regularly insular, less defensive and more than members of any of the other organized aggressive in bringing Torah to the other religious groups in America. camps of Jews. appallingly dismal. In any event, the extreme to believe that “secular Judaism “Jewish connections”—mitzvot and cus- they are suffering more from non-exis- Their demography is excellent: they fund” to guarantee every Jewish child study reveals an aging, shrinking and needs to reclaim its patrimony and learn toms—and family growth and num- tent Jewish practice. As long as the marry largely amongst themselves and at least a Jewish pre-school education alienated Jewish America. Jews marry to take charge of the levers of commu- bers. Again, not surprisingly, those fam- recognition of same-sex marriages is have high birthrates, and thus experience and environment. I don’t know if this later, if at all, have fewer children and nal [Jewish] education.” The very defin- ilies that at a minimum light candles on the agenda of the liberal Jew, how can substantial growth. They do more out- is the magic bullet we are all searching attend religious services less regularly ition of the secular faith is that it is not Friday night, observe Yom Kippur and one expect to produce Jewish families reach to the non-Orthodox than anyone for, but in any event neither he nor his than members of any of the other at all interested in Jewish education, nor have a Pesach Seder, remain far more in great numbers in the future? else. And we have become two distinct ideas should be cavalierly dismissed by organized religious groups in America. does it wish to be involved in any way loyal to Jewish causes and have more Improving this situation and returning peoples—so much so that, tragically, we us. Having successfully, albeit almost Jews are the most secular religious with operating the levers of the Jewish children than those who do not. Any to a norm of Jewish practice and tradi- non-Orthodox marry far more Christians miraculously and certainly unexpect- group in America; compared to any of community. Secularism, instead of unbiased reader of the report must tional values is the core problem that than we marry Orthodox Jews. The non- edly, rebuilt American Orthodoxy, the other major faiths, we have the being supported, should be defeated if come away with the realization that in now faces American Jewry. The rabbis Orthodox denominations have lost their Orthodox Jews must now devote their lowest percentage of people who there is to be a meaningful change in America, as everywhere else in our of the mishnah in Avot had it right rigor. They produce generation after gen- energies, wealth, time and talent to believe in a personal God, immortality Jewish demographics in the future of Diaspora history, remaining Jewish when they said that “it is not the eration of uneducated Jews. Initially these help rebuild the entire Jewish people and miracles. American society. requires commitment, education and learning per se that is the foundation systems of belief were relevant by showing no matter what label they currently The correlation of this almost mili- The report also judges the relation- observance. No fancy slogans or cut- of Jewish life; it is the behavioral prac- us how to be modern. But today this individually espouse. The Jewish house tant secularism to the disappearance of ship between philanthropy, family size, ting-edge innovations in synagogue ser- tice that counts most.” focus does not successfully transmit a in America is burning down to the the American Jew is obvious from all identification with Israel and Jewish vices will save us. Only education and vision of the Jewish future. ground, and we are apparently the of the graphs and statistics of the education. Though the parameters of the actual observance of a Jewish According to the population study, only firemen with a water supply suffi- study. Yet, with true secular objectivity, Jewish education in this study are very lifestyle, replete with the practice of simply by doing the numbers, cient to douse the flames. which many times gets the facts right broad, it is still obvious that those mitzvot, can build the Jewish home and In a long and heartfelt article Orthodox Jews currently comprise but misses the entire point, the study, with the more intensive Jewish educa- people. In fact, observance of Jewish published in The Jerusalem Post on almost a third of the “core Jews” in the in a concluding essay, states: tion are more likely to contribute to rituals and customs is more of an indi- November 26, 2003, Michael United States. At the present demo- Whatever its functions, secularism in Jewish causes, visit and support Israel, cator of Jewish continuity than Jewish Steinhardt, a leading Jewish philan- graphic rate, Orthodox Jews will com- We can also help rebuild Jewish life must be appreciated and sup- marry Jewish spouses and raise a larger education. In nineteenth-century thropist and communal leader, prise the majority of “core Jews” with- the house by example and effort. All of ported [my emphasis] as a potent source number of children than those who Eastern Europe, the masses of Jews had reviewed the state of the Diaspora. in a quarter of a century. This will the other alternatives advanced to save of identification and motivation. As have no or a very limited Jewish edu- an education far inferior to what is Steinhardt, not an Orthodox Jew him- place an even greater burden of American Jewry that avoided intensive such, it must be utilized by the orga- cation. The report notes a dramatic offered now in our day schools and self, nevertheless clearly sees the pic- responsibilities upon us. We will have Jewish education and disciplined nized Jewish community for all the posi- rise in the number of children attend- yeshivot. It was the practice of Judaism ture that the population survey pre- to be the ones who speak up for Israel, observance of Torah commandments, tive opportunities it affords. A secular ing day schools and yeshivot over the that kept them loyal Jews. Ironically, sents. He writes: finance the Jewish organizations and have failed miserably. The current Judaism needs to reclaim its patrimony past decade. This is mainly due to the when the Haskalah swept through We do not know enough about our produce the leadership for the entire population study only confirms what and learn to take charge of the levers of high birthrate amongst Orthodox Jews Eastern European Jewry, the intensity religion to take pride in it. Our chil- Jewish community. I think that to do we ourselves know from simply living communal education so as to secure the and their determination to send their of Jewish education increased, but the dren know little about their people. They so we will have to become less insular, here. There is no future for a Jewish creative engagement of future generations children to schools that provide more discipline of Jewish observance do not know why being Jewish should be less defensive and more aggressive in community that is ignorant of Torah of modern American Jews.