Rabbi Landsberg's Blog

Extra! Extra!

The Economist has discovered the Jews!  Not that this venerable magazine [yes, the one brought into my life and home by my husband Adam] hadn't heard of Jews before--the editor of Haaretz, David Landau was the Israel Economist correspondent during the 90s and still often writes their pieces on Israel--but now the Jews are the subject of a special Economist report.  Last week's edition carries two major pieces on "The State of the Jews" which focuses on the widening chasm between diaspora Jewish identity and Israel.  Important stuff and a good overview.  You can access Israel and the Jews here, but need a subscription for the second.

I am not going to comment much here, except to say that I think that it is an observant, well-taken piece and I do endorse its sentiments nearly entirely.  I am happy to comment at length, if you do.  Post your thoughts and let's talk. 

Otherwise I want to point out two other pieces that focus on particular Jews:  one a New York Times Magazine profile of Abe Foxman the National Director of the ADL, called Does Abe Foxman Have an Anti-Anti-Semite Problem, written by James Traub. My responses to this piece are colored by my having just finished The Economist article. The point that echoes in my mind is the radical disconnect between younger Jews (let's say under 40) and their parents, whose worldview was shaped in a different mental land.

The last piece I want to bring to you is a Haaretz profile of Tamar Ross, an Orthodox feminist theologian.   Her life and thoughts might be surprising and eye-opening for you.  Read it here.

Taking Care of Business

For many of us the blogosphere is still a bit of a strange, new world.  But the natives are (by and large) friendly, and the local language is easy to learn.  A handful of folk have asked me how to post a comment on this site, so I thought I would take the time to publicly clarify:

At the bottom of every post, there are links.  One such link is entitled "Comments" with a number alongside.  Click on the link, and you will see any comments that people have already posted, and you will be invited to post your own.  It is in this arena that we can engage in a conversation.  If you have questions or comments about this blog that are not specific to a post, feel free to email me at rav@rabbilandsberg.com. 

A few weeks ago I posted on the music of Idan Raichal here. Two nights ago, Jay Palter (the father of the adorable 3 year old twins who grace our sanctuary most Shabbat mornings) wrote the comment below:

I downloaded some songs. I definitely like it. Some of the sounds reminds me of early Broza. I think its great that your wrote about music. because it speaks on totally different levels. But I'd like to hear more about why you described this music in the context of Ahad Ha'am.

So, here goes:

Ahad Ha'am was a lonely voice in the Zionist family consistently calling for a revival of Jewish culture in Palestine--not only to alleviate the conditions of the Jews in Eastern Europe but to unshackle the pent up creative energies of the Jewish National - Religious culture.   

When I hear the haunting overlays of traditional Ethiopian Jewish and Yemenite Jewish melodies interlaced in a modern Hebrew idiom (a language rescued from the obscurity of the impoverished prayer halls of Eastern Europe) I know that something has been won for the Jews, the significance of which is yet to be fully comprehended. A great deal of the thanks for this lies in the in influence of Ahad Ha'am (not detracting from Eliezer Ben-Yehuda), who recognized that full cultural renewal would require a center for the Jews where Hebrew would be able to regain its place both in the street and for all modes of cultural expression.  We do well to remember that for many of the early political Zionists, Herzl included, German was considered to be the language of culture and thus the language of the Jews. 

Amoz Oz, the renowned Israeli novelist, once said that when it comes to the Hebrew language he is an unrepentant chauvinist who sees Hebrew as royalty in the world of languages.  I, for one, happen to agree.

Btw, one of The Idan Raichal Project's CDs has been released internationally.  You can get it here or on Itunes.

Teddy Kollek, z'l

Teddy Kollek was already a heroic figure when I was a small.  He was a member of that legendary generation of Jews involved in the founding of the State of Israel, whose lives are humbling for most of us.  Kollek was formed in the maelstrom of pre-war Mitteleuropa Vienna,  and--exceptionally--became a Zionist activist of unparalleled vitality. By all accounts he never quite learned Hebrew, but accomplished more daring escapades than seems possible: from gun-running to dealing with Adolf Eichmann for the release of Jewish children. 

There is a pain I feel on hearing of his death, as it is not hyperbole to say that the like of these men will not return. 

Read his New York Times obituary here. Read Tom Segev of Ha'aretz here.  May his memory be a blessing.

Never the Twain Shall Meet?

The bell has rung on the most recent round in the Jewish universalism-particularism debate.  Doug Rushkoff [prolific writer and author of Nothing Sacred: The Truth about Judaism] battled Ariel Beery [editor of PresenTense and blogger for Blogs of Zion] as to Judaism's core:  Rushkoff identifies it as social justice [and thus it is not necessarily linked to the actual Jewish people] while Beery sees it as the people itself [as an end in itself which instrumentally serves to strengthen Jews in their ability to perform tikkun olam].

The issue is far from academic:  for those of us who strive to be liberal Jews who possess the tools for a sophisticated Zionism beyond Hasbara (Israel advocacy)- -one which integrates our commitment to Israel with our understanding of Judaism- -this is of vital importance.  If we cannot articulate for ourselves a Judaism meaningfully in consonance with Zionism [i.e., Judaism beyond a mix of tikkun olam and sentimentality], we certainly cannot transmit our beliefs to others, our children not least of all.  Rushkoff's implicit (and sometimes explicit) view that our Zionism is chauvinistic and anachronistic will logically become more widespread as Zionism is increasingly perceived as a hindrance to tikkun olam.  The perils of this potential future are, I trust, obvious.

Beery argues against Rushkoff with vigor and determination.  He proposes a healthy Jewish particularism content with its limited destiny, by which Beery implicitly rejects a secular messiasnism (e.g the unique role of the Jews to spread the faith of humanism).

I part company with Beery, however, on his apparent secularism.  He speaks of the people as an end in itself and secondarily as an instrument for the betterment of other people.  He does not speak of the Jewish people as an instrument for HaShem.  Traditional Jewish self-understanding [and by that I mean, my Jewish self-understanding] is that of a flesh and blood people, in covenant with HaShem--obligated to one another, obligated to The One (however we best understand that).

You can access the debate here.  Please wade through the less than gentlemanly conduct; it is worth the effort.