NY Jewish Culture Examiner: Bronfman: Jewish denominational movements outdated

[davidfcooper]

NY Jewish Culture Examiner: Bronfman: Jewish denominational movements outdated

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[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

I don't think there are significant ideological differences between lay liberal Jews regardless of affiliation. Many members of Modern Orthodox congregations are no more observant than are their Reform and Conservative neighbors. There is active discussion in the Conservative movement of bringing theory closer to practice by no longer referring to itself as an Halachic movement. Should that happen the only difference between the Reform and Conservative movements will be ones of ritual style: Reform services usually have more English and are usually clergy led with the congregation as a kind of audience; Conservative services are mostly in Hebrew, led by members of the congregation, and more participatory. There is no reason why a single movement cannot accommodate both styles, but it is equally likely that congregations will increasingly acquire the various services currently provided by the denominational movements on an a la carte basis. If the public Hebrew charter school phenomenon spreads many members of the next generation of Reform Jews will have the Hebrew skills to participate in ritual to the extent that Conservative Jews do. Moreover Jewish young adults in their 20s and early 30s increasingly identify as post-denominational, and what American Judaism will look like in the coming decades will be up to them.

There's no pleasing the ultra-Orthodox. Their rabbis discouraged immigration to this country before the holocaust and when the survivors finally arrived here they did so almost under protest and continue to isolate themselves.