New York – Jonathan Applebaum’s angry tirade about the Center for Cultural Judaism demonstrates the narrow-mindedness that pushes cultural Jews out the door.
Of course he didn’t have the interest or inclination to contact the CCJ for information about our programs and services because his position is fixed, inflexible and unwelcoming.
Had he contacted us, he would have learned about the colleges and universities in the U.S. and Israel that offer B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. programs in the study of Judaism as culture or secular Judaism, our comprehensive bibliography of scholarly books and research on secular Judaism, and the highly regarded scholars who will be speaking at our center this fall.
It is clear from his writing that his understanding of Judaism begins and ends with ancient literature and practices as though nothing new has occurred in Jewish life and Jewish thought since the Talmudic period.
Cultural Jews see the world quite differently. We rely on our secular education in the arts and sciences, and our understanding of the European Enlightenment, the Haskalah, and modern scholarship to understand a different story of our history than Applebaum espouses.
Judaism has never been monolithic. It has always, throughout history, evolved to meet the needs of the people living it. And it continues to do so.
Our contemporary sages — biblical scholars, archaeologists, anthropologists and historians — have called into question many of the legends about our history. They tell us that the Torah was not given to Moses at Sinai; it was written over hundreds of years.
Accepting this modern scholarship does not make the Torah any less important to cultural Jews. We recognize it as our foundational literature and understand that it tells us important information about our people at a particular time and place.
But our literature does not begin with the Torah and end with the Talmud. We can celebrate our full cultural heritage, and all the Jewish literature that has been created by Jews throughout history.
At the Center for Cultural Judaism, our educational programs will explore the full Jewish literary heritage, from the biblical period to modern writers.
Always many ‘Judaisms’
Archaeologists and anthropologists tell us that there is no evidence that a large number of our ancestors left Egypt in an Exodus led by Moses. The leaders of all denominations except Orthodoxy accept this.
Acknowledging the historical inaccuracy of the story does not make it any less important to cultural Jews. On the contrary, we understand that our ancestors brought the world a brilliant concept — the Exodus story appears to be the earliest writings of the idea that slaves could become free. This has inspired people throughout the ages. It is no less important because we acknowledge that it might not have been an historical event.
An accurate understanding of our history does not shake our Jewish identity. In fact, our identity is strengthened by pride when we understand the contributions our ancestors brought to the world.
Applebaum might lament that half the adult population of American Jews is completely unaffiliated. He might be angry that half our population identifies itself as secular or somewhat secular.
But his denial and attacks do not help to engage this population. It is unfortunate that he would rather lose half the population from Jewish life than encourage those of us who understand this population — who are this population — to create intellectual and innovative programs to serve their (and our) needs.
Cultural Jews are far from lazy, as Applebaum implies. It requires a great commitment to education and intellectual honesty to question inconsistencies in our heritage, address the errors in the historical record and to develop ceremonies and services enabling us to celebrate our identity in ways that are consistent with our beliefs.
Cultural Judaism opens the door to disengaged, unaffiliated secular Jews and engages them in Jewish life on their terms. Applebaum’s Judaism slams the door on the very people about whom he professes concern.
From the Hellenizers identified in First and Second Maccabees, to Talmudic debate, to the Karaites, to the maskilim who embraced the Enlightenment, to early Zionists, Yiddish nationalists, and a wide range of beliefs, practices and denominations among contemporary Jews around the world, there has never been a single “Judaism,” but always many “Judaisms.”
Cultural Jews take joy in their Jewish identity and embrace pluralism in Jewish life. The Jewish community has an obligation to develop meaningful programs to give secular and cultural Jews the opportunity to explore our vibrant heritage, and pass it on to our children.
Applebaum need not worry. We have no interest in luring his children and his like-minded friends to our programs.
We do have a commitment to provide high-quality programs for non-religious, cultural and secular Jews, who have been calling and writing and eagerly awaiting our programs to begin in the fall.
Myrna Baron is executive director of the Center for Cultural Judaism.
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