The
following sermon is surely a product of its times. It stems from an era that
was a good deal less pluralistic than today,[i] a time when political correctness was unheard of and sensitivities about
speaking one’s mind were less prevalent. Therefore Sidney Ballon’s exposition
on the distinctions of Judaism among the three dominant religions in 1950’s
American society may seem chauvinistic by today’s standards. Some may find this
a bit jarring. Regardless, Ballon unhesitatingly makes the
case that Judaism is important, relevant and unique—qualities that it arguably
maintains to this day. He extols the need, as he often did over the years, for
Jews to connect to their common history, language, and homeland, and not to succumb to conformity with the prevalent society.
-->
It is possible for the essentials of our
faith to be almost imperceptibly diluted in our natural desire to be like
others among whom we live.
====================================================
In his book entitled Protestant, Catholic, and Jew, Will Herberg[ii] presents and analysis
of the tremendous increase in religious affiliation in present day America. His
thesis, which has been referred to again and again from almost every pulpit is
must reading for anyone who is interested in the subject. The major point
that he makes is that America, the great melting pot for many peoples, had
developed religiously speaking into a triple melting pot. We have here, in the
course of time, tended to eliminate all differences and barriers that have
existed among the various ethnic groups that have come to this land save one,
and this one we have rather encouraged to remain. The religious difference has been
preserved. Religiously, America has not served to fuse everyone into a single
pattern, but has rather encouraged three different forms, Catholic, Protestant,
Jewish, any one of which is considered to be normal and appropriate on the
American scene. As a matter of fact, not to be identified as either Catholic,
Protestant, Jew is somehow not to be fully part of the American way of life.
Rightly or wrongly, there is a tendency somehow to regard all people not
committed to one of the major faiths as being disloyal to American principles.
Atheists, agnostics, humanists are today at a disadvantage, as we may note
particularly in the numerous controversies that arise on the question of
religion in the schools.
For us as Jews this has had an interesting consequence. There was a time about a generation ago when our young people, in their effort to make of themselves good Americans, often felt that they had to reject the faith of their immigrant fathers because that faith connoted for them something foreign which was not at home in the new land. But now this same urge to conform to the American scene leads in the opposite direction because today conformity to the American pattern causes acceptance of religious affiliation rather than rejection. Being American today seems to make religious identification mandatory.
Many good things have resulted from this development in addition to the increase of religious enrollment. Not least among these is the greater degree of religious tolerance and a stronger feeling of common purpose among the three great religions. But Will Herberg points out drawbacks as well. On the one hand the taint of foreignness has been eliminated from the three faiths, and this removes a formidable obstacle to their transmission and preservation, but on the other hand the Americanization of religion has meant a distinct loss of the sense of religious uniqueness and universality. Each faith, he says, as far as the masses are concerned tends to regard itself as merely an alternative form of being religious in the American way. We tend to emphasize our common ground and to suppress our distinctive characteristics. We tend to make a super-religion of Americanism with the three major religious groups as subdivisions, and this results in a distortion of the authentic character of each faith in itself. Thus, even in the expression of religious difference, there seems to be an element of conformity which takes away from each faith something of its uniqueness and peculiar meaning.
I shall not touch upon this problem as it affects the branches of the Christian faith, but let us consider it to some extent at least as it pertains to Judaism. Judaism, particularly in our Reform interpretation, agrees that there must be adjustment to locale and time, but it cannot continue in a meaningful way if its completely overpowered and overshadowed by conformist Americanism. Judaism is certainly very much at home in the American environment and rejoices in the freedom which gives opportunity for expression as never before, but it must use this freedom to preserve its uniqueness and universality and not sacrifice them in a desire to be completely like unto our neighbors. One aspect of uniqueness in particular, that tends to suffer on the American scene and which is fundamental to our faith, is our concept of the peoplehood of Israel and its role in the world. We speak very often about the fashioning of an American Judaism, which is all to the good, but that Judaism should not be an all-American Judaism to the neglect of our historic ties and eternal values. Politically we are citizens of America and happy that it is our good fortune to be so, but spiritually our scope is broader than America, and we are part of a people with deep roots in time and widely scattered in space. We are not an American denomination, but a branch of a worldwide spiritual community. The memories of Americanism go back to Valley Forge or Plymouth Rock, but the memories of Judaism go back to Abraham and Sinai and are shared by fellow Jews throughout the globe.
The element of peoplehood is one of the basic ingredients of Judaism. Our peoplehood constitutes one of the major differences between us and the Christian faith. The Christian fellowship is based upon a church. It is an organized association of men drawn from one people or many peoples held together by a common creed or religious discipline. History has made of Judaism, on the other hand, the religion of a single people, the Jewish people. A people is not an association of individuals. A people is a chain of generations united by a common history and a common cultural origin that can be traced to a common land. It has been rightly observed that the connection between the generations of a people is just as intimate as that between the generations of a family. The soul of a people and the soul of a family belong equally to the individual. One can resign from a church, but one cannot resign from the Jewish people.
Christianity is concerned with history only to the extent that a single episode in history is the basis of its faith. Judaism in contrast is concerned with all of history because it is a faith which emerged out of the total history of a people rather than out of the story of a single man. That episode of history which is most significant to Judaism was the covenant at Sinai. The significance of this covenant was not in the immediate moment but was the result of historical events concerning the people of Israel up to that moment and was a compact which committed a people to be the servants of God beyond the moment—not merely the generation that stood there at Sinai but also for those who are here this day—as we have just read from the Torah. The significance of Judaism today remains as the faith of a people who have chosen to be a holy people and a kingdom of priests. It is true that as Jews our religious interests are of prime importance. The people of Israel without religion is a purposeless entity, but on the other hand without the people of Israel our religion is a disembodied soul. Without a sense of peoplehood and spiritual unity with fellow Jews of past and present and even of the future, Judaism has its foundations pulled out from under and comes toppling down.
How can we keep our sense of peoplehood alive in the face of an environment which tends to make us feel self-sufficient as an American Jewish community and tends to weaken our family ties? There are several things which can help. First it is important for us to saturate ourselves with the knowledge of Jewish history. History to the Jew is as vital as the catechism to the Christian faith. Eleanor Roosevelt said the other day, on returning from Russia, that Americans needed to study more history. Only then, she said, would we understand the world better and handle our political problems more maturely. The Jew likewise needs a sense of history to understand and appreciate his faith the more. Through the understanding of an identification with the heroic story of the Jewish past we shall acquire a sense of belongingness to the Jewish people that we shall never lose.
We need secondly to cultivate as much as possible the Hebrew language, and to use it at least to some extent as a medium of prayer, if not more. It is the Hebrew language which holds the idiom of our faith. It is in Hebrew that the Bible was written and is best understood. It is the one language that we share an allegiance to with all Jews of whatever type they may be or where they are from. It is the reminder of our common heritage as Jews as no other symbol can be.
And finally we must retain our interest in the land of Israel as something special. We cannot agree that the Jewish community of Israel is just another Jewish community of no more interest or consequence to us than any other. The Jewish settlement of Israel is more than a place of refuge. Jews have found refuge in many lands through the years, not the least among them being this very land where there are more Jews than Israel probably can ever hope to hold. But Israel is the land where our faith was forged. It is the repository of our most sacred memories as a people. It was rebuilt under the inspiration that only such a land of historic memory can fire. It is a nation in which the principle of Jewish peoplehood functions not merely in an abstract spiritual manner but in a concrete challenging form. It is a very tangible reminder of the spiritual bond that exists among the Jewish people and for these reasons Israel is something special. We are not citizens of Israel. We owe it no political loyalty as American Jews, but we are spiritually concerned with it. Jewish peoplehood is openly on display there and we should accept this land where Jewish peoplehood is understood as a reminder of kinship to Jews the world over, even as we pray, may I add, that our own Jewish community where religion is underscored will be a reminder to them of the spiritual character which they must in turn be careful not to neglect.
The Jew must always have the courage and convictions to be himself. In lands of persecution we have feared that the Jew would be physically destroyed. In lands of freedom the pressures upon our faith are more subtle, even though the opportunity to live it fully is present without restriction. It is possible for the essentials of our faith to be almost imperceptibly diluted in our natural desire to be like others among whom we live. The Jew, however, was never known as a conformist. He was always the great protestant of history. It is precisely this characteristic which can also be our finest and best contribution to America. We do not necessarily serve the country best by casting aside our uniqueness. We may perhaps best serve by remaining our best character and by contributing not only to the religious consciousness of our land, but to its religious conscience. There may be times when it serves a far better purpose to preserve our integrity and stand apart. Our highest loyalty is to God.
For us as Jews this has had an interesting consequence. There was a time about a generation ago when our young people, in their effort to make of themselves good Americans, often felt that they had to reject the faith of their immigrant fathers because that faith connoted for them something foreign which was not at home in the new land. But now this same urge to conform to the American scene leads in the opposite direction because today conformity to the American pattern causes acceptance of religious affiliation rather than rejection. Being American today seems to make religious identification mandatory.
Many good things have resulted from this development in addition to the increase of religious enrollment. Not least among these is the greater degree of religious tolerance and a stronger feeling of common purpose among the three great religions. But Will Herberg points out drawbacks as well. On the one hand the taint of foreignness has been eliminated from the three faiths, and this removes a formidable obstacle to their transmission and preservation, but on the other hand the Americanization of religion has meant a distinct loss of the sense of religious uniqueness and universality. Each faith, he says, as far as the masses are concerned tends to regard itself as merely an alternative form of being religious in the American way. We tend to emphasize our common ground and to suppress our distinctive characteristics. We tend to make a super-religion of Americanism with the three major religious groups as subdivisions, and this results in a distortion of the authentic character of each faith in itself. Thus, even in the expression of religious difference, there seems to be an element of conformity which takes away from each faith something of its uniqueness and peculiar meaning.
I shall not touch upon this problem as it affects the branches of the Christian faith, but let us consider it to some extent at least as it pertains to Judaism. Judaism, particularly in our Reform interpretation, agrees that there must be adjustment to locale and time, but it cannot continue in a meaningful way if its completely overpowered and overshadowed by conformist Americanism. Judaism is certainly very much at home in the American environment and rejoices in the freedom which gives opportunity for expression as never before, but it must use this freedom to preserve its uniqueness and universality and not sacrifice them in a desire to be completely like unto our neighbors. One aspect of uniqueness in particular, that tends to suffer on the American scene and which is fundamental to our faith, is our concept of the peoplehood of Israel and its role in the world. We speak very often about the fashioning of an American Judaism, which is all to the good, but that Judaism should not be an all-American Judaism to the neglect of our historic ties and eternal values. Politically we are citizens of America and happy that it is our good fortune to be so, but spiritually our scope is broader than America, and we are part of a people with deep roots in time and widely scattered in space. We are not an American denomination, but a branch of a worldwide spiritual community. The memories of Americanism go back to Valley Forge or Plymouth Rock, but the memories of Judaism go back to Abraham and Sinai and are shared by fellow Jews throughout the globe.
The element of peoplehood is one of the basic ingredients of Judaism. Our peoplehood constitutes one of the major differences between us and the Christian faith. The Christian fellowship is based upon a church. It is an organized association of men drawn from one people or many peoples held together by a common creed or religious discipline. History has made of Judaism, on the other hand, the religion of a single people, the Jewish people. A people is not an association of individuals. A people is a chain of generations united by a common history and a common cultural origin that can be traced to a common land. It has been rightly observed that the connection between the generations of a people is just as intimate as that between the generations of a family. The soul of a people and the soul of a family belong equally to the individual. One can resign from a church, but one cannot resign from the Jewish people.
Christianity is concerned with history only to the extent that a single episode in history is the basis of its faith. Judaism in contrast is concerned with all of history because it is a faith which emerged out of the total history of a people rather than out of the story of a single man. That episode of history which is most significant to Judaism was the covenant at Sinai. The significance of this covenant was not in the immediate moment but was the result of historical events concerning the people of Israel up to that moment and was a compact which committed a people to be the servants of God beyond the moment—not merely the generation that stood there at Sinai but also for those who are here this day—as we have just read from the Torah. The significance of Judaism today remains as the faith of a people who have chosen to be a holy people and a kingdom of priests. It is true that as Jews our religious interests are of prime importance. The people of Israel without religion is a purposeless entity, but on the other hand without the people of Israel our religion is a disembodied soul. Without a sense of peoplehood and spiritual unity with fellow Jews of past and present and even of the future, Judaism has its foundations pulled out from under and comes toppling down.
How can we keep our sense of peoplehood alive in the face of an environment which tends to make us feel self-sufficient as an American Jewish community and tends to weaken our family ties? There are several things which can help. First it is important for us to saturate ourselves with the knowledge of Jewish history. History to the Jew is as vital as the catechism to the Christian faith. Eleanor Roosevelt said the other day, on returning from Russia, that Americans needed to study more history. Only then, she said, would we understand the world better and handle our political problems more maturely. The Jew likewise needs a sense of history to understand and appreciate his faith the more. Through the understanding of an identification with the heroic story of the Jewish past we shall acquire a sense of belongingness to the Jewish people that we shall never lose.
We need secondly to cultivate as much as possible the Hebrew language, and to use it at least to some extent as a medium of prayer, if not more. It is the Hebrew language which holds the idiom of our faith. It is in Hebrew that the Bible was written and is best understood. It is the one language that we share an allegiance to with all Jews of whatever type they may be or where they are from. It is the reminder of our common heritage as Jews as no other symbol can be.
And finally we must retain our interest in the land of Israel as something special. We cannot agree that the Jewish community of Israel is just another Jewish community of no more interest or consequence to us than any other. The Jewish settlement of Israel is more than a place of refuge. Jews have found refuge in many lands through the years, not the least among them being this very land where there are more Jews than Israel probably can ever hope to hold. But Israel is the land where our faith was forged. It is the repository of our most sacred memories as a people. It was rebuilt under the inspiration that only such a land of historic memory can fire. It is a nation in which the principle of Jewish peoplehood functions not merely in an abstract spiritual manner but in a concrete challenging form. It is a very tangible reminder of the spiritual bond that exists among the Jewish people and for these reasons Israel is something special. We are not citizens of Israel. We owe it no political loyalty as American Jews, but we are spiritually concerned with it. Jewish peoplehood is openly on display there and we should accept this land where Jewish peoplehood is understood as a reminder of kinship to Jews the world over, even as we pray, may I add, that our own Jewish community where religion is underscored will be a reminder to them of the spiritual character which they must in turn be careful not to neglect.
The Jew must always have the courage and convictions to be himself. In lands of persecution we have feared that the Jew would be physically destroyed. In lands of freedom the pressures upon our faith are more subtle, even though the opportunity to live it fully is present without restriction. It is possible for the essentials of our faith to be almost imperceptibly diluted in our natural desire to be like others among whom we live. The Jew, however, was never known as a conformist. He was always the great protestant of history. It is precisely this characteristic which can also be our finest and best contribution to America. We do not necessarily serve the country best by casting aside our uniqueness. We may perhaps best serve by remaining our best character and by contributing not only to the religious consciousness of our land, but to its religious conscience. There may be times when it serves a far better purpose to preserve our integrity and stand apart. Our highest loyalty is to God.
Dr. Julian Morgenstern[iii] speaking to the
Hebrew Union College student body once said,
We are a people with a God appointed
destiny which we cannot avert either through fear or through frenzied choice.
We have been drafted by God for an eternal service which we dare not evade. We
are the prophet people of history... Be this service what it may, brief or
enduring... easy or exacting. Let us serve with faith, with integrity and
courage... hearing constantly ringing in our ears the heartening words of our
Eternal Comforter... But thou Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen,
seed of Abraham whom I do love; thou whom I have drawn from the ends of the
earth and from its borders have called thee and said unto thee, My servant art
thou; I have chosen thee and have not rejected thee, fear not for I am with
thee.
[i] The U.S.
Census Bureau no longer surveys for religion. However, according to the Current
Population Survey of March 1957, a Bureau-directed monthly survey of 35,000
households, Americans of 14 years and above stated their religion as following:
- White Protestant 57.4%
- Black Protestant 8.8 %
- Catholic 25.7 %
- Jewish 3.4 %
- Other religion/not reported 2.2 %
- No religion 2.7%
- Total 100%
The US population was 170 million in early 1957 and now
is close to 313 million. During this period, the American religious landscape
has also changed significantly in four ways: 1) the adherents of religions
other than Christianity are increasing every year; 2) the number of
mixed-religion households is on rise (due to inter-faith marriages); 3) among
religions, the composition of various denominations or sub-groups is changing
and they are also becoming more important due to their socio-political
activities; and 4) the number of Americans unaffiliated with religion is also
growing.
A Question on Religion in the US Census, Zahid Bukhari, Project Director of American Muslim
Studies Program at Georgetown University, http://acmcu.georgetown.edu/135392.html
[ii] Will
Herberg (1901–1977) was an American Jewish writer, intellectual and scholar. He
was known as a social philosopher and sociologist of religion, as well as a
Jewish theologian.
[iii] Julian Morgenstern,
Ph.D. (1881-1976) rabbi, instructor in Bible and Semitic languages, the first
native-born American and alumnus of Hebrew Union College to become its
president.
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