Posted on 10/31/2005 8:23:14 PM PST by Alouette
During the 19th century Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch wrote, "The more enlightenment you gain in the knowledge of history, the clearer will be your insight into the Torah." Since the theater of world history follows the screenplay of Torah, history can provide guidance to understanding God’s plans.
For instance, the holocaust did not start in Poland, where most Jews lived openly as religious Jews. Instead it erupted in Germany, the country whose Jews were most invisible and assimilated. This valuable lesson validates ancient Jewish wisdom’s explanation of the Bible verse “The voice is Jacob's voice but the hands are the hands of Esau (Genesis 27:22). The traditional meaning has an aging Isaac warning his descendants. When the voice of Jacob is stilled, the hands of Esau are strengthened.
When traditional Judaism is silenced by our abandonment of faith, anti-Semitism becomes strong. Contemporary American politics suggests that we Jews have failed to learn that our embrace of secular liberalism as our new religion could, in the words of the surgeon general, be harmful to our health.
Recently more and more Americans are asking themselves whether they really are better off today than they were in 1955. They are recognizing that life has become more squalid, expensive and dangerous. They correctly attribute these distressing changes to 50 years of liberal excess.
Most of us can recall that an American family used to enjoy an enviable middle class lifestyle on the earnings of one worker. We think back nostalgically to a time when city parks were safe for all and when schools were not only safe but actually taught skills. We remember a time when movies did not routinely include scenes and expressions that would have made an old-time convict blush. We feel that abortion should not be treated like wart removal and that homosexuals should not be accorded special rights. We do not think that anybody should claim special rights and we oppose affirmative action. Many of us used to think of ourselves as Democrats—we don’t any longer.
At least 78% of Americas believe that the Bible is the word of God. They take marriage seriously and work hard at raising their children. They are white and black Americans. They are men and women and they are found in every profession and occupation. More and more of them are turning back to religious orthodoxy by joining evangelical denominations or mainstream Catholic churches. Many Jews among them are also returning to traditional expressions of faith.
Most Jews are unaware that most serious Christians in this country really do believe that God has been good to America because America has been good to her Jews. Better than most Jews, Christians know the verse "And I will bless them that bless you and those who curse you I will curse" (Genesis XII 3). They are financial and political supporters of the State of Israel. Yes, they do so for religious reasons, but friends whose friendship is based on principle rather than political expediency should be valued not vilified.
Not every criticism of Jews constitutes anti-Semitism. It is certainly not anti-Semitic when our Christian friends ask legitimate questions. For instance, they observe that for the most part Jews do not send their children to serve in today's volunteer military. Why, they ask, is it so important to Jews in New York that Christian boys in the army should serve alongside homosexuals? They are offended by the local Reform rabbi heading the annual campaign to remove nativity scenes from the city hall lawn. They are confused when another group of Jews erects a large Chanukah menorah on the very same lawn. They are hurt when they are accused of anti-Semitism while defending their beliefs over abortion.
Sadly as a community we Jews are not perceived as remaining neutral on issues of moral importance to the Christian community. We are perceived as being heavily involved—but on the wrong side.
Out of 35 or so constituent organizations listed on the letterhead of the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, fully one-third are Jewish. When it comes to special rights for homosexuals, opposed by a majority of Americans, the same story is seen. Both nationally and in every state in which the issue has surfaced, Jewish organizations have vocally and visibly allied themselves with the militant homosexual agenda.
I believe that as the country moves back toward conservative and traditional cultural values, it is important to have Jewish organizations like Toward Tradition speaking nationally for what is good, right, decent and Godly. Sadly one constantly hears from Jewish organizations that sound as if they are advocating the opposite.
Many ethnic Jews whose faith is really Secular Fundamentalism are drilling holes under their seats in the boat of our culture. Those Jews who dissent need to make their voices heard, if for no other reason than to reassure other passengers that we are among the bailers not the drillers.
In the final analysis, we have to ask ourselves what our security in America depends upon? Our security ultimately depends upon the God of Israel and we have to remain faithful to His truths. The amazing thing is that we live in a country where a greater percentage of citizens believe in those truths than in any other industrialized nation in the world.It surely cannot be good for us that we Jews continue to be seen as the minority most hostile to those truths.
As Americans view society's breakdown with increasing horror, will they see America's Jews as part of the solution or, God forbid, as part of the problem? The answer, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch would say, is up to us. The Senate confirmation hearings of Judge Samuel Alito is the opportunity to show we understand history.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Jewish voters in this country are far more conservative than the MSM would have you believe.
Toward Tradition BTTT
This is quite a remarkable observation by Lapin. I had never thought of this before -- probably because I had no idea how "invisible and assimilated" the Jewish population of Germany was in the 1930s.
I had the pleasure of meeting Rabbi Lapin a few months back. Great guy, with a good radio show on Sunday nights.
Don't kid yourself. There are plenty of conservative (politically, that is) Jews here on FreeRepublic, but Jews have consistently been among the most liberal religious/ethnic groups in this country for years.
I've had three Professors who were German Jews. All were raised to be assimilated Germans. Remember that the Reform movement was started in Germany, and assimilation was encouraged.
When Stalin came to power, of course, all of Trotsky's followers were executed, so the Soviet Union Politburo became a gentile insititution from then on.
Yes, I think Jews and Christians both should support Alito (from everything I've read so far), but it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion.
You know why Jews and Christians (or anyone else for that matter) should support this guy? It's because he is going to drop his opinions at the door and make logical decisions based on the letter of the law . . . even if it flies in the face of his personal beliefs. THAT is what I want in a Supreme Court Justice and I personally don't care if the guy is Jewish, Christian, or worships a big cone filled with Ben & Jerry's . . . just as long as he does the job the way it is supposed to be done.
A Google search on "Yevsektzia" will pull up pages with articles about how Jewish Communists persecuted other Jews in the old Soviet Union.
You are correct. I am Jewish, and it pains me to see so many that are born into Jewish families abandoning their core values (I do think of these leftists as no longer Jewish).
Unfortunately, they ate also very loud and give an impression that they represent all Jews.
I think it's unhealthy to have a majority of Supreme Court justices from the membership of a single religious denomination which accounts for only about a quarter of U.S. citizens. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the religious denomination in question has a very explicit and inflexible position on the most divisive issue in contemporary society, and has also publicly stated that its members who serve in public office are prohibited from voting in any way which conflicts with that theological position, even if they are elected officials who are supposed to be representing a constituency in which a majority of citizens disagree with than position. This leads to a reasonable suspicion that Supreme Court justices who identify themselves as Catholics might be inclined (consciously or unconsciously) to vote according to their religious beliefs, even if that conflicts with what they honestly believe the law says.
I hope he really will do that. But I think even just the appearance created by a Catholic majority on the Court is not good for the country.
The amazing thing is that we live in a country where a greater percentage of citizens believe in those truths than in any other industrialized nation in the world.It surely cannot be good for us that we Jews continue to be seen as the minority most hostile to those truths.
There is some degree of Stockholm Syndrome involved.
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