Explaining Jews, Part II: Why Are Most Jews Secular?

Front Page Magazine ^ | 24 January 2006 | Dennis Prager

[unionblue83]

To understand Jews, one must understand that most Jews are not religious. This is true even if our definition of "religious" is minimal, i.e., observant of any specifically Jewish religious laws, attends synagogue once a month or even declares a belief in God.

According to a 2003 Harris Poll, "Only 16 percent of Jews go to synagogue once a month or more often"; and regarding belief in God: "Protestants (90 percent) are more likely than Roman Catholics (79 percent) and much more likely than Jews (48 percent) to believe in God. Religious affiliation here includes many people raised as members of a religion or religious group, regardless of what they practice or believe now."

Why most contemporary Jews are irreligious, given that the Jews gave the world the Bible and introduced humanity to the God of monotheism, is a fascinating subject. It is also a vital subject given the role that secular Jews -- such as Marx, Freud, and Einstein -- have played in forming the modern world.

[swampfox98]

It is also a vital subject given the role that secular Jews -- such as Marx, Freud, and Einstein -- have played in forming the modern world.

Wait until they add the anti-Christ to that list. They may not be so proud then.

[rmlew]

MArx was not a secular Jew.
He was baptised as a Lutheran as a child. I suppose that he could be considered an apostate Jew, but not a secular one.
His father turned his back on Judaism for economic reasons and Marx turned his back on Christianity and all religion for idealogical reasons. However, Marx was a vicious anti-Semite. Check out "On the Jewish Question".

[hoosierboy]

I am orthodox and go to synagogue several times a week. Most of the orthodox vote republican. I am just curious if jews like prager, medved, and mark levin also are practicing jews?? Its funny a person like rush, who I never question his conservatism, rarely mentions the fact that he attends church.

[SJackson]

I'd be cautious about surveys, since data for large samples of the population doesn't exist.

The largest survey of the "Jewish Population" is done once a decade by the UJC. They estimate about 5.2 million Jews, the oft used figure of about 2% to 2.2% of the population. For whatever reason, they overcount "Jews", though they contend they may undercount.

Their procedure in determining who is a Jew:

Ask
1. What is your (other adult's) religion, if any? (If not Jewish, then ask:)
2. Do you (Does other adult) have a Jewish mother or a Jewish father? (If no, then ask:)
3. Were you (Was other adult) raised Jewish?
4. (Ask all if not Jewish/Judaism in Q.1): Do you (Does other adult) consider yourself (him/herself) Jewish for any reason?

I understand about 1.3% of the sample answer Yes to question 1. That's probably the best measure, and clearly eliminates about 40% what is commonly counted as the "Jewish population"

To be considered a Jew

A-Whose religion is Jewish,
or B-Whose religion is Jewish and something else,
or C-Who has no religion and has at least one Jewish parent or a Jewish upbringing, or
D-Who has a non-monotheistic religion, and has at least one Jewish parent or a Jewish upbringing.

It's likely #1 and A consist largely of Jews. #2, B, C maybe, if the one parent is the mom. And those in B are apostate Jews, who'd identify as something else. That probably eliminates well more than half, and frankly it's foolish to extrapolate Jewish attitudes from someone who, when asked don't consider themselves Jewish or consider themselves, for example, Catholic. D, probably half apostates (Jewish Mom) and half (Jewish dad) non-Jewish. 4, I don't even know what that means, but there's no Jewish connection there at all.

Lot's and lots of non Jews falling in the "Jewish" camp.

The same survey, which I'd probably take over Harris, indicates a 27% monthly synagogue attendance rate, of a population which is likely 30% to 45% composed of non-Jews. I doubt you can draw any reliable conclusions.

[SJackson]

I don't know about Levin. I'm sure both Prager (Reform) and Medved (modern Orthodox?) whould consider themselves practicing Jews.

[hoosierboy]

Thanks for the update.

[fooman]

Thanks for the education.

[fooman]

levin says he is a reformed jew.

Source: his show

[Celtjew Libertarian]

According to a 2003 Harris Poll, "Only 16 percent of Jews go to synagogue once a month or more often";

That's a somewhat misleading statistic. Compared to Christianity, Jewish religious practice is more home centered. The Passover Seder and lighting Chanukah candles are generally home-based religious activity. Even Shabos (Sabbath), among those who observe it, is based as much at home -- lighting the Shabos candles, eating the Shabos dinner.

It is possible to show up at the Synagogue only for the high holidays and still be an observant Jew.

[latina4dubya]

The religious Jews I know tend conservative.

do you know if they still expect the Messiah to come? one Jewish gal i knew, and she was really into the religion, said most don't even expect the Messiah to come anymore... they do not believe it will happen... i was dumbfounded! how could she embrace this religion if she thought that?!.. according to her, it makes her feel good about herself...

[livius]

I think a lot of it in the US has to do with where American Jews came from: many came out of parts of Europe where Socialism (or even Marxism) was in the air in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. This was certainly true in New York, where Lower East Side immigrant Jewish culture was marked by a rather bitter atheistic socialism, and Jews were very active in left wing causes, published socialist newspapers, set up left-wing summer camps, etc. Their children and grandchildren, even though many of them were wildly successful in the evil capitalist world, continued to follow these ideas, actively or not. This explains not only the fact that many Jews in the US are "secular," but why so many of them are left-wingers, as well.

[familyop]

"Explaining Jews, Part II: Why Are Most Jews Secular?"

At least Dennis bothered to write "most." By doing that, he avoided falsely accusing all Jewish people as most other writers have recently done.

The answer to the question in the article is that Judaism is not an instant religion. One cannot only say a one-line statement of belief and be doing enough. And one cannot say that because a Jew did something notorious today, that he or she is not Jewish.

But if a writer is going to compare Jewish people to another group, the only group to honestly compare them to is that of the nations--all others. And we see that most others in the world are becoming more irrationally, negatively obsessed with Jews every year now.

Outside of good, honest agreements for positive work, each religion and nation should deal with its own problems.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

do you know if they still expect the Messiah to come? one Jewish gal i knew, and she was really into the religion, said most don't even expect the Messiah to come anymore... they do not believe it will happen... i was dumbfounded! how could she embrace this religion if she thought that?!..

Jews have been burned by false messiahs often enough that even among most religious Jews, the coming of the Messiah is, from what I understand, not a central issue. One is to base one's life on doing good, not on when or if the Messiah is going to come. There is a similar attitude about the afterlife.

I saying I've heard is, "If you're planting a tree and someone tells you the Messiah has arrived, finish planting the tree. Then go see if it really is the Messiah."