Israel has more non-orthodox Jews than Haredim, study finds [Jewish Journal]
A recent study demonstrates that Israel’s Conservative and Reform populations appear greater in number than that of its Haredim (ultra-orthodox), though not by much. Could this knowledge spell a shift in representation for an Israeli population that doesn’t seem to make as much political sway as its traditional co-religionists? Or does the very wording of this study mean its results should be taken warily by non-orthodox Jews who would champion it as proof of a paradigm shift? Shmuel Rosner elaborates:
“1. If you’re one of those panicked over the strengthening of the Israeli Haredi community, you might want to reconsider.
2. If you’re a Conservative or a Reform leader, tired of hearing that these streams have no way of succeeding in Israel – here’s your window of opportunity, opened wide.
3. Commitment does matter, a lot. Having many self-defined Conservative and Reform Israelis is probably nice, but it will not be truly important if the number of practicing Conservative and Reform Israelis doesn’t significantly grow.
4. The old formula of dividing Israelis into ‘religious’ and ‘secular’ with some ‘traditionalists’ in the middle is losing relevance. There’s a center of moderates. An important silent center of moderates that needs to be heard. Variations are many, but old clichés are hard to die.”
Stop praying the gay away! [Forward]
Trying to invoke the power of God to change sexual orientation is faulty science and unhealthy religion, argues author Jay Michaelson in this piece sparked by orthodox rabbi Avi Shafran’s article in the Jewish Daily Forward just days ago (which we at New Voices offered some thoughts on here). Michaelson says:
“Unfortunately, it is also demonstrably false. And like the medieval Catholic Church desperately defending the view that the sun revolves around the Earth, rabbis spouting bad science make religion look foolish. Worse, they cause very real abuse suffered by very real people.
Here are facts: Homosexuality is a trait. Due, like most traits, to a combination of nature and nurture, it is basically unchangeable. There is indeed evidence that, as the pop song has it, we are ‘born this way’: Neuroscientist Simon LeVey’s 2010 book ‘Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why,’ for example, discusses studies showing how the hypothalamus — the region of the brain most responsible for sexual behavior — is different in gay men and straight men, with gay men’s more closely resembling that of women.”
“In its very opening chapters the Torah proclaims ideas that had never been heard before: the equality of all humanity, the equality of men and women, the inherent worth and dignity of all human life created in the image of God. It may not have taken steps to achieve total legal equality of men and women, but it went a long way on that journey and set the goal for what would yet be achieved in the future. It teaches the evil of slavery, eliminates it in Israel, leaving only indentured servitude, and mitigates it for all peoples, dictates proper treatment and even love of strangers, and calls for care for the poor and the downtrodden. It bespeaks the dignity of labor and the need to treat workers well and pay them proper wages.”
“‘In meetings with leading Israeli and Palestinian women in the governmental and non-governmental spheres, the delegation explored the possibility of building working alliances to advance the role of women in both countries in advocating for a two-state solution and security for Israel,’ the release said.”
