My last post, “How Do We/I Connect to God,” mentioned several ways to revitalize Reform and Conservative Judaism. One of these avenues relied on self-exploration and creating one’s own personalized Judaism. This leads to the question of how to keep the Jewish community together when everyone practices differently. Some historical analysis is very helpful in gaining perspective on this issue.
The Second Temple Period marks one of Judaism’s most prominent efflorescences vis-à-vis scriptural interpretation and expression of Judaism. Indeed, scholars often speak not only of multiple sects of Judaism but of a variety of Judaisms; groups such as the Sadducees, the Pharasees, the Essenes, the Siccari, the Fourth Philosophy, the Zealots, and the Dead Sea Scrolls Community.
The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. provided rabbis with the opportunity to assert their power. Their rare ability to interpret texts gave them the authority to squelch dissent, and while they did face opposition, it remains true that normative Judaism as it exists today derives from Rabbinic Judaism. Arguably, if the myriad expressions of Judaism had continued developing, the Jewish community today would not truly function as a community.
Obviously, we cannot act like the rabbis, for while Judaism began as the property of the elite, it has long since been democratized. Every Jew has the right to observe Judaism as she or he sees fit. What options are we left with for preserving the integrity of the Jewish community?
No easy solution exists, and none of the above questions will yield much of an answer. Ultimately we need to focus on a deeper issue: what makes someone a Jew? To this question, no answer exists, for Judaism lacks a dogma. We can only say that a Jew does not believe in multiple gods nor does he or she consider Jesus the son of God.
These answers do not provide much in the way of absolutes, and they certainly do not satiate the need to answer this question. I do not have any answers, and I welcome all your suggestions.
That Judaism has survived as long as it has and that it continues to evolve as it always has, despite the seemingly-insurmountable challenges thrown in its way, is proof of Judaism’s strength. Even if it becomes more varied than ever before (an unlikely prospect), I strongly believe that it will continue to survive, one way or the other.
Shabbat Shalom v’Tzum Kal.
Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, David Bloom attends Indiana University Bloomington where he majors in Jewish Studies and Religious Studies. His column, J-Studs, appears here on alternating Saturdays.
