Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The End of Modern Orthodoxy
I believe that Mordern Orthodoxy is the ideal.
However, I'm not sure it is viable anymore.
The world we live in is no longer the modern world of the 19th -mid 20th century: it's a post modern world, and it is hard for an orthodox Jew to interact with it.
When I was growing up my secular friends wanted to debate and I was eager to take part in that debate. Students were active and took Jewish and social issues seriously. I was able to go to parties and not worry about drugs, drunkenness and lewdness. Even television was innocent.
In general people seemed to care much more and were prepared to do something about causes that they considered to be worthy.
However, today it feels that people don't care anymore and that they are not interested in debate. All they want to do is party, and that party is not a place I actually have any desire to be. I have found that I have become somewhat a hermit from the post modrn world.
Can modern orthodox Jews interact with the world when the world just doesn't seem to be interested in any intellectual interaction and when it is actually quite a foul place to be?
However, I'm not sure it is viable anymore.
The world we live in is no longer the modern world of the 19th -mid 20th century: it's a post modern world, and it is hard for an orthodox Jew to interact with it.
When I was growing up my secular friends wanted to debate and I was eager to take part in that debate. Students were active and took Jewish and social issues seriously. I was able to go to parties and not worry about drugs, drunkenness and lewdness. Even television was innocent.
In general people seemed to care much more and were prepared to do something about causes that they considered to be worthy.
However, today it feels that people don't care anymore and that they are not interested in debate. All they want to do is party, and that party is not a place I actually have any desire to be. I have found that I have become somewhat a hermit from the post modrn world.
Can modern orthodox Jews interact with the world when the world just doesn't seem to be interested in any intellectual interaction and when it is actually quite a foul place to be?
Labels: mordern orthodox, post modern
Comments:
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Come on...the world has always been a foul place, with plenty of people who have no interest in intellectual interaction. Perhaps this is reflected more today in the culture - but do you really think that there are not serious people thinking/talking about ideas? All you have to do is find them.
Daniel Goldmintz's article in the recent YU Commentator takes a very different approach to, ostensibly the same issue. Very well written, too.
With all due respect, though I probably wasn't alive during the times you mentioned, from what i read, anytime the 60s was a time where student-life (at least) was drenched in "sex, drugs and rock 'n roll." There were parties, drugs and immodest dress all over.
At the moment, I participate in a number of initiatives with members of Zionist youth movements (ranging from reform, to secular Zionist, to revisionist Zionist, to religious Zionist). Together we learn traditional Jewish texts (Talmud, tanach etc) and debate current political issues. Sure there is a fair bit of swearing and people might not be dressed to the standards expected in an orthodox institution, but the conversation we have is among the highest level in which I’ve been involved.
Yes, I have to choose what events I deem appropriate to attend but that’s life. One will always have to choose where to draw the line. Ghettoisation is no answer: you’ll still have to choose whose kashrut not to trust!
Modernity is not dead and neither should be Modern Orthodoxy. One just needs to face-up to the challenge!
At the moment, I participate in a number of initiatives with members of Zionist youth movements (ranging from reform, to secular Zionist, to revisionist Zionist, to religious Zionist). Together we learn traditional Jewish texts (Talmud, tanach etc) and debate current political issues. Sure there is a fair bit of swearing and people might not be dressed to the standards expected in an orthodox institution, but the conversation we have is among the highest level in which I’ve been involved.
Yes, I have to choose what events I deem appropriate to attend but that’s life. One will always have to choose where to draw the line. Ghettoisation is no answer: you’ll still have to choose whose kashrut not to trust!
Modernity is not dead and neither should be Modern Orthodoxy. One just needs to face-up to the challenge!
I think the *term* modern orthodoxy is irrelevant more than the ideals, which are and have been so diversely held, even by those we might consider to be our 'forebearers' from which we claim to have a "mesorah" of a 'modern' perspective. I don't think there have ever been 'modern orthodox', let alone Haredim, etc, in part because I can't help but think - due to exposure to R. Alan Yuter - that what Halacha permits by silence is permitted, and what it forbids is forbidden. Those are about the only functioning labels. Halacha has the veto. There are of course policy concerns that have a vote, but since Ravina Rav Ashi and the Rambam (again, under influence of R. Yuter), it would seem the strength of these policy concerns is bound to the domain of communal authorities - who cannot mandate for all Israel.
pierre
harherem.blogspot.com
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pierre
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