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! I !o it for us, because we're not about spiritual cerainty; we're about living authentically and emiracing the riches of our heritage in a world where here are no certainties—only possibilities. In reading out to expand our movement and its influence, ve must be true to ourselves and what we have o offer. freedom, and commitment to meaningful observance of the Jewish renewal movement are important to revitalizing Judaism. If we work at it, we can help American Judaism rediscover the spiritual strength to survive. • Let What Works for Us now Work for Others Jewish spirituality lere are the challenges we face: Edward 1) We must reach beyond our own generation. For dds shaped by Walkman, He-Man and Reagan, we nust find forums and language to communicate the possibility of personal empowerment through comnunity. We must tell kids (including our own) as :amp counselors told us, don't imitate us: create Vour own Judaism. "Each person experiences God through the gates of his own heart." —Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav ! !) We must break out of language and mindsets hat were narrowly relevant to the 1960's, and keep >ur focus on what is universal about our model of .piritual search. Neo-mystical groups need to shake )ff the language of 1960's experiments with Eastern tradition and drugs and speak to the hunger for •ranscendent experience and spiritual connection vhich still exists among young people today. And hey must grow beyond dependence on a charisnatic leader. P'nai Or has dispersed responsibilties and expanded, but Rabbi Zalman Schachterihalomi is still the key. 1) We must reach out to unaffiliated Jews and the arger community in ways that fit with our decenralized style, which is our strength. Havurot must :reate more accessible, open services. We should §o where the people are: instead of having study ; groups in our homes, we should organize them in workplaces, downtown offices, senior centers. We ihould develop partnerships: with synagogues for study, with senior citizens for celebration, with :ommunity groups for service. Feminist groups, which are often closed for the sake of intimacy and anpowerment, should consider new ways to absorb people and give them models, such as "seed" conferences and workshops. Reaching out is worth it. There is a spiritual crisis m American Judaism. Many Jews aren't aware of s,iheir own spiritual needs, and wouldn't dream of ' trusting their deepest spiritual hungers and doubts to any institutionalized gathering of Jewish people. As intermarriage and assimilation increase, we can't rely on ethnicity to bond Jews. If we don't refiscover the spiritual core of Judaism, and translate it to an idiom that Jews of the post-modern generation can understand, the Jewish community could ; be less than half its present size by our grand; children's day. The community, intensity, spiritual 1*3 i. Hoffman The subject of Jewish spirituality is both exciting and elusive. In a self-conscious way, it is also quite new. Few individuals would have even used the term, much less deemed it of significance, more than ten to fifteen years ago. Rather, to those at the forefront of the American Jewish experience through much of the post-World War II era, the building of institutions seemed the vital task. To this end, impressive synagogues, recreationalsocial Jewish community centers and Hebrew schools sprouted throughout the United States. During this period of rapid suburbanization, the "brick-and-mortar" approach to Judaism stood virtually unchallenged. The question of exactly what would transpire within the brand-new buildings was decidedly secondary, if asked at all. In many ways, this dominant outlook was worthwhile. Jewish gathering places became established in even the most affluent American communities. The visible presence of Judaism undoubtedly helped legitimize it, along with Catholicism and Protestantism, as one of the "three basic faiths" in the United States. As a result, in part, antiSemitism dramatically decreased and Jews were no longer viewed as "strange" or even particularly "different" from other Americans. Employment barriers and then social barriers concerning Jews eased tremendously. But the negative side of this encouraging development was, of course, accelerated Jewish assimilation. Whatever its ultimate accomplishment, the "brickand mortar" era of Jewish expression eventually came to a decisive end. Here and there, new communities in outer suburbia or the Sunbelt found the need —and the means—to establish new synagogues and other institutions predicated on the EDWARD HOFFMAN is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Smithtown, NY and the author of several books, including The Way of Splendor: Jewish Mysticism and Modern Psychology, and The Heavenly Ladder. 1 same model that had dominated in previous decades. But clearly, the American Jewish community had reached the demographic point when continued expansion was over. "What now?" has therefore become a vital question, and to many the answer seems more individualistic-spiritual than social-political in content. Nearly all perceptive observers of the contemporary Jewish scene have come to this same conclusion. Hence, in a way, the reason for Sh 'ma's present focus on the subject of Jewish spirituality. Beyond Achievement to Lasting Meaning Having been active as a writer and lecturer on this intriguing topic for the past decade, I would like to share a few observations. These are not definitive, but do reflect consistent impressions. Certainly, such impressions are based on my direct contact over the years with thousands of spiritually-seeking Jews who are often unaffiliated and alienated from mainstream Judaism within the United States. Initially, many whom I encountered were fellow "baby-boomers," with definite involvement in the 1960's counter-culture. Today, though, they are far more diverse in age and background, yet possessing the same keen interest in authentic spirituality. The following four points therefore seem most salient to me: 1) A sizable proportion—if not a majority —are extremely disaffected with what I have earlier termed the "brick-and-mortar" approach to Judaism. Many of these Jews have been strongly influenced by the "small is beautiful" outlook that arose in the 1960's. As a result, they could care less about joining synagogues that are huge architectural masterpieces. In fact, "the bigger, the worse" is probably their unspoken perspective. They feel much more comfortable when meeting at each other's homes, or in an informal communal setting. I am not suggesting that we raze our large institutional buildings, only that they have a negative, and not even a neutral, image for many spiritually-seeking Jews nowadays. "Why, I haven't been inside a synagogue in years!" is an oft-repeated exclamation to my ears. In this respect, the fledgling havurah efforts over the past fifteen years certainly represent a welcome development. Yet, few synagogues in the United States have embraced this approach, and I know of no Federation programs that have actively done so. Why there is such reluctance to de-institutionalize is an interesting question to me. Does it stem from a fear of losing power, influence, or just of the unknown? In any event, unless the "small is beautiful" orientation takes hold, I scarcely see 44 mainstream Judaism effectively reaching out to these spiritually-seeking, unaffiliated men and women. 2) To most whom I meet, "Jewish spirituality" is something they wish to incorporate into their busy adult lives. Nearly all of the spiritually-seeking Jews I encounter today are active professionals with work, family, and community responsibilities. In this capacity, they are hardly in quest of instant "peak-experiences." They correctly perceive that Judaism has always been a here-and-now religious tradition, designed to guide those deeply involved with the everyday world. It is a good thing that we as Jews have never embraced a monastic way of life, and the unaffiliated whom I meet find this im- ! mensely reassuring. Seeing our Tradition as Spiritual Nurture Yet, here too, few synagogues or Federation pro' grams are meeting this legitimate need to relate Judaism's teachings to personal concerns. For example, the occasional, well-meaning lecture offered on "Jewish parenting" typically contains almost nothing rooted in actual Jewish concepts or methods. With regard to more troubling and widespread psychological difficulties like depression or * marital discord, the situation is even more prevalent. When these issues are addressed by the main- stream Jewish community, they are rarely if ever placed in a spiritual context. Likewise with health problems and those involving livelihood. To the extent that this failure to connect Judaism with day-to-day life issues persists, many sincere individuals will continue to seek—and find—guidance from other spiritual traditions, Eastern or f Western. At the risk of immodesty, I must say that my own approach to the Kabbalah has always been to relate classic writings like the Zohar or early Hasidic tales to contemporary interests. Why aren't more rabbis and Jewish educators even attempting to connect Judaism with the problems facing youngsters and adults in our confused society today? Many religiously disaffected Jews who® I meet clearly state, "I quit joining a synagogue because it just didn't pertain to my life at all." Or; "I found myself attending Jewish activities less an»i less, and eventually, I just stopped going altogether." Is anyone in the Jewish mainstream really hearing these people? If so, what is anyone doing about it? 3) Among those seeking greater spirituality in their lives, there is a lot of willingness nowadays to explore sacred texts. The mind-set generated by the 1960's has gradually vanished, and most people art no longer looking for "instant inspiration." They are willing to read, to ponder, to analyze. But as a corollary to my second point, the teaching effort must become personally relevant rather than academic in tone. Thus, several rabbinic and lay educators whom I know are utilizing such psychologically-provocative works as Pirke Avot ("Ethics of the Fathers") or early Hasidic tales as the springboard for discussions encompassing Jewish spirituality. In my own classes, I have recently begun using Rabbi Moshe Luzzatto's The Way of God, a marvelous Kabbalistic text of the early eighteenth century, translated into English several years ago. Most Jews I encounter want to grapple with these works, using their heads and their hearts. They are interested in study groups, even doing a little homework if they can fit it into their busy sched•• ules. They are definitely looking for continuity and j growth in their spirituality; the era of the "quick fix" is over. i Reaching for Right Brain Judaism j4) Finally, it has to be said that many of these men and women especially rebel against the hyperrationality of contemporary Judaism in the United States. In a time when even mainstream psychology and counseling are finally recognizing our needs for transcendental experience, most in the organized Jewish community are still personally embarrassed by the subject. For instance, seminal psychological thinkers like William James and Abraham Maslow convincingly argued that mystical or noetic experiences are basic to human nature. !.- They found indisputable evidence that ordinary people, in the course of everyday life, sometimes undergo exalted states-of-being that offer intensely meaningful vistas concerning human existence. Our . sages have recognized this truth for millennia, but in today's Judaism, one would hardly know it. Even most mainstream classes on "Jewish mysticism" are dry and pedantic, without even a shred of experiential activity. It is as if we Jews have never danced, sang, told stories, laughed or cried. Why this obsession with employing only our rational mode? Few of us, except for academicians or scholars, really experience spirituality solely through intellectual endeavor. In researching my new book-in-progress on childhood spirituality, I am finding this to be particularly so concerning our early years. Thus, when asked to recall a key or formative spiritual experience from their childhood, what many Jews remember with fondness is not a classroom but a beloved grandparent, not a didactic lesson but an encounter with aesthetics or with nature. 45 I am convinced that unless Jewish spirituality is approached by non-rational modes including the arts, it will be correctly perceived by many unaffiliated individuals as just another irrelevancy. There are historical reasons for the academicizing of Judaism. That is, most modern institutions of Jewish training in the Western world, outside of the Hasidic, are derived from the Germanic academicrationalism of the nineteenth century. From what I hear, this situation is finally beginning to change on the rabbinic-training level, but rather slowly. In conclusion, let me attempt to define—in one sentence and standing metaphorically on one foot— what Jewish spirituality means to me: "Experiencing God and the sacredness of existence in every moment." I am an optimist by nature, and I am convinced that those concerned about Judaism today can effectively transmit our inspiring tradition in the new era of challenges that lies before us. • A venture in synagogue spiritualities Joel E. Rembaum A few years ago our congregation's ritual committee decided to make some minor modifications to our Yom Kippur day service to accommodate an experimental two-hour study period between Musaf and Mincha. A survey sent to the membership after the holidays indicated that very few congregants were upset by the change. One member, however, not only expressed his displeasure to me personally as well as in writing, he reminded me of it every time I saw him in the months that followed. This gentleman, a member for over two decades, comes to services sporadically during the year. Though he is very committed to traditional Jewish practice in marking life cycle events (brit milah, weddings, bereavement) he does not present himself as a "spiritual seeker." The High Holidays are very special spiritual moments for him, however, and Yom Kippur, in particular, is sacred time which is to be spent, in its entirety, in prayer. Every year this man arrives early Yom Kippur morning and does not leave the synagogue until the shofar is sounded after sundown. The two hour break in the services, with its study session and discussion, represented a desecration of his sacred time. He had suffered an affront to his spiritual sensibilities. When we talk about a Jewish spiritual revival we usually do not have Yom Kippur or this gentleman JOEL E. REMBAUM is Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, CA.