Weekly Torah Gatherings – Wed 3/15

The Writing on the Wall and the Passover

21st-century trends: Reimagining the American Jewish experience

 

21st-century trends: Reimagining the American Jewish experience

Here are some thoughts (to be understood either as insights or data point interpretations) which are reflective of the future of Judaism . . . thinking here of the Prophet Daniel as he is called to interpret their hidden meaning — ‘the writing on the wall’ of Daniel chapter 5 – verse 8 (< if you are having trouble with the Hebrew, fear not, it’s not Hebrew, it’s Aramaic, translated as such in order that all would understand . . . “HaMayveen Yaveen”)

אֱדַ֙יִן֙ (עללין) [עָֽלִּ֔ין] כֹּ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וְלָֽא־כָהֲלִ֤ין כְּתָבָא֙ לְמִקְרֵ֔א (ופשרא) [וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ] לְהוֹדָעָ֥ה לְמַלְכָּֽא׃

“Then all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing nor make known its meaning to the king.”

(shades of Humpty Dumpty ^ especially on the eve of ‘the fall’)

Note: The more extensive article is worth reading through — although it could have used a bit more editing — however, the data analysis provided is insightful and leans in my opinion, toward a provocative accuracy.

21st-century trends: Reimagining the American Jewish experience
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/21st-century-trends-reimagining-the-american-jewish-experience/

Bullet points from 21st-century trends: Reimagining the American Jewish experience

• If in the 19th – and 20th centuries, we saw American Judaism as denominationally-based; in this century we can best describe religious behavior as personalized (privatized) where multiple “Judaisms” are in play providing varieties and multiple choices of expression and connection.
• If Jewish political influence and philanthropic giving were centralized during the second half of the last century, a) where ADL led the fight against antisemitism, b) AIPAC managed the Israel political case, c) the Reform movement defined the liberal domestic agenda, d) AJC controlled inter-religious affairs and e) federations dominated the Israel giving field and Jewish social service marketplace . . . . the 21st-century has exploded with the presence of an array of Jewish advocacy initiatives, multiple boutique giving choices and the presence of distinctive, highly-segmented organizing models, all now competing for communal space and a share of the Jewish market economy!
• The pivotal shift (is noted to be) from an Institutional Judaism to many and varied “Privatized Judaisms.” This is contributing to the downsizing of the footprint of denominational Judaism and other forms of umbrella organizing.
• The rise of “Virtual Judaism” (i.e. Lerhaus Newshul Z-applications) will likely have a profound and lasting impact, as we see the emergence of national virtual congregations as well as the growing awareness of synagogues in continuing to serve their on-line members and religious seekers.
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Far from the Land of Israel — the Land remains the property/inheritance of the Jewish people, which speaks to the unbreakable relationship between a people and a land . . . somewhat of a double-edged sword.

This Shabbat — this Shabbat HaChodesh — from the Prophetic Reading

From Ezekiel (47:12), a prophet speaking to the Jewish people no longer in Israel — to be read this Shabbat
לֹא־יִבּ֨וֹל עָלֵ֜הוּ וְלֹֽא־יִתֹּ֣ם פִּרְי֗וֹ לׇחֳדָשָׁיו֙ יְבַכֵּ֔ר כִּ֣י מֵימָ֔יו מִן־הַמִּקְדָּ֖שׁ הֵ֣מָּה יוֹצְאִ֑ים (והיו) [וְהָיָ֤ה] פִרְיוֹ֙ לְמַאֲכָ֔ל וְעָלֵ֖הוּ לִתְרוּפָֽה׃ {פ}

All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month because the water for them flows from the Temple (in Jerusalem). Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה גֵּ֤ה גְבוּל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתְנַחֲל֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ לִשְׁנֵ֥י עָשָׂ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יוֹסֵ֖ף חֲבָלִֽים׃

Thus said the Lord GOD:

These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel.
וּנְחַלְתֶּ֤ם אוֹתָהּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ כְּאָחִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לְתִתָּ֖הּ לַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וְנָ֨פְלָ֜ה הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לָכֶ֖ם בְּנַחֲלָֽה׃

and you shall share the rest equally. As I swore to give it to your fathers, so shall this land fall to you as your heritage.

Sending out warm regards for a season of our freedom . . . . and anxiously awaiting the warm winds of the Springtime . . .