Over the past half century, the secular left in Western societies has shifted away from organized religion toward ideologies such as environmentalism and social justice, leading to a steep decline in religious affiliation and church attendance.
Over the past half century, the secular left in Western societies has united in its efforts to demonize and denigrate religion, especially Christianity, replacing organized religion with new slogans like those about the environment and social justice.
The results have been dire, with church attendance declining and the number of people identifying as belonging to a Christian denomination dropping dramatically.
Similar trends are occurring in Jewish communities around the world, and in Israel, where the number of Jews belonging to Conservative and Reform Judaism has declined significantly, as has a steady, gradual decline in attendance at synagogues that call themselves Modern Orthodox or traditional.
The exceptions to this trend are within the ultra-Orthodox community and what I will call the right-wing Orthodox community.
Many commentators have detailed this phenomenon: the secularization of society has encouraged assimilation and intermarriage; the misuse of the term “tikkun olam” (“repairing the world”) has promoted any progressive idea, even if it contradicts Jewish law and tradition; the younger generation, unscarred by the Holocaust, takes Israel’s existence for granted.
I think one of the reasons that hasn’t been widely covered is the decline of spiritual leadership. Throughout Jewish history, it was the rabbis who provided the leadership for maintaining Jewish life and continuity.
Every generation has its famous rabbis who were revered, respected and highly esteemed. Among Ashkenazi Jews throughout Europe and Sephardic Jews from Morocco to Persia, there were iconic figures.
Even within the Reform and Conservative movements, which deviated from strict adherence to Jewish law, there were intellectual giants such as Rabbi Abraham Geiger, Rabbi Leo Beck, and Rabbi Abraham Heschel.
The Holocaust led to the mass murder of European Jews and the destruction of many famous yeshivas that had produced great rabbis. In Germany, the famous Hildesheimer Yeshiva was founded in the 19th century by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Poland and Lithuania had many notable yeshivas.
After World War II, there was a huge effort to rebuild and revive Jewish life from the ashes of the Holocaust. I am part of the first post-war generation, having grown up in the 1970s and 1980s. Iconic figures of my generation include Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, the Lubavitch rabbi, and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, all of whom were based in the United States and had a major impact on the revival of Jewish life both in the United States and in the international community.
Since their passing, it would be difficult to find any current rabbis who command the same level of respect as their predecessors.
Problems within the Reform and Conservative movements have been exacerbated as rabbinic leaders have sought to expand their support by adopting lower standards for intermarriage and conversion. They have also embraced progressive values that are not necessarily consistent with traditional Jewish values.
Moreover, within rabbinical schools there has been a disturbing trend of graduates embracing the anti-Israel rhetoric of the progressive left.
In this regard, much criticism has been directed at the leader of the Reformed movement, the Rev. Rick Jacobs, for failing to provide effective leadership in light of these developments.
In the Conservative movement, Rabbi David Wolpe has been named the number one rabbi in the United States by Newsweek magazine, and although he leads the largest congregation in Los Angeles, the overall state of Conservative Judaism is in decline.
The situation is different in Israel. Religious life is flourishing, with more people studying in yeshivas than in any previous generation. Fifty-one percent of Israel’s population describes themselves as devout and believe in God. This statistic should be taken with caution, as it varies widely depending on what you consider to be devout. Another poll found that 27 percent of Israeli Jews attend synagogue weekly and 39 percent attend monthly, while one-third consider themselves secular.
Nevertheless, it can be observed that among the younger generations, many graduates of religious high schools, yeshivas and midrashot are abandoning religion.The main cause of this alienation is the way ultra-Orthodox Jews control the institutions that serve the needs of the state.
The most prominent religious institution in Israel is the office of Chief Rabbi, which was established by the British Mandate and continued to exist after the establishment of the State of Israel. Two rabbis are elected to represent the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities, respectively.
The first Ashkenazi rabbi appointed was world-renowned Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Other notable appointees include Rabbi Isaac Herzog, father of former President Chaim Herzog and grandfather of current President Isaac Herzog. Rabbi Shlomo Goren served as Chief Rabbi from 1984 to 1994 and previously served as Chief Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces. These figures were well respected and accepted by mainstream Israelis.
Unfortunately, over the past few decades, the position of the Chief Rabbi has been in decline, mainly due to the fact that the state-religious party, formerly represented by the National Religious Party (“Mafdal”), has abandoned its role as a bridge between the religious and the secular, with the result that ultra-Orthodox parties have come to control the institutions serving the religious needs of the country.
Unfortunately, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties have often found themselves forced to advance their own interests at the expense of the state. Chief rabbis appointed over the past few decades have either been subservient to the ultra-Orthodox or have actually embraced the same policies as the ultra-Orthodox. The most egregious example of this was Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef’s recent statement that the ultra-Orthodox should flee the country rather than join the army.
The incumbent’s term has expired. Some commentators, such as former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Jacob Katz, have called for the abolition of the office of chief rabbi. I would disagree. I would like to see this institution reinstated, so that the 120 members of the Knesset who participate in the election process can avoid backroom deals and identify candidates who actually have the ability to lead and inspire. Imagine having a chief rabbi who could act as an intermediary between the military and ultra-Orthodox Jews, creating an environment in which they could serve in the Israeli army without compromising their beliefs or lifestyle.
We live in difficult times. Israel faces threats from without while dealing with internal divisions. Diaspora communities suffer from anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and assimilation. The need for spiritual leadership that can unite, support, motivate and inspire is greater than ever. We need leaders who will heal, not exacerbate, our internal divisions.
Every generation has had rabbis able and willing to act, a wake-up call for the next generation of spiritual leaders to emerge.
