I thought I’d share with my readers my answer to a Beliefnet blog’s question of “Is Judaism Dying?”  This subject has come up so often in my life, I thought you might be interested in my view on the subject.

The question was "Is Judaism dying?".  It seems to me the answers I have read are more about fixing Judaism, which means the people who wrote answers on how to fix it assume it is dying.  I differ on this point.

More people are becoming "spiritual".  This, of course, includes many Jewish people.  From my own observations and reading, Judaism is actually becoming more important to quite a lot of Jewish people.  I grew up in Pikesville, MD, which, for those of you who are familiar with the Pikesville of - ok, I must give away part of my age, suffice to say my parents moved us to Florida - 30 years ago.  I have been back to see family almost every year until around 3 years ago.  So I am familiar with our migration patterns.  Be that as it may, it was a "Jewish ghetto" of sorts.  

When my father told me I couldn't date anyone who wasn't Jewish, I laughed and told him I didn't know anyone who wasn't!  That may be hard to believe, but when I brought my ex, who I was married to at the time, to my 10-year high school reunion, the theme song was Havah N'gilla!  I may have spelled it wrong, but you get the idea.  He turned to me and said, "You weren't kidding, you really did live in a Jewish ghetto!"  He is Jewish, albeit a self-loathing one.

I now live in the Atlanta, GA, area.  I’ve given you some background so you’re aware of two things:  one, I have some years of experience about societal changes; and two, my experiences are rather varied.  I moved a lot.   I also have the experience of studying this subject matter in my master's program, and I belonged to the group who conducted a survey/census of the greater Atlanta Jewish Community around 1990.  

 I should also state I am  zealous  about my Judaism.  My shuls have been my second homes!  My involvement in the Jewish communities where I’ve lived has been vast, and I am proud to say I am Jewish.  My grandparents were Orthodox, my parents Conservative, and I joined the Reform Movement.  But when asked, I answer that I am Jewish...period.  I have studied and continue to interact with Rabbis of all of our movements.  My orthodox rabbis have told me I'm orthodox and don't know it.  My point is that I have contact with a multitude of Jewish people from different places and beliefs.

My opinion is that Judaism is thriving.  How can I say this?  You may think, “She must be ignorant of the fact synagogues all over are losing members,” and of course, “people are so secularly involved, and there have been numerous intermarriages.”  I hear you.  Yes, all of these things are true; interestingly, I've heard different Jewish communities panic over intermarriage throughout my whole life.

We were never meant to be the multitude.  We were meant to be a light unto the nations, which we have been and are.  Judaism isn't an easy religion, due to the fact we don't use (sorry to offend, but it's true) any idolatrous icons.  We pray to a G-d we can't see, and our religion is - on a simplistic level - one which is all about faith.  What I have seen is many more Jewish people learning.  Learning, and I can't emphasize this enough, learning about Judaism.  For those of you who aren't Jewish, and are - to quote the new show coming out, "of a certain age", and I must let a not-so-hidden secret out, most American Jewish people  (as I can't speak for the rest of the world) - and I believe this is true all over, don't understand, nor know much about Judaism.  Being as I have always been “the inquiring mind who wants to know” . . . basically. . . everything, I bugged my Hebrew school teachers ad infinitem with the question, "What does it mean to be Jewish?”  Yes, we learned Hebrew, some Torah, and of course, the holidays, but I never felt that information came close to answering my question.  Subsequently, I have spent my life trying to answer and teach the answers.  We never have only one answer!  I tell my husband - when he thinks I'm too probing of things and he tries to tell me some things exist just as they are - “Kevin, Judaism is all about the multitude of levels of meaning about everything,” and not for nothing, but there is the joke, “ask 10 Rabbis and get 11 opinions!”

This is what I have seen change over the last 20 years or so:  many Jewish adults who observed rituals, prayers, and practice. . . are now interested in learning what it all means.  Quite a lot of them regret not learning these things while growing up.

The Holocaust survivors are dying out.  They leave in their wake the people whose lives they have touched.  This generation of Jewish people, who grew up pained by their stories, are also extremely attuned to the importance of passing our faith and beliefs on so we will "Never Forget".  We feel the full force of the importance of truly trying to understand our religion in order to pass it along.  L'dor v'dor!  You can't teach what you don't know, and to say we do this because our parents and grandparents “did it this way” just doesn't cut it with us.  We've never stopped being people of the book!  Look at how many sites there are on the Internet alone, not to mention chavarot, which are study groups on Torah and Talmud.  

Growing up I was always my Jewish friends’ "token Jewish friend”, and when they had questions about Judaism, their parents always told them, “Ask Laura, she knows!”  Now I am proud to say that although people of all religions still seek me out, it's more for deeper meaning than for basic information, which is how people approached me when I was younger.

We are not dying out.  We are being rejuvenated.  Due to the economy, and because of time constraints, yes, a lot of “Members of the Tribe” are leaving - or choosing not to affiliate with synagogues - but that doesn't mean they don't practice at home, or with small groups of friends, and/or with family members.  This creates the public illusion we are shrinking in numbers.  I've heard this same panic my entire life.  I believe I am correct in stating it's been a worry of every generation, yet we're still here!!!  We'll never be the majority, but our collective love for our Judaism, traditions, memories, and Israel will never die.  I truly believe this.

I’d love to know what you think!