Word: rabbis
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Jews sat together at the Last Supper, in the historic dawn of a new church, the conversion of the Jews has been Christianity's hope, but there have been few signs of fulfillment. Now some Protestants seem to be launching a new movement to proselytize the Jews, reports Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg in the Christian Century. But, warns Hertzberg, it will not work, and should not be tried...
...George E. Sweazey (TIME, May 4), argues that Jews are ripe to become Christians because "many Jews in America scarcely have a religion" and that "even those who cherish a strong sense of the Judaic tradition often seem to hold it as a sort of super-intense patriotism." Conservative Rabbi Hertzberg (of Temple Emanu-El, Englewood, N.J.) denies both these statements. American Jews may be losing their identity as an ethnic minority, but the percentage affiliated with synagogues has risen strikingly. Many of the new members seek togetherness rather than real religion, but Hertzberg thinks Christian sects have similar problems...
There are many other factors besides the influence of professors which affect the student's attitude toward religion, Rabbi Zigmond noted. "You always have to bear in mind that a student's attitude toward Judaism is closely linked with his attitude toward his parents, since in Judaism, the parents represent Jewish tradition," he said. The opposite sex also exerts a significant influence in shaping the student's religious views, he added (15 per cent said that the "influence of friends" was responsible for a change in attitude...
Torn between conflicting philosophies, the student may turn away from Judaism completely; or he may come back to it with new intellectual tools, seeking to mold a familiar image. "Some people think that Judaism becomes more respectable when it wears the cloak of popular philosophies," Rabbi Gold said. "It is quite likely that students prefer to discuss Jewish questions on grounds more familiar to them: how does religion relate to things taught them at the University? How does it fit in with different philosophies?" Religion is discussed from the reference frame of their new value system. This is inimical...
Religion seems to be gaining back some of the respectability it used to have. In his twelve years at Hillel, Rabbi Zigmond has noticed a trend in the University toward greater acceptance of religion, and greater recognition of the importance of religion in the lives of students. He sees this as part of a trend in America toward greater affiliation with churches and synagogues...