Our friend Rabbi Eliyahu Stern over at Beliefnet’s “Virtual Talmud” has weighed in on the odd — if not ridiculous — op-ed in the Jewish Week about “The Next Great Jewish Idea” that I mentioned the other day.
What is remarkable about the piece is that it contains not one idea. Instead of realizing that Jewish outreach and life is totally devoid of any powerful ideas and vision, Rosenblatt, who I consider a friend and deeply respect, continues the madness of confusing the word “idea” with public policy band-aid initiatives that try to make Jews more Jewish. A few of the more laughable initiatives he mentions are Rabbi Elliot Dorf’s suggestion that the Jewish demographic and intermarriage crises could be solved by convincing Jews to get married in graduate school.
Sure thing Rabbi Dorf, that’s really gonna fly in country whose average marriage age is only getting older and older. Besides, what would it even mean to encourage people to marry young? Should we give an extra $100 U.S. Savings Bond to every bar-mitzvah boy who chooses a bride at his bar-mitzvah celebration? (MORE)
