Religious Rejuvenation

By: Jonathan Seidel

Reimagining Lyotard: “postmodernity” as a continuation of modernity: the Jewish version of reform conservative reform (all liberal ideas) to the resurgence of orthodoxy recently 

Charles Liebman famously said that orthodoxy would die soon and yet orthodoxy is growing faster than ever. Lyotard’s claims were premature and religiosity has regained fervour in response to the modern failures of secularism. A revamped religiosity with much to discuss and debate. 

Lyotard’s postmodern push was premature. The crisis of modernity was not the 60s but 2016. The recent rise of anti-corporatism, anti-globalism, anti-establishment, anti-war and most of all anti-secularism. The most significant to the believer is the re-empowered tradition. The promises of modernity post-WWI on the back of science in the name of the enlightenment have slowly eroded into excessive liberalised ideals. Ethics and autonomy are by virtue of the individual. One can be whoever they desire. This is not postmodern but perpetuated modernism. Liberalism continuing into its extreme. Sexuality exposed, governmental intrusion, globalised warfare. The list goes on and on. Anti-Vietnam rallies were not due to foreign wars but that foreign war. These anti-war advocates pushed for Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Those who push back against all these wars. Now those are postmodernists. Those who shun sexuality and globalisation are postmodernists. The current rampant individualisation is coddled in a communal aspect. It has its ideological format. Now individuals lost in the secular hold must fight for their ideals. Where do they fit in? Where is their group?

Many Jews were left alone without a partner to work with. Everyone huddled up but the Jew was nowhere. He had entered the field leaving his community behind but has not found it. Adam I is modernity. Yet one unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Adam II is lurking in the postmodern trend. How can he recapture his community. Adam I seeks to break free while Adam II seeks to return. The Rav believed in changing anew but in this case it really is renewing. It is returning not altering something forward. The search for a community is not a newly formed one. Not one that lines up values but the old one that has evolved. “Postmodern” Jews are seeking community. They are seeking other Jews. Those fed up with secular life wish for religious meaning found in their heritage. The enlightenment promises never came to fruition. Worse, it feels like a practical joke on the Jew. Join us for a pick up game tomorrow but when the Jew showed up no one was there. He is the loser, the one who tried to fit in but was never accepted and never will. 

The Six Day War was a turning point in religiosity. It did inspire many people. The models of messianic joy rang but then died out in time. Individualism and technology was still strong. Secularism in its democratic form was still fighting the Soviet Union. Save Jews from the Soviet Union. They are the enemy. It wasn’t till the 80s that the right even became a force in the political wing of Israel. It has been consistently dominant since then more out of protection than religious aspirations. The 90s did see some religious growth. A new age was turning but that is each era. There are ups and downs. Liebman’s proposal that orthodoxy would die was a little extreme. It would fluctuate. Even though Conservative Judaism has dwindled it is still around. Since Orthodoxy speaks as a committed halakhic community with openness to outside the world, it is difficult to see how this would cease to exist. It may not be as strong but evidently a calling for anyone along the lines of the Early Spanish thinkers and Mid Polish thinkers. The 90s saw some blossoming but then dipped in the early 2000s with less enthusiasm. 

Israeli gap year programs have surely impacted the religious world. Yet the religious passion of 90s teenagers on the back of the Rav’s incredible teachings have bolstered those communities. Still it also has to do with relocation, starting over and generational growth. While it is truly amazing that Bergen County has developed so rapidly, it is also a cause of raising multiple children who move back to the community to raise their own family. Part of it is inevitable but part of it has to do with more interest. Despite this charm of religious growth Yeshiva University, the school of orthodoxy, struggled through the 90s after the Rav’s passing and into the new millennium. A pull towards greater stringency emerged and many have moved in that direction. The new millennium raised eyebrows of the future and many sought a stricter Judaism for their liking. Learning more Torah and less affinity with the outer world. The more liberal the world became the stricter many observant became. To offset the unveiled sexuality they veiled sexuality. Clothing themselves extra tight.

Yet this does not account for the increasing numbers. More people means more quantity but it doesn’t mean more quality. The private school system has helped many but it was more to keep entertained till they were pleasantly inspired in Israel. Many have returned from their gap year different people. Having seen the light they are stricter. While they presumably do not carry the same political ideology nor account to anti-war or anti-corporatists, they do reckon with the socio-cultural elements. They see the persisted extremism of liberal society. Permitting all to be whatever and whoever they want. A world away from the meaning they seek. Mature and conservative they hold their religiosity high. Orthodoxy has strengthened because people have conceded the liberal gifts. Not entirely since they still enjoy the secular aspects but draw a line of permissible and non-permissible. The aesthetics and technology are permitted but the problematic stuff is cut off. 

There is little interest in intellectualising the return. It is straight to the text. Learn, learn and learn. Be a certain way and act it. Ironically, while many of these returnees dress the part they do seem to match their secular counterparts. Wishing to look a certain way so people will think you are a certain way. There is grave deception for the sake of the community. There is an element of truth but it is for the purpose of community. It isn’t always out of anti-liberalism but out of conviction for sanity. Adam II is at times a religious seeker and at times a social conformist. The individualism of modernity was too much. Wandering alone is difficult and tiring. People desire company. No better way than in one’s tribal community. Same language, culture and inside jokes. A comforting fun. Even if one is new to an area, the local synagogue is bound to have someone to relate to. A Jew connected is one social butterfly. Whether wives covering their hair is religiosity or socially motivated it has shot up massively in recent years (In Herzilya, with the exception of a few couples every newly Anglo wife covers her hair). 

Halakha has revived strongly. In the case of married women in covering their hair and men attending services. So many people listen to daf yomi podcasts. For orthodoxy more rigorous learning and more sensitivity to tradition is aroused. In reform at least with the rabbinic council it has become more apparent. The new reform of rabbis  Zemer and Washofsky bluntly reject the repudiation of halakha. Yet it is unclear how many proclaimed reformers do accept binding halakha. The same goes for conservatives. Whether or not the denominational rabbinate believes does not vindicate the congregation who opposes their claim. In some regard despite this rejuvenated halakhic spirit many have left these groups not to secularism but to orthodoxy due to the effort to meet liberal values instead of lead halakha by its current. Liberalism pushed the envelope and they kept trying to line it up. Orthodoxy took a step back and weighed the options. Ultra-orthodoxy generally rejected outright. The latter’s no-nonsense position on halakha has probably generated its growth for its uncompromising stance on changing for social reasons. 

Halakha regained its momentum but if needs to be with the liberal model then maybe it isn’t for those people. The whole point of the religious revival is against the excessive innovation. To just copy whatever liberalism says since apparently it is the most moral of any civilisation ever. Look how much progress halakha as the Jewish communal bond must meet but in its own branded way. Other seek to distance the halakha from tainting it in such colours. Instead the revival must be away from secularism. These heterodox approaches are wrong. They may be even worse than those who do practice at all since they aren’t trying to manipulate the halakha to their will. Whatever the approach the strong religious revival does have its non-orthodox advocates with many in the orthodox world unhappy with these innovative untraditional liberalised notions of their heritage. Reform and conservative Jews have higher statistical numbers overall but lower youth numbers. At some point orthodoxy will eclipse them. What orthodoxy will look like then we can only dream. 

Liebman wasn’t entirely incorrect in his assessment. Modern orthodoxy has dwindled considerably. The latitude of this group is alarming. From YCT to Landers. There is much in the middle for the modern orthodox individual to find. Yet the religious revival pits more to the right side. To the landers column. They watch sports, gossip and hangout on the weekends but add a little spiritual flare to their frumkeit. The stronger pull to religious affiliation has incredible connections. The religious diversity on the Upper West side has much to provide to the average orthodox individual. The interesting part is that while they may horse around pre-marriage, once they are ready they become real baal habatim. The orthodox goal is no longer marry Jewish but raise Jewish. This all a process. So far the quantity and the quality has increased. More people learning and striving for a religious lifestyle. In due time, we will see how the affects of this change. As long as students keep taking gap years inspired and move back the bigger the community will become.