People v Faith Community

Daniel Gordis takes on the schism in American Judaism between peoplehood and faith communities.


Having experienced the best of American values and culture and the best of Jewish values and culture, I think it's difficult to agree wholeheartedly that what Gordis observes is good or bad. It's a new phenominon, for better or worse.

There's an obligation to continue struggling with this. Peoplehood neccesitates the group trumping the individual from time to time. Sometimes that means doing irrational things, like doubling your silverware and skipping the milkshake with your steak, for example.

But connection to a people and a community can enrich one's life in ways that no one can document or analyze. In entirely subjective ways, interweaving your life with others exponentially expands the meaning and implications of each moment. Being conscious of others brings us closer to that part of the Divine that binds us all together. Sometimes it's only by surrendering to the unreason of following milenia-old rules for eating and cooking that we can experience full membership in this funky little people.

In any case, Gordis fiercly defends the concept of peoplehood, and lifts its value up for us to see. Roll around in his ideas for a half-hour or so, see what sticks and see what stabs.