Thinking out loud; discussing and debating the current issues and challenges affecting the Torah and yeshiva communities such as population growth, dangers of technology, parnassah, shidduchim, financial support of Torah and Chesed institutions, news of the yeshiva world and reviewing frum blogs,Torah media outlets.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Rav Shmuel Auerbach writes letter about giving reform movement, a place at the Kosel.
* * * Greek NYC Jews and Syrian NYC Jews * * * a short essay by the moderator of the Derech Emey Yahoo Group
Over the past 35 years, I noticed that the highest intermarriage rates [between Jews and non-Jews] are found in communities where Reform Judaism is most dominant, and the lowest intermarriage rates are found in communities where Reform Judaism does not exist.
Around the 1920s [of the Common Era], tens of thousands of Jews came from Greece to New York City, and tens of thousands of Jews came from Syria to New York City. In the 1920s, the numbers of Greek Jews and Syrian Jews in New York City were approximately equal. Their observance of Jewish rituals was also approximately equal.
Around that time, the Greek Jews of NYC decided to follow Reform Judaism, while the Syrian Jews followed Orthodox Judaism.
By the 1980s, the Greek Jews of NYC [and the USA] were so few in number that there was only ONE Greek Synagogue in NYC, and that ONE Greek Synagogue functioned mostly as a museum. The very few Greek Jews of NYC were intermarrying with Gentiles at a very high rate, and very few participated in any kind Jewish activities. One Greek Jew who I personally spoke to had decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day instead of Purim, or something very similar to that.
By the 1990s, the Syrian Jews of NYC had grown exponentially, with many new synagogues that did not exist in previous decades. Their rate of intermarriage with non-Jews was LESS THAN ONE PERCENT [<1%].
By year 2015, the Greek Jews of NYC were so few in number that their community had basically ceased to exist. They had no schools, and only that one synagogue which mostly functioned as a museum.
By year 2015, the Syrian Jews of NYC continued to grow rapidly, with less than 1% intermarriage and many new synagogues that did not exist in the 1990s. The number of schools run by-and-for Syrian Jews also increased dramatically.
By year 2015 the Syrian Jews of NYC had two of their own monthly magazines, while the Greek Jews had none.
Initially, the only significant difference between the Greek Jews of NYC and the Syrian Jews of NYC was that the Greek Jews chose Reform Judaism while the Syrian Jews chose Orthodoxy.
Less than a century later, the Greeks Jews [of NYC], who chose Reform Judaism, have vanished [or very close to vanished]; while the Syrian Jews [of NYC], who chose Orthodox Judaism, enjoy a rapidly-growing community and seem to have a bright future.
PS: This short essay reveals a piece of Jewish History which is known to only very few individuals. Therefore, I feel it is my responsibility to publicize it, before it becomes forgotten.
PS: The Persian Jewish community of NYC, which has never known Reform Judaism, also has an extremely low intermarriage rate. While I do not have exact statistics for Persian Jews, their intermarriage rate seems to be so low that it cannot possibly threaten their future.
____________________________________________________ Please help Shurat HaDin SUE the terrorists in court:
* * * Greek NYC Jews and Syrian NYC Jews * * *
ReplyDeletea short essay by the moderator of the Derech Emey Yahoo Group
Over the past 35 years, I noticed that the highest intermarriage rates [between Jews and non-Jews] are found in communities where Reform Judaism is most dominant, and the lowest intermarriage rates are found in communities where Reform Judaism does not exist.
Around the 1920s [of the Common Era], tens of thousands of Jews came from Greece to New York City, and tens of thousands of Jews came from Syria to New York City. In the 1920s, the numbers of Greek Jews and Syrian Jews in New York City were approximately equal. Their observance of Jewish rituals was also approximately equal.
Around that time, the Greek Jews of NYC decided to follow Reform Judaism, while the Syrian Jews followed Orthodox Judaism.
By the 1980s, the Greek Jews of NYC [and the USA] were so few in number that there was only ONE Greek Synagogue in NYC, and that ONE Greek Synagogue functioned mostly as a museum. The very few Greek Jews of NYC were intermarrying with Gentiles at a very high rate, and very few participated in any kind Jewish activities. One Greek Jew who I personally spoke to had decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day instead of Purim, or something very similar to that.
By the 1990s, the Syrian Jews of NYC had grown exponentially, with many new synagogues that did not exist in previous decades. Their rate of intermarriage with non-Jews was LESS THAN ONE PERCENT [<1%].
By year 2015, the Greek Jews of NYC were so few in number that their community had basically ceased to exist. They had no schools, and only that one synagogue which mostly functioned as a museum.
By year 2015, the Syrian Jews of NYC continued to grow rapidly, with less than 1% intermarriage and many new synagogues that did not exist in the 1990s. The number of schools run by-and-for Syrian Jews also increased dramatically.
By year 2015 the Syrian Jews of NYC had two of their own monthly magazines, while the Greek Jews had none.
Initially, the only significant difference between the Greek Jews of NYC and the Syrian Jews of NYC was that the Greek Jews chose Reform Judaism while the Syrian Jews chose Orthodoxy.
Less than a century later, the Greeks Jews [of NYC], who chose Reform Judaism, have vanished [or very close to vanished]; while the Syrian Jews [of NYC], who chose Orthodox Judaism, enjoy a rapidly-growing community and seem to have a bright future.
PS: This short essay reveals a piece of Jewish History which is known to only very few individuals. Therefore, I feel it is my responsibility to publicize it, before it becomes forgotten.
PS: The Persian Jewish community of NYC, which has never known Reform Judaism, also has an extremely low intermarriage rate. While I do not have exact statistics for Persian Jews, their intermarriage rate seems to be so low that it cannot possibly threaten their future.
____________________________________________________
Please help Shurat HaDin SUE the terrorists in court:
www.IsraelLawCenter.org
www.causematch.com/projects/shurat-hadin-givingtuesday/
http://5tjt.com/the-campaign-that-will-cause-a-storm-in-the-us-a-dubbed-video-in-which-the-speakers-call-to-kill-muslims/
Shurat HaDin’s victory for Israel on FaceBook:
www.algemeiner.com/2016/01/08/facebook-finally-caves-on-anti-israel-hate-pages/
Thank you!
PS: Check out these pro-Israel web sites: www.camera.org * www.HonestReporting.com * www.memri.org * www.ActForAmerica.org * www.aish.com