This introduction to this article (in heavy type) was
written on 21.10.98 for the Limmud Conference. The article
was originally written in 1992 and updated in 1994 and
1996. At this very moment peace talks are once again in the
balance between Israel and the Palestinians and the Jewish
state is trying to find a peaceful and secure way of living
in an ever changing and threatening world. For individual
Jews this is also the challenge - to find peace, both inner
and outer in world full of change and uncertainty. This
article proposes that even within the Jewish religion there
is restless and very troubled state, almost amounting to
war on occasions. Most recently we have had Orthodoxy
attempting to decide through laws enacted in Israel that
Reform Jews are not 'proper' Jews. There have also been
various wars of words between Orthodox and Reform in this
country where the idea of peaceful coexistence and
understanding seems the farthest thing from anyone's mind.
It seems ironic that Religion and Prayer lead to
disagreement and War, rather than understanding and Peace.
It may be as well to remember the the Golden Rule
of every
religion variously expressed is 'Love thy neighbour as
thyself".
Judaism has two essential movements,
broken into many subsections. Orthodoxy and Reform each
have their own inner divisions. Once the Hassidic movement,
now regarded as on the extreme right of the Orthodox
movement, was a breakaway sect, involved in mysticism and a
strong awareness of God in nature. Over three hundred and
fifty years or so, it has changed from extreme left to
become viewed as the epitome of right wing Orthodoxy! Thus
the religion has been in constant flux and each new
generation brings with it it's own view of what is needed
for the time in which they live.
In 1994 (this was an update to the original written on
April 28th/29th 1992)
we are approaching the end of the second millennium A.D.
and the dawning of the 'Age of Aquarius'. There are many
signs of this in the world which we can see very clearly.
The break up of the Soviet system, the downfall of
dictatorships, the rise of nationalism and individualism
around the globe.
The planet is in a state of flux. It is threatened
environmentally and through over-population. It is
increasingly becoming polarised into the have's and have
not's. Global communication and instant access to news
means hourly we become aware of unfolding events. Almost
everything that happens is instantly available to huge
populations world-wide.
Technology continues to speed up the process of change.
Whether we look at the amazingly sophisticated development
of computers, video, lasers and genetic engineering, drugs
or our understanding of the universe and how it started. In
every direction there is an exponential growth and
knowledge and power to humanity. The difficulty is who
controls that power and to what ends it becomes used.
Within all this, the religious and spiritual state of the
world is in chaos. On the one hand we have the rise of
fundamentalism in all forms of religion, Islamic, Jewish
and Christian in response to an increasingly uncertain
world, whilst on the other atheism and scientific
rationalism increasingly attempts to widen its
justification and reasoning. Amidst the traditional
theologies thrive many new 'religions' and ways of looking
at the world. From cults such as the Moonies and
Scientologists, through Eastern approaches coming west such
as Transcendental Meditation, to a whole variety of "New
Age' religions which have been 'demanded' by the times in
which we live.
Judaism moves much more slowly and is becoming increasingly
out of touch, with the present world and the speed of
change within it. The greatest threat to continuity is the
marrying out of the young, the disaffection of modern youth
with traditional views which cannot adequately deal with
the explosion of the present. Prayer and meditation and
'Sound bites' are mutually exclusive! In an 'instant'
world, our religion is not keeping up.
The Reform movement is now almost 200 years old. In Britain
it began in 1840. It is not therefore unreasonable to
suggest what once was truly 'Reform' is now orthodox in its
own way. It's ability to move and change with the times is
now limited by its sheer size, complexity, administration
and hierarchy. It's growth since its inception means it has
catered for a need, but not all needs, particularly the
young.
So what has Judaism to offer the dawning 'Age of Aquarius',
within a chaotic and changing world? Does it offer as it
always has 'Tradition'? And if so what traditions make
sense? Not opening the fridge door on a Sabbath because the
electric light inside comes on? Resting our automobiles on
Sabbath? I don't think so. But understanding the principles
on which Judaism is based? Perhaps.
Yet for me, Judaism in its tradition, uniqueness and
isolation has somehow lost (or strangely never found) one
key essential principle, that of the idea of 'Acceptance'.
Judaism has a restless quality. The 'Children of God' were
given special responsibilities, they were the 'Chosen'
people and as such somehow have to be and do more than
everyone else. Certainly if one were to judge by results
Jews in Israel and the Diaspora have achieved in so many
ways a vastly disproportionate range of outstanding
successes compared to their very limited numbers. For a
world wide population of 14 million, their power and
influence is probably a hundred times as great. Only the
very religious, the scholars have perhaps any sense of
peace, but even they fight and rebel to insist that
everyone should be like them. Israel's religious fanatics
who stone cars driving through their districts on the
Sabbath (and since this was originally written have
assassinated their Prime Minister), seem to demonstrate
only too clearly that Acceptance is not an idea that sits
easily with Jews or Judaism.
Yet it is the fundamental idea of Taoism and Buddhism, two
of the great Eastern religions whose adherents outnumber
Jews by a hundred fold or more. How can it be that the East
has an idea which is fundamental to life's very existence,
which does not even seem to exist within the Judaic code? I
have searched for years to find it and have asked many
learned men and Rabbis along the way without success. It
does not seem to exist within Judaism. Yet 'Love thy
neighbour as theyself" does exist. Perhaps it would be
better translated as "Accept your neighbour as you accept
yourself!!"
I am therefore left like this. I like our traditions - at
least some of them - the essential sense of continuity with
the past. But I feel there is some essential principle
missing and for me it is not only essential but it is the
highest principle of all. Additionally I find it
frustrating that our leaders seem unable to reach and
appeal in the right way to sufficient of the youth, to
maintain the essential life blood of this oldest of
spiritual paths.
The 'Way'
for 'New Age' Jews? Zen Judaism
Thus the concept I propose it that of Zen Judaism. A modern
approach for the 'Age of Aquarius'. This involves within it
the essentially missing concept of 'Acceptance'. It offers
a counterpoint to Jewish restlessness, a peaceful centre of
acceptance, without damning those about us as not 'being
proper Jews'. It is perhaps harking back to the mystical,
to nature, to the communion with God open to us all and
within us all that was the spirit of the original Hassidim.
Yet it is not attempting to recreate Hassidism, nor is it
trying to produce a new religion. It simply attempts to
address today's issues using the spirit of our traditions,
yet in a way suited to a 'New Age'. To capture the
quintessential relationship to God without or the 'Gods'
within with the beauty and simplicity represented and
refined through thousands of years of ancient Eastern
thought - the concept of 'Acceptance' added to thousands of
years of Judaic principles in simple and poetic ways, which
meet and are able to adapt to contemporary needs,
communication and understanding.
Perhaps the Messiah will come when we stop seeking him (or
her). Perhaps that salvation and peace is within us all if
we have the wit to cease striving and appreciate it. The
Jewish people have followed God's will for over five and a
half thousand years. Perhaps it is time to sit a little and
contemplate his will on a wider scale. Recognise that
others too have a point of view and theirs is not
necessarily contradictory to our own, but perhaps
complementary and has a simple beauty and additional
principles we can accept and learn from. Then finally maybe
the Jewish people will be able to live in peace with
themselves and all the other religions of the world.
(Created
originally 28/29. 4. 92) (Updated 27.3.94) (Minor additions
23.9.96) (New introduction 21.10.98)
Copyright Laurie
Phillips.
E-mail. pax@peace.co.uk