Interdating opposed

I applaud Rabbi Jarrod Grover’s stand on rejecting United Synagogue Youth’s interdating policy change (“Opinions vary on USY interdating policy change,” Jan. 8). 

Why do we need to become even more compromising when intermarriage is spiralling out of control? Do we really want to send the message that interdating is acceptable? 

With Jewish continuity already threatened, I fear the outcome of the next Pew study and am puzzled by the apathy of the Jewish community and its leaders.

Debbie Bauer
Toronto 

The Exodus is unique

In an interview about the movie Exodus: Gods and Kings (Dec. 25), Rabbi David Baron cited the metamorphosis of national character as a universal theme. “It’s a question that all nations who’ve gone through and experienced exile and return go through. So, we can look at the experiences of many great nations in this regard,” he said.

I wonder if Rabbi Baron could name one great nation, other than Israel, that has experienced exile and return? The French? The Chinese? The Russians? I’m afraid there are none. Interestingly, in the Torah itself, the audacious claim is made that nothing like the Exodus had ever happened to any other people, nor would it ever occur. Indeed, that claim has held true. 

Perhaps Rabbi Baron should consult with the Torah, or a history book, before consulting for his Hollywood friends.

Stephen Starr
Victoria, B.C.

Defining who is a Jew

As a rabbi who assists many wonderful individuals seeking to convert, I believe letter writer Michael Diamond’s point of view (“The politics of conversion,” Jan. 15) is lacking. To classify the “few ideologues” as playing God actually misses the point and, I believe, takes us even further from any form of mutual respect.

Perhaps one could disagree with the traditions and beliefs of Orthodoxy, but if we do not have a uniform acceptance of who is a Jew and what constitutes a convert, then not only do we create chaos, we end up with no definition at all. The Orthodox rabbis follow the beliefs and traditions that have been with us for the past 3,000 years. Do they not have a right to follow those beliefs when asked to convert or recognize someone as a Jew?

I would certainly expect that liberal rabbis would have their own definition of who is a Jew. I can disagree with it, but it certainly must exist. 

If there are legal definitions of an adult, a national definition of a Canadian citizen, religious definition of a Christian, why would someone fault us in expecting a definition of who is a Jew and expecting that it would be followed, at least by those who subscribe to it?

To allow every person to self-define themselves as being Jewish or not is actually, in my opinion, bad for the long-term health of the Jewish People. No one would really know who among us is actually a Jewish person, since there is no definition, or at most a totally fluid definition.

Canada is unquestionably a pluralistic society. However, religion at its best can not truly be pluralistic. We have to be tolerant of the beliefs of others with an expectation that others are equally respectful and tolerant of ours. To have a “belief of many truths,” the definition of pluralism, simply does not work with religion. Tolerance, however, something that is sadly lacking among our own people, is something we all should strive for.

To dismiss rabbinic leaders as “playing God” is a lack of tolerance. Such a lack of tolerance, a lack of mutual respect, is unquestionably a serious problem.

The rabbis I know who take the time, care and interest to assist people in finding their way to Judaism as converts have a right to define who, what and how they do so based on the beliefs they have held for millennia.

To attack the ability of those rabbis to operate based on the beliefs they adhere to and to belittle them by inferring that they see themselves as God truly shows a lack of understanding and a lack of tolerance.

If we want to have a unified Jewish People, it is not by getting rid of definitions or making light of age-old beliefs. Rather, it is by showing respect and care for other Jews, regardless of their Jewish practice or lack thereof.

Rabbi Avram Rothman
Thornhill, Ont.