THE CAUSE AND CURES FOR ASSIMILATION

Some Underlying Reasons for Assimilation

In the Torah portion of Va’etchanan G-d stipulates the prohibition of intermarriage, not because of racism. Judaism is definitely not racist. Note: the only time blacks were taken out of Africa en mass not to be enslaved was the movement by the Israeli government of the entire population of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel; in addition, anyone from any race can convert to Judaism. Rather, the prohibition of intermarriage is to strengthen and guarantee the survival of unadulterated Judaism.

What fuels intermarriage today is the fact that many young Jews are either totally ignorant or totally turned off to Judaism – why?

The following are offered as possibilities:

1. Widespread ignorance of the contributions of Jews and Judaism to world history, philosophy, science and to humanity in every field of human endeavor. We need to know for ourselves, and spread the reasons why it is great to be Jewish. See for example http://www.ikehillah.org/18reasonswhyitsgreattobejewish

2. The widespread belief that religion is incompatible with science and modernity. Science says the world was created 16 billion years ago Judaism seemingly 5773 years old. Science talks about dinosaurs inhabiting the world millions of years ago. Whereas the ‘rabbis’ seem to challenge their existence. These matters have been answered in an excellent volume entitled Challenge: Torah Views on Science and Its Problems by Rabbi Arye Carmell and/or listen to: http://etzahaim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Itemid=84

3. There is a misconception that Judaism forbids all fun activities and only allows that which is boring. This may seem true to many people living in today’s permissive society where ‘fun’ is equated with promiscuity and immorality and succumbing to ones passions. We need to stress how Judaism gives us meaning, purpose and betters the quality of our lives. For example please listen to:http://etzahaim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=383&Itemid=84or http://etzahaim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=427&Itemid=84 or see Kindness Changing people’s lives for the better by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin.

4. When people see religious people breaking the law or misbehaving they dismiss Jews and Judaism as unethical and lacking value we need to live with Kiddush Hashem – sanctifying G-d’s name by behaving morally and ethically and being good role models for all. See http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/jl.htm on kiddush Hashem.

5. Students in Yeshivot especially weak ones can be turned of by the focus of studying texts.in a very dry, boring way depending in the teacher