2008 Woodie Awards
Center for the Jewish Present
David A. Huggins
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Opinion
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Torah u-Madda is a coercive philosophy. As an ideology, it requires denying one's tradition to adopt another's Yiddishkeit. The consequence- intentional or not-is separating those that follow the established tradition from those that preserve their own. From this, a clash naturally emerges, and the clash's intensity is determined by what urgency the tradition needs to be enforced in the larger world. A bowling team might forgive a member who forgets to wear her shirt that's in the laundry, but an Islamic state requires certain death for violating its canonical law. YU's intensity fits somewhere in between.
Torah u-Madda is also a dated philosophy. Similar philosophies were born during Ecumenical times where catch-phrases of "bring us together" were heard regularly in the streets. The statements cried for unity; the theologians wanted change. Like all elite-originated movements, it may have won the hearts of the divinity schools, but it lost the souls of the congregation. Movements that follow from the top to the bottom are rarely perceived as genuine. Modern Orthodoxy's greatest criticism is that it is for the educated. Indeed, clothing itself in a university only furthers this criticism.
Odd that a phrase intended to unite two ideas could create such division. Not to credit John Edwards, but America is not alone in having two versions of itself. Examples exist of Modern Orthodox doctors, lawyers, and professors, but it is perplexing to add "Modern Orthodox" to working class professions: a "Modern Orthodox" plumber, a "Modern Orthodox" retail clerk, or a "Modern Orthodox" housewife, beg the question of what is so "modern" (i.e. different) about them? A pre-med student knows where to go to combine Modern Orthodoxy and biology, but where does one go to bridge other "blue-collar" professions? Targeting these Jews would be the first step towards offering hospitality to and acknowledging the need of others in our Orthodox community.
The Center for Jewish Future (C.J.F.)- better titled Yeshiva University's future in the Jewish world-might want to focus its purpose on repairing Modern Orthodox's relationship with the Ultra-Orthodox community. Echoing Emmanuel Mounier's Personalism, a person or a community should be a priority to a viewpoint. YU's tradition should be treated like a preparatory academy's formality and not as a statement of faith. Rather than discreetly requiring its students to accept YU's vision, YU should mold its institution to better serve the community. Should a group of Orthodox Jews disagree with getting a liberal arts degree, but value a professional career, CJF should use its resources to meet their need. Among YU's many branches, a trade school would be one way to repair the link between Modern Orthodoxy and the rest of Orthodoxy.
As Jews, the past has determined our future. From Biblical times, the actions of our forefathers fixed the actions of their descendants, but mutually, our hope in the Covenant also empowered our actions. Our inspiration to travel to new heights came from our assurance in the Divine Promise. Now is the time to begin believing in our covenantal abilities rather than repeating our forefather's fixed shadow. If Modern Orthodoxy affirms the ability to find holiness in the secular, it might also be able to find holiness in our community.
David A. Huggins, YC 08, serves on the academic senate and is an intern for YU Center for Ethics.
Torah u-Madda is also a dated philosophy. Similar philosophies were born during Ecumenical times where catch-phrases of "bring us together" were heard regularly in the streets. The statements cried for unity; the theologians wanted change. Like all elite-originated movements, it may have won the hearts of the divinity schools, but it lost the souls of the congregation. Movements that follow from the top to the bottom are rarely perceived as genuine. Modern Orthodoxy's greatest criticism is that it is for the educated. Indeed, clothing itself in a university only furthers this criticism.
Odd that a phrase intended to unite two ideas could create such division. Not to credit John Edwards, but America is not alone in having two versions of itself. Examples exist of Modern Orthodox doctors, lawyers, and professors, but it is perplexing to add "Modern Orthodox" to working class professions: a "Modern Orthodox" plumber, a "Modern Orthodox" retail clerk, or a "Modern Orthodox" housewife, beg the question of what is so "modern" (i.e. different) about them? A pre-med student knows where to go to combine Modern Orthodoxy and biology, but where does one go to bridge other "blue-collar" professions? Targeting these Jews would be the first step towards offering hospitality to and acknowledging the need of others in our Orthodox community.
The Center for Jewish Future (C.J.F.)- better titled Yeshiva University's future in the Jewish world-might want to focus its purpose on repairing Modern Orthodox's relationship with the Ultra-Orthodox community. Echoing Emmanuel Mounier's Personalism, a person or a community should be a priority to a viewpoint. YU's tradition should be treated like a preparatory academy's formality and not as a statement of faith. Rather than discreetly requiring its students to accept YU's vision, YU should mold its institution to better serve the community. Should a group of Orthodox Jews disagree with getting a liberal arts degree, but value a professional career, CJF should use its resources to meet their need. Among YU's many branches, a trade school would be one way to repair the link between Modern Orthodoxy and the rest of Orthodoxy.
As Jews, the past has determined our future. From Biblical times, the actions of our forefathers fixed the actions of their descendants, but mutually, our hope in the Covenant also empowered our actions. Our inspiration to travel to new heights came from our assurance in the Divine Promise. Now is the time to begin believing in our covenantal abilities rather than repeating our forefather's fixed shadow. If Modern Orthodoxy affirms the ability to find holiness in the secular, it might also be able to find holiness in our community.
David A. Huggins, YC 08, serves on the academic senate and is an intern for YU Center for Ethics.