Mark Kleiman (left) on why Norman Podhoretz, conservative and proud of his Judaism, wonders why his conservatism puts him in a minority among Jews, when it seems that liberalism is contrary to the class interests of the Jews who are prosperous rather than poor.
One way to put this point is that the difference between the liberal majority among Jews and the conservative minority is the difference between those who do, and those who do not, observe the mitzvah of Deut. 24:7-8:
Thou shalt not pervert the justice due to the stranger, or to the fatherless; nor take the widow’s raiment to pledge. But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence; therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Podhoretz and his friends have gone Egyptian, and object to oppression only when they’re on the receiving end. No wonder they so hate those of us who have chosen to remain Jewish, and understand that the reason we say
avodim hayyinu – “We were slaves” - at each Passover Seder is to remind ourselves that we must never, never, ever act like slavemasters.
Mark Kleiman (left) on why Norman Podhoretz, conservative and proud of his Judaism, wonders why his conservatism puts him in a minority among Jews, when it seems that liberalism is contrary to the class interests of the Jews who are prosperous rather than poor.
One way to put this point is that the difference between the liberal majority among Jews and the conservative minority is the difference between those who do, and those who do not, observe the mitzvah of Deut. 24:7-8:
6 comments:
In carrying out this mitzvah (by supporting the dems) they also end up supporting many other things that are unbiblical. Obviously I don't agree with the analysis.
J, where do you think American Jewry is headed? Do you think a new smaller and more rightwing Jewry will emerge? Do you think the future will be more of the past?
I am curious what your opinion is since you probably think about these things more than I do.
The future will not be like the past. American Jewry is assimilating and in two generations only the hard core Orthodox will remain.
I agree with you, but I wish I hadn't asked.
Only the hard-core orthodox will remain Jewish according to Jewish law. However, there will continue to be a large population of people who identify loosely as Jewish in culture and ethnicity. Their political influence will be significant.
But what will happen to you Rashkov?
Me? I'll probably move to Israel in my 40s. That's what my parents did about the Soviet Union. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and I feel like an immigrant-to-be.
I'll probably marry Jewish, too.
As for what's happened to me recently -- I started a new job in IT. Haven't had much time to read blogs, but now I am doing some catch-up.
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