Baggage

Baggage
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Jerusalem, 7/10/05

I translate Hebrew expression Marit Ayin to mean “attracting the evil eye”. Traditionally the term is used to refer to behavior of a religious Jew that is likely to be misinterpreted by an onlooker. The fear is that the onlooker may judge the Jew harshly for behavior that was not intended to be wrong. In contemporary Israel, the term is used to refer to anyone who uses Jewish religious symbols for a particular political cause that leads a cheapening of those religious symbols in the eyes of the public.

For instance, I heard this week a speaker criticize the settlers in Gaza who cover themselves in tallitot when presenting their case against the withdrawal and evacuation of Gaza. This was a Marit Ayin for many in the Israeli public who react in disgust to the settler’s perceived stridency and fanaticism. The fear is that more people will develop negative feelings for sacred Jewish objects and for the Judaism espoused by the settlers. Unfortunately, a very negative attitude toward religious Judaism is hardening among Israel’s majority of secular citizens.
In Israel this is how many beloved and core practices of Jewish life acquire ‘baggage’. We use ‘baggage’ to refer to complicated chapters of our past, troubled relationships to parents, siblings, relatives. Many people talk about baggage with their religious heritage, bad experiences in religious school, with a teacher or a rabbi, or with an institution. Israel in this sense is baggage central because not only do you have the normal range of ‘baggage’ possibilities with families, local religious figures and institutions the national media serves as a clearinghouse for every alienating use of religion by national figures and causes.

In America we are now experiencing a more strident public discourse on religion in the public square. In Israel it is hard to describe the conflicts over religion as discourse, but rather a shouting match. This leads to widespread disgust and alienation. The use of settlers of Jewish symbols is just another chapter in Israel of groups resorting to ‘public demonstrations’ of Judaism for their own purposes. It is very hard to advocate for progressive Jewish causes in
Israel because of the widespread cynicism about Judaism in the public square. But there are many outstanding organizations that work tirelessly to project a moderate and ethical Judasim into the public realm. I was drawn to the Hartman Institute because of the courageous attempt by its founder, Rabbi David Hartman, to create an alternative discourse on Judaism.

The Institute brings people together to fashion a public Judaism that honors the past but broadens the range of legitimate Jewish expression. By creating a place where Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and secular Jews can learn together, the institute requires all who learn there to dialogue with each other. The teachers and students at Hartman occupy the vital center of Judaism in Israel middle of Jewish life. It is where you can go to recover a sense of the greatness of Judaism.

I have been attending seminars at the Hartman Institute since the late 80s and now participate in a more intensive three-year seminar for twenty five North American rabbis of all streams. The Hartman Institute is one of the main models for Panim Hadashot-New Faces of Judaism. The focus on learning, the centrality of the great Jewish texts, and the pluralistic foundation directly influenced the approach of Panim Hadashot.

My hope is that Panim Hadashot can help Jews deal with their baggage, overcoming negative and disappointing experiences that have marred people’s lives. The way to do this is to create the best conditions for people to encounter a vital Judaism. Over the past year so many people told me how their attitude toward Judaism had changed after studying or celebrating with us. So much of contemporary Jewish life is about changing attitudes, opening up the richness of tradition, and rediscovering the joyful nature of Judaism. In an age of religious fundamentalism and violence, the need for a positive, passionate, and humane expression of religion is the order of the day.