Comments on: Orthodox ascendant among U.S. Jews http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/ A Journal of Jewish Thought and Opinion Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:19:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sara http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53902 Sara Mon, 01 May 2006 20:25:01 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53902 We have known these figures for along time now. Dick Horowitz recently updated his study, "Will your grandkids be Jewish?" http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/WillYourGrandchildrenBeJews.htm We have known these figures for along time now. Dick Horowitz recently updated his study, “Will your grandkids be Jewish?”
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/WillYourGrandchildrenBeJews.htm

]]> By: HILLEL http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53900 HILLEL Mon, 01 May 2006 19:28:19 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53900 WEll,it should come as no surprise. This is deja-vous all over gain. Those who abandon authentic Jewish tradition get lost among the nations. Only those who hold onto the lifeline of authentic Torah Judaism are granted the miracle of survival and continuity--It's been that way for all 2000 years of our exile. WEll,it should come as no surprise. This is deja-vous all over gain. Those who abandon authentic Jewish tradition get lost among the nations.

Only those who hold onto the lifeline of authentic Torah Judaism are granted the miracle of survival and continuity–It’s been that way for all 2000 years of our exile.

]]> By: der Alte http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53874 der Alte Sun, 30 Apr 2006 02:46:10 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53874 As a personal matter, I'm delighted to read aout this trend. An earlier study ("Will your grandchildren be Jewish?") was even more stark in its prediction. A word of caution. Analyzing social trends can be tricky. I would like to live 50 more years (two generations) to see how things turn out. As a personal matter, I’m delighted to read aout this trend. An
earlier study (”Will your grandchildren be Jewish?”) was even
more stark in its prediction.

A word of caution. Analyzing social trends can be tricky. I would
like to live 50 more years (two generations) to see how things turn
out.

]]> By: SephardiLady http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53871 SephardiLady Fri, 28 Apr 2006 22:41:46 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53871 Like Shmuel, above, I'm not popping my champagne cork quite yet. With the financial crisises many Orthodox families are facing or will face if no changes are made (call me a pessimist), who will fund the massive infrastructure of the Orthodox community? I think it is quite obvious that we do not have the level of organization amongst ourselves to change our infrastructure. And, while many older very Jewish, but non-observant, Jews have given significant sums of money to Day Schools, Yeshivot, and other Orthodox Institutions, if their heirs are not compelled to do the same (which they probably since we see our great losses in these numbers), than an important funding source will close and we will be on the losing end. The numbers sadden me tremendously. Like Shmuel, above, I’m not popping my champagne cork quite yet. With the financial crisises many Orthodox families are facing or will face if no changes are made (call me a pessimist), who will fund the massive infrastructure of the Orthodox community?

I think it is quite obvious that we do not have the level of organization amongst ourselves to change our infrastructure. And, while many older very Jewish, but non-observant, Jews have given significant sums of money to Day Schools, Yeshivot, and other Orthodox Institutions, if their heirs are not compelled to do the same (which they probably since we see our great losses in these numbers), than an important funding source will close and we will be on the losing end.

The numbers sadden me tremendously.

]]> By: Bob Miller http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53863 Bob Miller Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:43:27 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53863 Now that they've seen the future, all the famous Jewish-American organizations and consultants will run to us to make nice. It's a beautiful thing! Now that they’ve seen the future, all the famous Jewish-American organizations and consultants will run to us to make nice. It’s a beautiful thing!

]]> By: joel rich http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53862 joel rich Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:28:27 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53862 You might want to tie it in with Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" which ends with what I always considered a paean to the Orthodox (especially imho RWMO:-)) world: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference" BTW an arguably wise actuary once said: "linear extrapolations of current trends are always wrong, including this one" KT You might want to tie it in with Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” which ends with what I always considered a paean to the Orthodox (especially imho RWMO:-)) world: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference”

BTW an arguably wise actuary once said: “linear extrapolations of current trends are always wrong, including this one”
KT

]]> By: shmuel http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53859 shmuel Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:09:46 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/04/28/orthodox-ascendant-among-us-jews/#comment-53859 Let's be clear and sober. The statistics may be somewhat misleading. While the Orthodox numerator is growing somewhat, the total Jewish population is essentailly stagnant or possibly decreasing due to low birth rate and intermarriage among the non-Orthodox. Hence while the increasing percentage of Orthodox is something to be happy about, the reason for it is a bit more sobering as we are losing some many of our bretheren to apathy. To co-opt chazal while numerous Jews are drowning in a sea of assimilation, its no time to sing shira. Let’s be clear and sober. The statistics may be somewhat misleading. While the Orthodox numerator is growing somewhat, the total Jewish population is essentailly stagnant or possibly decreasing due to low birth rate and intermarriage among the non-Orthodox. Hence while the increasing percentage of Orthodox is something to be happy about, the reason for it is a bit more sobering as we are losing some many of our bretheren to apathy. To co-opt chazal while numerous Jews are drowning in a sea of assimilation, its no time to sing shira.

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