Re Aaron Ross’ question concerning the current spiritual state of teenagers as compared to ten or twenty years ago.
Background qualifications: I have taught in Jewish high schools since receiving Semicha from RIETS in 1974 and served as a congregational Rabbi for twenty-five of those years.
Observation: I have long believed that culture constantly shifts, and those who wish to meaningfully engage with a community are obligated to incorporate such changes into their educational and spiritual approaches, if their personalities allow for such adjustments. Furthermore, when someone is driven by strong ideological principles, making the requisite changes will prove more difficult since the Jewish educator or synagogue leader will view at least some of these changes as inimical to the very reasons why he opted to pursue such a career in the first place.
Caveat: I personally believe that stereotypes and generalizations are inaccurate, particularly with respect to human beings. Invariably, with respect to virtually any topic or issue, they can be found to represent a series of points making up an entire range of perspectives and outlooks. “The Four Sons†in Haggadat Pesach is an excellent case in point, and I am sure that in many families, where children have benefited from the same parental upbringing, they nevertheless reflect different points along a spectrum of views and personality types. Only because a “bell-curve†distribution can be observed to be pertinent to these ranges, with the preponderance of individuals found in the middle of the range, can one speak even tentatively regarding any group at a given time, in a specific place.
Concerning contemporary teenagers in the United States—I believe that this cohort in other societies will display differing characteristics, at least in degree if not in kind—it seems to me that they are the product of two trends in the Jewish world, which can be combined into a single issue.
On the one hand, when Torah is either studied or presented, insufficient emphasis is placed upon seeking Ta’amei HaMitzvot (reasons for the Commandments) in general, and those dealing with personal improvement vis-à -vis God, one’s fellow man, and oneself. As the fabric of our society, as well as the world in general, has coarsened over time, it seems to me that it is more important than ever for Judaism to serve as a moral stopgap vis-à -vis our surrounding culture, as opposed to a support and reinforcement of the uncivil behavior that has come to mark much of that culture. In my experience, Shabbat’s moral, social dimension has not been explored or emphasized, and for this reason it is easier for some to justify continuing to use their electronic devices to assure that they don’t miss out on what their friends may be doing. Laws of modesty are not discussed as reflections of respect for one’s fellow man, but rather as formalistic rituals, that those who view themselves as “progressive,†feel that they can disregard with impunity. It seems to me that even if schools attempt to educate for spirituality, if all that means is exploring how Judaism makes a person feel good about himself, as opposed to transforming him into a measurably better person, the initiatives will continue to be devoid of results. And as for more and more families including adults that have higher Jewish educations, I don’t believe that this type of teaching was central to their learning experience either, and therefore they can hardly be expected to promote such an emphasis on their own.
On a different, but related note, research has demonstrated how social action is something that inspire individuals to attempt to improve their surroundings, and in the process, themselves as well. While denominations to the “left†of Orthodoxy have made social action the keystone of their religious activities, Orthodox schools and shuls have not necessarily done so for at least practical, if not ideological reasons. I don’t have in mind effective appeals that send funds, clothing, food, etc. once or twice a year to communities that have suffered trauma and tragedy; or even occasionally travelling to shelters, food banks, or old-age homes in order to do good deeds. The social action that seems to me to have the potential to make religion meaningful particularly for impressionable teenagers involves personal initiatives on an ongoing basis, with an individual sacrificing his own time and efforts, in effect “sweat equity,†demonstrating that this is part-and-parcel of who s/he is and what s/he stands for. And for such efforts to capture the imaginations of young people, the lessons would not only have to be programmatic, but modeled by as many faculty members and synagogue leaders as possible. Schools and shuls must become true “Chesed (kindness) communities.â€
While I don’t think that commitment to exploring personally meaningful Ta’amei HaMitzvot or integrating regular social action activities were central components of Jewish education and Orthodox synagogue life ten and twenty years ago, I believe that they are called for now more than ever when surrounding society has become so caustic to true spirituality. Rav Moshe Feinstein, in a responsa, once referred to American society as a “Malchut Shel Chesed†(a political entity of kindness.) While that may have been true then, I am not sure that it still is the case, and therefore to retain the interest of teenagers, they have to be shown that at least their brand of Judaism is a religion of “Chesed.â€
Yaakov Bieler
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2018 08:19PM by mlb.
