Why not? If he had only picked, say, a Reform rabbi, Orthodox people would be pissed, and vice-versa if only an Orthodox was tapped. Don't tell me frum folk would have preferred to only have seen Eric Yoffie there.
The reality is that while some things unify us, when it comes to personal Jewish affiliation and identification, especially when it comes to rabbis, we tend to be pretty sectarian. I cannot think of a single rabbi on the scene these days who can claim to represent a broad constituency beyond their own denomination, if that.
And this is particularly true given that many Orthodox folks don't recognize non-Ortho rabbis as legitimate. If Obama had decided to only have one rabbi involved he would have to be choosing which one was "the best" representative of America's Jews- a much bigger headache than just asking all three.
Actually, as it is, I happen to think it's an optimistic example of the three movements being able to share a stage.
my comment was not just about the rabbis, but the whole list of various clergy members who will be participating. While, as you say, on the one hand it is nice to be so inclusive, and that they can all stand together, on the other hand, it sounds like a bit much.
One of my favorite cartoons shows a man, bandaged from head to toe, on line at an auto parts store. In his hands he holds a crooked steering wheel, and he tells the proprietor: "I'll take one of everything, please"
It makes sense for a secular country not to show favoritism to any one religion. The state religion is amorphous enough to accept fuzzy words of wisdom from a wide variety of sources.
Why not? If he had only picked, say, a Reform rabbi, Orthodox people would be pissed, and vice-versa if only an Orthodox was tapped. Don't tell me frum folk would have preferred to only have seen Eric Yoffie there.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that while some things unify us, when it comes to personal Jewish affiliation and identification, especially when it comes to rabbis, we tend to be pretty sectarian. I cannot think of a single rabbi on the scene these days who can claim to represent a broad constituency beyond their own denomination, if that.
And this is particularly true given that many Orthodox folks don't recognize non-Ortho rabbis as legitimate. If Obama had decided to only have one rabbi involved he would have to be choosing which one was "the best" representative of America's Jews- a much bigger headache than just asking all three.
Actually, as it is, I happen to think it's an optimistic example of the three movements being able to share a stage.
my comment was not just about the rabbis, but the whole list of various clergy members who will be participating.
ReplyDeleteWhile, as you say, on the one hand it is nice to be so inclusive, and that they can all stand together, on the other hand, it sounds like a bit much.
One of my favorite cartoons shows a man, bandaged from head to toe, on line at an auto parts store. In his hands he holds a crooked steering wheel, and he tells the proprietor: "I'll take one of everything, please"
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense for a secular country not to show favoritism to any one religion. The state religion is amorphous enough to accept fuzzy words of wisdom from a wide variety of sources.
ReplyDelete