The month-long discussion on Tishah B’Av has elicited many reader comments that we want to share with all of you. We also add that the views expressed were those of individual writers and do not necessarily represent the position of the Union for Reform Judaism…
The Department of Lifelong Jewish Learning The Union for Reform Judaism
Gentlemen,
As an avid reader of 10 Minutes of Torah and of Eilu V'Eilu, I feel compelled to protest the view expressed by both Rabbis in today's issue of Eilu V'Eilu, that the observance of Yom HaShoah should eventually be folded into that of Tishah B'Av. While I respect the right of both rabbis to their personal opinion, I am concerned that the unity of their thinking here might be construed by readers as the Union’s position on this matter. I sincerely hope that this is not the case and respectfully ask you to clarify the URJ position on this.
I strongly feel that the Shoah was a calamity of such magnitude and significance, not only to the Jewish people and to humanity, but to the theological underpinning of our religion, that it deserves and, indeed, demands a separate and unique observance and commemoration. Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg represents the thinking of many learned Jews, which he states in his essay “From Destruction to Redemption”
The Holocaust is one of the greatest devastating, shattering, but also transforming events in Jewish history and, I would argue, of general religious history. First and foremost, it is shattering. I think you have to have a lot of inner courage (perhaps blindness) to go on talking about God after the Shoah. That all three denominations could go on saying the same prayers they said before the Shoah, as if nothing happened, is shameful….
Greenberg goes on to develop a positive philosophy: God has become self-limited, and even more hidden in this world of ours, God is really everywhere. We must have the courage and the insight to discover where, and to explore it.
I am sure that it was not your intent to offend your readers, especially survivors like me. I hope that you, as the sponsor of this program, will consider it fair to also have the other point of view presented to your readers.
Sel Hubert Past President of Community Synagogue Rye, NY
I like the diversity of direction the two Rabbis give of any subject including the subject of Tishah B'Av and Yom HaShoah. I disagree as a Jew with both Rabbis this week. I don't think that Yom HaShoah should be merged as soon as seventy years. I think that is too soon. I don't think we've done enough to make sure that it never happens again. I don't think mankind as a whole really has a grasp on what it's capable of as far as moving resources to stop such a tragedy in our time or there would be no Darfur right now. I know our people are leading the fight to stop that genocide, but mankind saw the Shoah and what has it learned? It appears to be denial to me. What specific actions do we and can we take as Jews to ensure that it never happens again?
Brian Knight Memphis, TN
… and a letter questioning the Reform position on commemorating Tishah B’Av. When I came into the Reform Movement some thirty-five years ago, the mainstream attitude towards Tishah B’Av was that Reform Judaism didn’t pray for the restoration of the Temple and recognized the destruction of the Second Temple as the true eye-opener for the development of the synagogue; ergo, mourning was out of place and the recognition of the occasion superfluous and counter-ideological. Rabbi Korotkin alludes to this position even as she compellingly refutes it.
Are we to assume, given that both discussants find meaning in the observance of Tishah B’Av, that the voice for the historical Reform position no longer exists, that where the occasion is not marked, it is totally the summer torpor to which Rabbi Korotkin also makes reference, and that nobody believes that it should not be observed?
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