The 90`s

Americanized Jews are self-destructing

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published week of August 11th - 17th 1993

There are 613 commandments in the Torah.  Here's one that's been spiraling out-of-vogue lately: "Do not intermarry with them (non-Jews.) Do not give your daughters to their sons and do not take their daughters for your sons.  They will lead your children away from Me, causing them to worship other gods. God will then display His anger against you and you will quicky be destroyed." (Deut. 7:3-4)

Sackcloth, ashes, torn clothing, deep mourning - Tevya saying "there is no other land" and walking away - these were the typical responses of Jewish parents confronted with the specter of intermarriage.  No longer. Some of the folks may be dismayed or even a little distressed but on the whole mom and pop go along 100 percent. Among a large segment of the Jewish population intermarriage has even become tres chic.

Just how acceptable is this? Look at The New York Times on Sundays.  In the "Styles" section the Times lists weddings and engagements.  The July 28 issue was full of intermarriages being performed by both Christian clergy and rabbis.  Intermarriages were predominate among the overall marriage listings and July 18 was a light week. You should have seen July 4! 

What is this doing to our people? The recently released Jewish population study sponsored by the UJA-Federation admits to an average 50 percent intermarriage rate nationwide.  The study says that only 4 percent of the non-Jewish spouses convert to Judaism. Only a small percentage of their children are raised as Jews.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party chief, in a recent address to the Knesset remarked about intermarriage that "the figures show that in the 1950s for instance, intermarriage was between 6 and 8 percent and today it's around 52 percent.  If you go to California, which has the worst rate of intermarriage, its already 70 percent." If you go to cities like Phoenix and Houston the rate approaches 80 percent. So much so that even their local Jewish newspapers regularly publish the wedding announcements of intermarried couples with nary a sideward glance.

Among those who opt to marry another Jews, there is a negative population growth rate.  We're only generating 1.8 children per couple - this is below replacement. The median age for American Jews is 45 - this means that more than half the Jews in the U.S. are in their 50s, 60s, 70s and above.  Compare this with the median age of 25 for the U.S. population as a whole. This means that of the roughly 5 million Jews here, about half fit the actuarial probability of facing death within the next 20 years.  This will cut the number of American Jews by half.

In the 1930's we had 6 million Jews in this country. Netanyahu observes that "the most recent surveys place that figure (population) closer to 5 million... it means that in the last 30 years, had U.S. Jews a reasonable growth like that we enjoy here in Israel, we would have been looking at something like 9 million U.S. Jews today.  In other words, 4 million Jews disappeared, weren't born or were assimilated. 

What is the root cause of this phenomenon? In a word: ignorance.  Most Jewish kids today don't receive a Jewish education and most of the younger generation today, those in their 20s, 30s and 40s either received no Jewish education or were recipients of a grossly sub-standard Talmud Torah Sunday School type of instruction that in fact bred far more antipathy for Judaism than affection.  Throughout the 1940's, '50's and '60's the American Jewish mania was to become as American as possible. This effort has proven successful.  It has borne fruit - not the figs and dates of Israel, but the apples for American apple pie. 

With no compelling reasons to stay apart, feeling part of the American mainstream, young Jews have little or no compunctions about delving into everything that our society has to offer.  We're all Americans, right?

Manifestations of this include the never-before-seen high levels of alcohol and drug consumption and abuse by Jews.  Say it ain't so? Just go to any college campus and you'll see the Jewish kids bellying up to the bar with the best of them.  Take a trip to Fire Island or the Hamptons and you'll witness the bacchanalian revels taking place in single share houses, in the clubs, at parties and on the street.  It doesn’t end there. Intermarriage also stems directly from the high levels of promiscuity among young Jews. On most college campuses it's been known for some time that the most sexually active and inquisitive students are the Jews.  The carries forward into single life where 50 percent are marrying non-Jews because more than 75 percent are dating, or have dated, non-Jews. Many single Jews express strong disdain for dating other Jews. There is a sizeable number who boast of never having dated any Jews at all!

Along with all of this there is an unprecedented number of Jews who have never been married, who are in their 30s and 40s and a divorce rate hovering at 50 percent as well.  Neber in Jewish history have there been so many unmarried Jews on the loose. Look at the personals in New York magazine - mostly Jews.

What does this portend for the future of Jewish philanthropy? The UJA and Israel Bonds people are worried.  They're undertaking a valiant effort to send young people to Israel on missions and "Israel experience." Sadly, only 20 percent of American Jews have been to Israel.  Yet Israel is an anecdote. Jewish organizations, the Israeli government and American Zionism must make getting young people over to Israel our top priority.

Nearly everyone who visits Israel returns with an enhanced Jewish identity and sense o pride.  American Jews, like all Americans, like to identify with something exiting, something winning. Israel is that kind of place.  It inspires both nationalistically and religiously. Just as Israel has been the salvation for millions seeking refuge from persecution, Israel can be the savior for young American Jews.