Some might argue that by placing too much emphasis on the utilitarian aspects of Halacha, you’re simultaneously downplaying its religious significance.
And on a historical note, the increasing secularization in Israel presents a long-term challenge to your article; will our current low intermarriage rates remain consistent over more time?
A day may come where secular Israelis find the rabbinical law unjust/ illiberal, similar to many countries with secular constituents and rather theocratic law. What happens then?
While you present a solid argument, history has only proven one thing; that Halacha has kept Jewish identity alive.
As noted in the essay, the religious element itself didn’t really exist in recent history because of the civil laws surrounding being part of a religious community
You are using "utilitarian" in a funny sense, what is utilitarian about keeping a sense of Jewish identity over assimilating with the goyim? There was a second game in town, it was called conversion and assimilation. We were mostly accepted into society if we converted, and why not convert if you are anyways not interested in the Torah. And indeed countless Jews did just that. Who cares if your kids marry Jewish if you have no interest in the Torah? The people who care only care because they care a bit about the Torah, usually those people are more likely to keep a trace amount of Torah, like going to their (Reform/conservative) synagogue, not eating pig, lighting candles on Shabbat, etc.
I think you are confusing utilitarianism with nationalism, you assign a value to secular Jewish nationalism apart from the Torah, and you do not appear to assign much value to the Torah itself, so you think a secular Jewish state is a great benefit.
I don't think you are right about that either. The Karaites were non-halachic, did not have a state, and very successful at keeping their Jewish identity. They also lasted a long time, probably longer than the modern State of Israel will last. Unless by "halachic", you would include Karaites and you just mean some sort of religious practices.
Also, you are making more than this point, you say "whereas in other countries (including the U.S.), keeping Halacha is an *existential* question, one that will most likely impact whether your grandchildren are Jewish at all..."- clearly a major part of your point is that being "Jewish" or not absent from the Torah has some sort of *existential* significance. But this only makes sense if some sort of secular Jewish nationalism is already so important to you, that this secular, non-Torah Jewish identity becomes an *existential* question for you.
Furthermore, you claim this "successful" attempt is a positive, to successfully corrupt Judaism into a non-Torah form, to separate Jewish identity from the Torah. Of course you have the right to your opinion, but why do you think "whatever side of the aisle you are on religiously, it is clearly a net positive"?- I don't think anybody on the other side of the aisle religiously of you would agree with this at all. In fact they would be horrified, and this was *the* major historical objection to Zionism.
I assume R’ Kook is not on your list of favorite authors but his theology can provide an answer; that Jewish values are deeply ingrained in secular Israeli life, whether consciously recognized or not. Current secularism could be seen as a net positive, especially when compared to the significant loss of Jews vis-à -vis intermarriage following the Enlightenment.
You mean a net positive halachically? In that secular Zionism, despite its apathy towards the Torah, has the incidental positive effect of keeping the Jewish population halachically Jewish by concentrating Jews geographically and keeping the goyim out? I can maybe agree in those terms. But that's the opposite of the argument presented in this post, which is celebrating the separation of Jewish identity from halacha. If your entire barometer of the success of the Zionist movement is halacha, then maybe you shouldn't be talking about how Zionism is so successful in creating a non-halachic Judaism.
Some might argue that by placing too much emphasis on the utilitarian aspects of Halacha, you’re simultaneously downplaying its religious significance.
And on a historical note, the increasing secularization in Israel presents a long-term challenge to your article; will our current low intermarriage rates remain consistent over more time?
A day may come where secular Israelis find the rabbinical law unjust/ illiberal, similar to many countries with secular constituents and rather theocratic law. What happens then?
While you present a solid argument, history has only proven one thing; that Halacha has kept Jewish identity alive.
On the other points: only time will tell
As noted in the essay, the religious element itself didn’t really exist in recent history because of the civil laws surrounding being part of a religious community
You are using "utilitarian" in a funny sense, what is utilitarian about keeping a sense of Jewish identity over assimilating with the goyim? There was a second game in town, it was called conversion and assimilation. We were mostly accepted into society if we converted, and why not convert if you are anyways not interested in the Torah. And indeed countless Jews did just that. Who cares if your kids marry Jewish if you have no interest in the Torah? The people who care only care because they care a bit about the Torah, usually those people are more likely to keep a trace amount of Torah, like going to their (Reform/conservative) synagogue, not eating pig, lighting candles on Shabbat, etc.
I think you are confusing utilitarianism with nationalism, you assign a value to secular Jewish nationalism apart from the Torah, and you do not appear to assign much value to the Torah itself, so you think a secular Jewish state is a great benefit.
I make a very simple point, State of Israel = only successful non-halachic attempt at conserving Jewish nation
I don't think you are right about that either. The Karaites were non-halachic, did not have a state, and very successful at keeping their Jewish identity. They also lasted a long time, probably longer than the modern State of Israel will last. Unless by "halachic", you would include Karaites and you just mean some sort of religious practices.
Also, you are making more than this point, you say "whereas in other countries (including the U.S.), keeping Halacha is an *existential* question, one that will most likely impact whether your grandchildren are Jewish at all..."- clearly a major part of your point is that being "Jewish" or not absent from the Torah has some sort of *existential* significance. But this only makes sense if some sort of secular Jewish nationalism is already so important to you, that this secular, non-Torah Jewish identity becomes an *existential* question for you.
Furthermore, you claim this "successful" attempt is a positive, to successfully corrupt Judaism into a non-Torah form, to separate Jewish identity from the Torah. Of course you have the right to your opinion, but why do you think "whatever side of the aisle you are on religiously, it is clearly a net positive"?- I don't think anybody on the other side of the aisle religiously of you would agree with this at all. In fact they would be horrified, and this was *the* major historical objection to Zionism.
I assume R’ Kook is not on your list of favorite authors but his theology can provide an answer; that Jewish values are deeply ingrained in secular Israeli life, whether consciously recognized or not. Current secularism could be seen as a net positive, especially when compared to the significant loss of Jews vis-à -vis intermarriage following the Enlightenment.
You mean a net positive halachically? In that secular Zionism, despite its apathy towards the Torah, has the incidental positive effect of keeping the Jewish population halachically Jewish by concentrating Jews geographically and keeping the goyim out? I can maybe agree in those terms. But that's the opposite of the argument presented in this post, which is celebrating the separation of Jewish identity from halacha. If your entire barometer of the success of the Zionist movement is halacha, then maybe you shouldn't be talking about how Zionism is so successful in creating a non-halachic Judaism.
Marriage in Israel in controlled by the chief rabbinate; intermarriage requires leaving the country.
Yup, as noted
That's what I get for skimming at 6 am