This year Jews through the length and breadth of America will celebrate the 300th anniversary of the landing of the first Jews on American soil. And this Saturday we of Kodimoh, as all Jews of Forest Park, devote to that theme – the Tercentenary. It is an occasion for happiness, pride and rejoicing. But aside from the sense of celebration, we American Jews must and will indulge in the ancient Jewish sport of self-analysis and self-criticism. The eight-month period is not going to be, nor should it be allowed to become, a birthday party with a lot of singing, guest speaker, a cake with candles and a rousing “Happy Birthday." The occasion is too solemn for that. For we must now undergo a collective cheshbon ha’nefesh. And perhaps, upon reflection, we will find that there is much to be desired, and that we must revise our thinking about American Jewry. In the words of contemporary American diplomacy, we may have to experience an “agonizing reappraisal." When, as we read in this morning’s portion, Israel was about ready to enter its promised land, when it had completed its monumental sojourn in the desert and was prepared to reaffirm its covenant with G-d, G-d made sure to make them aware of the fact that they were now in the historical spotlight. Atem nitzavim ha’yom, you are now standing this day, each and every one of you, before the appraising eyes of G-d and before the jury of history. And one might say that the same command is applicable to American Jewry today: you stand before the jury of generations, on this day you are to be judged and evaluated – be ready for the task, nay, for the ordeal.
And who are we to judge our people – whether then or now? The massorah, Tradition, plays upon the word atem – “you” – sensing that in this word G-d orders a self-appraisal to His people. And the massorah connects it with three other verses which begin with that provocative, almost accusative, atem. Tradition tells us, as it were, that when atem nitzavim, when a people stands before the bar of History, it should be judged by the three standards which G-d Almighty prefaces with atem.
The first of these verses is the one in which Pharaoh orders his Israelite slaves to provide straw for the bricks and mortar. Atem k’chu lachem teven, you Jews, take for yourself straw. Show what you can accomplish in the realm of material welfare and economy. Well, what has American Jewry done in laying the foundations of American economy, physical security and health? Our record here is admirable. Historians are first now beginning to appreciate the role played by the early Jewish peddlers in expanding and establishing the American economy at the turn of the century and even earlier. One need but mention such names as Baruch and Morgenthau, or Gompers and Hillman, to realize that American Jewry has contributed heavily to the philosophy and practice of American economics.
Not only in economics, but also in providing for health and in scientific advancement, have Jews contributed to the greatness of our country. In biology and medicine we have the Waksmans; in physics, the Einsteins, Oppenheimers and Tellers. American Jews have benefited heavily from this great country, along with all its other citizens. But we have contributed as heavily to its financial, physical and scientific progress. Atem kechu lachem teven. We have been bricklayers for the material well-being of our country. Judged by this standard, American Jewry can rightly be proud of itself.
The second criterion is indicated by the verse in which G-d reminds Israel of what He did to Egypt, of the entire cosmic-historical drama of which they were the protagonists. Atem re’issem asher assisi le’mitrayim, you, Israel, you above all others, you know the full import of the Exodus. You know the bitterness of persecution, the debasement of slavery and the curse of exile from your very own experience. As a Jew, therefore, your duty will be a political one too. Knowing exile, it will be your task to provide a home for your homeless brothers. And knowing what I did to Egypt, you must be a perpetual defender of the civil rights of all people. Zionism, liberty and resistance to tyranny, is part of the heritage of the Jew. And before the jury of History can pass the verdict, it must know of Jewry’s achievements along these lines.
Here too American Jewry has conducted itself extremely well. America has not been deficient in providing Zionist leadership. Brandeis, Wise, Silver, Mrs. Bessie Gottesfeld and countless others have given direction and inspiration to the greatest Jewish political achievement in twenty centuries. Israel might never have been if not for the concerted political pressure of millions of American Zionists. Israel, once created, might never survive if not for the financial contribution and economic know-how contributed by American Jews. Jewish charity has always been famous, but it has never reached quite such heights as it did in the U.J.A.
And Jews have contributed mightily not to the battles for civil rights for all minorities in America. Negros have found not a few champions from Jewish ranks. One of the most active groups campaigning for mutual understanding with and tolerance for the New Puerto Rican immigrants, is a Rabbinic body. The ideals of democracy and liberty are close to the Jewish heart – for atem re’issem asher assisi le’mitrayim, you Jews have yourself seen the end of Egypt, and hence the consequences of any kind of tyranny.
On the first two counts, therefore, the material and political, American Jewry will be given a clean bill. It is the third which must arrest our attention. It is the third which, according to the opinion of this Rabbi, must perhaps give birth to a Jewish “agonizing reappraisal."
And the third criterion is epitomized in Isaiah’s words, atem eiday, you children of Israel, are My witness. A Jew must always conduct himself in such a manner as to bear witness to the Oneness of G-d and the Divinity revealed in Torah. He must be a living testimony of G-dliness. In other words, the third test is the religious one.
Let me begin by taking exception to statements some of my colleagues have been making. They have been complaining bitterly that in summarizing the achievements of the last 300 years in America, somehow the religious angle is lost. We talk of peddlers, capitalists, labor leaders, scientists, authors, farmers, anti-semites and philanthropy, but rarely any talk about the progress of Judaism as such on these shores. Why not dramatize the contributions of religious leaders to America and American Jewry?
In principle, I would be the first one to agree. Certainly, show the religious contribution. There is only one trouble with that. And that is, if we are to be perfectly frank and honest with ourselves, that we have little to show. As witnesses to G-d’s Torah, we have not succeeded. It is perhaps a terrible thing to say, but it is true.
Take for comparison’s sake, the Jewries of Spain, France & Germany, Palestine and Poland, each in its time of ascendancy and most productive era. We Americans have produced more physicians, economists, labor leaders, liberal lawyers and farmers than all together. But Spain, from Maimonides down to its most obscure religious poet, towers way above us in its array of cultural giants and religious saints. France-Germany from Rashi to the last Tosafists, is simply not something with which to compare America. Palestine and Poland – the same can only be said of them. We have not produced one Vilno Gaon, not one Baal Shem Tov, not one Joseph Caro. Religiously, and even generally in Jewish “culture," we are an impoverished people.
That is not to say that the picture is entirely bleak. There is some accomplishment, which holds promise for the future. As Ludwig Lewisohn points out in a recent article, the growth of Jewish education has been truly authentic and heroic. From 1935 to 1953, Torah Umessorah has increased the number of Day Schools from 17 to 156. The total number of Orthodox congregations is now well over 3,000 and the combined total of the other kinds of congregations is just over 900. The Young Israel movement has grown considerably. These are factors to be considered.
(Include in the first of these paragraphs a discussion of Yeshiva University and the idea of “synthesis” it has introduced as a new and yet ancient ideal in Judaism. Then continue with last paragraph on last page.)
This does not mean, of course, that the situation is desperate. Quite the contrary, it is promising – for the future. The past has shown us to be weak. The future holds the possibility of strength. The positive religious accomplishments of which we just spoke – Day Schools, synthesis, dignified Orthodox synagogues – these are comparatively new on the American scene. It is possible that they will be able to achieve in the next 50 years what we have not had here in the last 300. But a task of this sort requires a whole lot of dedication and hard work. It requires honesty of mind, stoutness of heart and, yes, sweat of the brow, to be able to respond to the challenge of atem eiday, to be the witnesses for G-d.
Certainly, all three standards we have mentioned this morning are important – the material, the political and the religious. But it is upon the religious that we stand or fall as a collectivity. The jury of history will consider all three counts. But its ultimate verdict will be based upon the evaluation of the Jewishness of American Jews. Atem nitsavim hayom, American Jewry stands in judgement this year, kulchem lifnei ha’shem elokeichem, all of us must answer to the Divine Judge and the Jury of Coming Generations. Rasheichem, shivteichem ve’shotreichem, kol ish yisrael, our leaders and communal workers and our ordinary members of the community; tapchem unesheichem, our womenfolk and especially our children and, what we do with them, all of us stand ready to be judged upon all our actions, mei’chotev eitzecha, kol ish yisrael, from wood-choppers to water-carriers, from scientists to farmers, we will be judged for all our accomplishments and all our failures. But the main issue, which all else is subservient, and for which we primarily atem nitsavim, stand in judgement, is: l’ovrecha bi’vris ha’shem elokecha, the acceptance of God’s covenant.
If we succeed in living up to the terms of the covenant, even the wood-choppers and water-carriers will be blessed. If we fail, the most ingenious high-powered buzz saw, invented by a Jew, or the richest Jewish oil-well, will not save us.
May G-d grant that the future be even brighter, and that we rise to our great destiny as G-d’s witnesses.