Beware anti-Semitism, assimilation, apathy – Rabbi Mirvis

MICHAEL BELLING

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, who spoke at Sydenham Shul on “Games Rabbis Play”.

FILE PHOTO

Visiting South Africa for the first time since his appointment as chief rabbi, he said he was coming back to his roots. South African-born, he spent is first five years growing up in the area of the shul. His father was a warden at the Pine Street Shul and his mother taught at the Sydenham Shul nursery school.

Anti-Semitism was becoming manifest in all sorts of ways throughout Europe, as had been shown clearly over the past few weeks of Israel’s Protective Edge campaign in Gaza.

Assimilation meant Jews were becoming weaker from within, more connected to the surrounding culture than to Judaism.

Apathy was a danger, when Jews did not care about their past or the Jewish future.

“We must be enthusiastic and passionate about our Yiddishkeit,” he said, but the enthusiasm and passion were not always there. We were constantly being influenced by the community where we lived and could not run away from the world around us.”

He asked how Orthodox we were. “From the Anglo-Jewish perspective it means we subscribe to certain values. This doesn’t necessarily show through practice.”

This led him to the title of his talk, “Games Rabbis Play”.

“Rabbis know what is going on in the lives of their members. The main rule of the game is that rabbis never talk about it.”

Both they and congregants kept shtum, with neither referring to shortcomings in religious practice and observance among congregants. That was how the game worked.

This contrasted with the situation in the United States, where being Orthodox meant being frum, while the non-Orthodox were observant to much lesser extent, or not at all.

“Orthodox means thinking correctly, to identify with what is right, subscribe to true and valid ideals.

“We identify with Torah-true Judaism. That is what Orthodoxy is all about. The Anglo-Jewish style of Orthodoxy is all embracing. All are welcome, regardless of the level of practice,” he said.

This approach had been followed in other Commonwealth countries, including South Africa, reaching out to one and all.

He issued a challenge to “up our game”. Being Orthodox in this sense was not good enough. Orthopraxis was required – practising correctly.

“What really matters in our lives is not what we intend or think, but what we do. Orthopraxis will preserve our faith.”

We had to pass on our Jewish practice and belief to our children. If we went with the flow, there was no indication whether our Yiddishkeit was alive or not.

“If we can find the capacity to swim against the current, our Yiddishkeit is alive. It is important to know where to draw the line.

“Come with me on a journey to our collective Jewish roots. Look to the past to provide us with inspiration for the future, from a Torah perspective.

“Try to be a little frummer. Hopefully, then the rabbis will not have to play their games any more.”

The lecture was arranged by Sydenham Shul, the Johannesburg College of Adult Jewish Education and the Academy of Jewish Thought and Learning.

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein introduced Rabbi Mirvis. Rabbi Yossy Goldman of Sydenham Shul welcomed those present.