Pluralism

By Abe Fried-Tanzer
KOC Editor
New York University

In my experience as an active member of the Jewish community at NYU, I've had a chance to see pluralism at work. When I was president of KOACH at NYU last semester, I met with the presidents of the Reform and Orthodox communities, the co-chairs of Hillel, and the Religious Life and Pluralism chair from the Hillel board on a weekly basis. Part of the idea behind that was to ensure that programming did not conflict and that the religious communities could all operate and coexist smoothly. Every once in a while, however, we did strive to plan our own joint programming, in an effort to bring the entire Jewish community at NYU together. Sometimes it was a social event, but other times it was an effort to have a Shabbat weekend or educational program designed to bring everyone together with one topic.

This past fall, we held a Rabbi's Panel, featuring an Orthodox rabbi, a Conservative rabbi, and a Reform rabbi. Students were invited to pose questions and have each of the rabbis answer them in accordance with their personal views and the positions of their movements. It was an interesting experience which allowed members of the Jewish community to gain insight into the other denominations of the religion, while it also irked some who were not impressed with the wisdom exuded by the panelists. One Orthodox attendee even sarcastically mentioned to me that he might as well become Conservative because the Conservative rabbi was the only one who, to him, seemed to know his stuff.

What has frustrated me more than anything in my experience in the Jewish community at NYU over the past four years is the inability of people to give something they're unfamiliar with a chance. It doesn't come as a shock to me when I hear that an Orthodox Jew attending Conservative Friday night services for the first time is surprised by how similar those were to the Orthodox services he or she attends on a regular basis. In truth, they differ very little, especially compared with the modified structure and liturgy of Reform services. There are small differences, and for me, they are important enough that, given a choice, I would always choose a Conservative service. I have traveled to many different minyanim around the world and have always felt infinitely more comfortable in a Conservative minyan. Yet, for the first time this January, I went to Orthodox services on a Friday evening, which worked well since the 4:45pm start time enabled me to attend Conservative services as well immediately afterward. I had heard good things about the Orthodox services at NYU from friends, and figured that, only months away from graduation, it was about time I gave it a try. I was disappointed but unsurprised to learn that they were as I had imagined them – less musical, familiar, comfortable, and meaningful – but I'm still glad I went. I believe that if everyone were more open-minded and unopposed to the possibility of trying something different, the Jewish people would be a whole lot more united, even if everyone ends up going their own way.

[Posted 2/13/10]