If you're Jewish and you're interested in doing something about it, you're part of a dwindling group. The populaton of the United States has just surpassed the 300 million mark. But population studies of American Jews reveal declining numbers, an aged community, and widespread apathy.

Arnold Eisen, professor of Jewish culture and religion at Stanford and the Chancellor-designate of The Jewish Theological Seminary, recently said that "the answer to assimilation and intermarriage is not numbers, but quality. " He says "we are losing a million Jews -- which matters, because every Jew matters." But, he continued by talking about the quality of Judaism as against the total number of American Jews: "If I take the 20% of American Jews who are active and if I turn another 20% into active Jews I have transformed the Jewish people. That 2 million out of 4 million would leave us in better shape than 1 million out of 5 million."

One million Jews in America are simply being lost. No inquisitons, pogroms or genocide, mind you. Kosher caviar and parve ice cream are more available than ever, mind you. And Harry Reid's wife, Nancy Pelosi's son-in-law, and former Senator George Allen turn out to be Jewish, mind you. And yet for all that, we are still in the process of seeing one million of our fellow American Jews simply get lost.

So for those of us who care, for those of us who don't want to get caught in the dwindle of it all, what can we do about the quality of our Jewish lives?

My answers are: Be proud that you're a Jew. Learn more about the way your people have changed America and changed the world, very much for the better. Read Jewish books; "the more you know the more you will grow" is a model that I believe in. And come to the services and programs at Tree of Life. I realize that the last of these 4 proposals is not possible for everyone who is reading this. The internet is everywhere and we're in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh. But if you are in the 'hood, do come in. We make everyone feel welcome.

American Jewry seem to be at a peak and at a nadir, both at the same time. I challenge you and me and all of us to take a stance and decide where you want to fit in. As Hillel said, "If not now, when?"

Sincerely,
Stephen Listfield
Rabbi

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