February 27, 2004

Orthodox Union Leader Emphasizes A Passion for Judaism as Antidote to Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”

Emphasizing “Ashraynu, ma tov chelkaynu…How fortunate we are, how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage…,” Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, delivered his fervent message to the Jewish people that passion for their Jewish heritage will serve as an antidote to Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion.”

On February 17 in New York, in anticipation of the release of Gibson’s movie, a video symposium featuring Rabbi Weinreb; Professor David Berger, historian, scholar of religion and expert on Jewish-Christian relations at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York; and Rabbi Michael Skobac, Education Director of the Toronto branch of Jews for Judaism, was taped and is being sent this week to hundreds of OU synagogues across North America.

“The reason the Orthodox Union prepared this symposium was to empower our member synagogues and their constituencies with relevant programming so we can educate our community and further motivate it,” declared Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, Executive Director of Programming. “This response reflects a basic mandate of the OU to respond to hot button topics affecting our community. In this case it was our responsibility to provide our constituency with an antidote to the potential challenge the film will create.”

It should be noted that Rabbi Weinreb, in addition to being an eminent religious leader, is also Dr. Weinreb, a distinguished clinical psychologist. Wearing his psychologist’s hat, Dr. Weinreb delves into the implications of “The Passion” on Jewish self-image and self-esteem, and then assumes his role as Rabbi Weinreb, to counsel how to counter such trends.

“Should you see this film – you – Jewish boy, Jewish girl, Jewish man, Jewish woman – should you see the film?” Rabbi Weinreb asks, stating not only his concern for the anti-Semitism that such a film will engender but for its emotional impact on Jews.

“My concern is for the effect that seeing this movie, or even seeing part of this film or reading about this film will have upon my Jewish brothers and sisters, observant or non-observant, Orthodox or non-Orthodox, old or young,” he says, describing the “inner psychological process” in seeing the movie’s “good guys” and “bad guys” and which as in any film would cause viewers to “identify deeply with the hero,” and “disidentify with the villain,” presented as “fiendish-looking Jews.”

Although the Catholic Church has prepared materials to counter the effects of the film, Rabbi Weinreb was advised by Bishop William Murphy of Long Island, NY at an interfaith conference that even a pronouncement from the Pope himself “will pale compared to the power of a Hollywood-produced film.”

If Jews see the film and identify with an image of Jesus “and will disidentify with their own God-given identity as a Jewish people,” the result may be “inner doubts” about Judaism, Rabbi Weinreb declares.

This presents a challenge, Rabbi Weinreb says, but like any challenge in human life, it also presents an opportunity. He calls on Jews to learn more about their faith and enough about Christianity so that “we can be proud of the ways in which we are different.”

Rabbi Weinreb contrasts the differing paths to redemption in Christianity and Judaism. In Christianity redemption is by faith; in Judaism it by actions, the fulfilling of mitzvot, God’s commandments. In Judaism “Grace does not come from without but grace comes from within,” Rabbi Weinreb says, adding that the special role of the Jewish people, through fulfillment of the mitzvot, is “to bring the universe closer to a God” who commands us to distinguish good from evil and “to act in this world” in a manner to show “how God’s teachings have relevance” on all aspects of society.

The Rabbi notes the teachings of the Rambam (Maimonides) who said that the role of Christianity is to provide throughout the non-Jewish world Jewish concepts such as prayer, repentance and family values.

Regarding whether Jews should see the film and in fact, if they should boycott it, Rabbi Weinreb says, “I’m not one for boycotts,” adding that in his opinion Jews should be “open to the wisdom of the nations.” However, this does not include exposure to “those aspects of alien teachings that are contrary to our central beliefs.” The sages taught that Jews should exercise restraint in pursuit of the flesh and the spirit, and restraint is called for here. “You can have a full life as a fully fledged human and fully realized Jew” without seeing this film, he declared.

Rabbi Weinreb compares Judaism to Christianity and calls upon Jews to understand at its most basic levels the differences between them “so that you know why you are proud to be a Jew.” Then, rising to his peroration, he recites the words of a prayer that is said daily in the preliminary morning service in the synagogue:

Ashraynu, ma tov chelkaynu,
u-ma na-im goralaynu,
u-ma yafa y’rushataynu.

“How fortunate are we, how good is our portion,
how wonderful our lot,
and how beautiful our heritage.”

Then, he concludes the Ashraynu, which leads to the recitation of Judaism’s signature prayer, the Sh’ma, the declaration of God’s oneness:

Ashraynu
She-anachnu mashkimim
Uma-arivim erev vavoker,
V’om’rim pa-ama-yim b’chol yom.

SH’MA Yisra-ayl,
Hashem Elokaynu, Hashem E-chad.

How fortunate we are,
For early and late,
Evening and morning,

We proclaim twice each day:

Hear, O Israel.
The Lord is our God. The Lord is One.

“Ashraynu,” Rabbi Weinreb reiterates. “We must retain that Jewish pride in the face of the temptations of this film and of the efforts which will be made by others to undermine our Jewish pride.” “Ashraynu,” he says, “We are fortunate to be Jews.” We thank God for our Jewish identity even as we intensify our commitment to that Jewish identity.

*** *** ***
In his presentation, Rabbi Dr. David Berger focuses on historical aspects of the life of Jesus and his death. Not all Jews were hostile to Jesus, Prof. Berger says, adding that there were Jews who listened to his sermons and “enthusiastically confirmed his message.” The apostles were Jewish. Jewish views of Jesus through the ages varied from overt hostility to the view that he was an observant and essentially good Jew, that he followed Torah – leading to the question of why Christians don’t observe Torah as well.

The beatings of Jesus by Jews as he was transported to Pontius Pilate are not in the gospels, Dr. Berger declares. The Talmud refers to the execution of a Jesus of Nazareth, but some scholars have maintained that it was a different Jesus. The Talmud does not show that the Jews handed Jesus over for crucifixion – and Jews did not crucify. In fact, Dr. Berger emphasized, there is no Jewish source that maintains that Jews were complicit in the execution of Jesus.

Rabbi Skobac, who has done much work in combating attempts by evangelicals to convert Jews to Christianity, notes that the spiritual dangers of the film to Jews are greater than the anti-Semitic dangers. For the 75 million evangelical Christians, he declared, the film “is the greatest thing they’ve had in 2,000 years to convert people to their faith.”

He adds that evangelicals do not present an anti-Semitic appearance to Jews, but rather they are “warm and caring and support Jewish concerns,” first and foremost, Israel. Moreover, evangelicals do not concentrate on who killed Jesus, but on “Why did Jesus die?”

“Their central claim is that Jesus went to his death willingly” for our sins, Rabbi Skobac says. Therefore they “feel sorry for us and believe they have the burden to share their faith” with us because we are doomed to an eternity in hell if we don’t accept Jesus.

“Christians feel that because of original sin God promised a way for forgiveness,” Rabbi Skobac says. “Missionaries claim that God did us a tremendous favor by coming and dying for our sins.”

Contrasting this with Jewish teachings, Rabbi Skobac declares, “The Torah tells us numerous times we can come to God and repair our relationship through Teshuva, repentance. We believe that if you get something for nothing it cheapens the gift. Evangelicals say it is not necessary to observe Torah. They consider Jews to be spiritually dead and that we do not have a relationship with God – we are just going through the motions and are condemned to hell.”

Rather, Torah is available to all Jews, Rabbi Skobac emphasizes, citing Chapter 30 of Deuteronomy in which God says: “For this commandment which I command you this day is not hidden from you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up for us to heaven and fetch it down for us, and cause us to hear it that we may do it?’ But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.”

Find joy in Torah, Rabbi Skobac urges, and the blandishments of those who try to convert Jews will fall on deaf ears.

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