The Observant Life: The Wisdom of Conservative Judaism for Contemporary Jews Kindle Edition

As a Conservative Jew who takes an interest in contemporary halacha, I was very excited when I first heard about this work. Within ten minutes of opening it, however, I felt grievously disappointed. In an effort to evaluate the work fairly, I made a list of ten things that observant Conservative Jews I know disagree about, struggle with, or might be seeking advice about: using electricity on Shabbat; driving on Shabbat; eating kitniyot on Pesach; consuming unheckshered cheese, gelatin, and wine; observing second-day hag; including the matriarchs in the public repetition of the Amidah; the content of the traditional marriage ceremony; same-sex marriage; interfaith marriage; and affording synagogue dues when one is significantly poorer than one's fellow congregants. To this list I added two topics that I am particularly interested in, tzedekah and environmental issues. I then examined what The Observant Life had to say about each of these twelve topics. Please pardon the length of the review; I do not want to dismiss a work this weighty out of hand.

The Observant Life offers clear and reasonable guidance on electricity on Shabbat, driving on Shabbat, kitniyot on Pesach, and unheckshered cheese, gelatin, and wine. The discussion of driving on Shabbat is essentially a rehash of what Isaac Klein wrote in his Guide to Jewish Religious Practice in 1979. The discussion of electricity on Shabbat is cautious: it takes the position that using electricity on Shabbat and not using electricity on Shabbat are both perfectly reasonable positions and admonishes us to make choices that honor the spirit of Shabbat. Overall, these rulings seem sensible and in line with prevailing practice.

The Observant Life offers vague or inadequate treatments of matriarchs in the Amidah, second-day hag, and same-sex marriage. Given that many Conservative Jews feel strongly that the language of public prayer must be gender-inclusive, while others believe it is halachically impermissible to make changes in the blessings of the Amidah, it would be helpful if The Observant Life ruled on this question or at least reviewed the evidence for both sides, in order to facilitate substantive, respectful discussion. Instead, it states grandly that "Changes in liturgy . . . take place . . . as evolving theological ideas, ritual practices, or historical realities insinuate themselves into the consciousness of a people at prayer" (10) and that one can "see liturgical change in process" (10): siddurs now include the matriarchs as an option, though some congregations dismiss this as "faddish and unnecessary" (10). Because there is no clear ruling on what sorts of liturgical change are halachically permissible or desirable, this leaves the reader nowhere.

On the question of second-day hag, The Observant Life notes that the USCJ permits communities to observe one or two days of hag according to local custom, but that communal observance of only one day of hag has not "gained popularity" (170). It does not address the reasons (other than historical) for and against observance of second-day hag, nor does it consider the question of whether an individual in a community that observes two days of hag may opt to observe only one day of hag.

The chapter on same-sex relationships is well-written and informative, but while it notes that the meaning of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 is "unclear" (664), it does not review, even briefly, the conflicting interpretations of these verses. The chapter focuses almost exclusively on whether gay Jews may perform certain community roles and does not offer any of the guidance on personal sexual ethics that other sections of the book offer heterosexual Jews. This seems limiting--gay men and women have both public and private lives, just as heterosexual men and women do. Furthermore, the chapter mentions that there are now Conservative Jewish protocols for same-sex commitment ceremonies without describing these protocols, even briefly (667).

On the remaining topics listed in the first paragraph, The Observant Life seems like the child who does not know how to ask. The chapter on same-sex relationships notes that "some of us have difficulty with the traditional concept and language" of the wedding ceremony, in which a man "acquires" a woman (665), but the chapter on life cycle events describes the traditional wedding ceremony in a completely uncritical manner, protesting--not very convincingly--that nothing in it is in any way demeaning to women (266-272). Several of the contributors rail against interfaith marriage in a manner that comes across as undignified, not to say hysterical; the adamant and mostly unsubstantiated assertions that it is almost impossible to raise Jewishly engaged children in the context of an interfaith marriage would be news to several deeply religious friends of mine who are children of mixed marriages. The topic of how synagogues treat Jews who cannot afford to pay full dues is never raised. (In theory, most Conservative synagogues welcome all Jews, regardless of means; in practice, people I know have had some bad experiences in this regard). The section on synagogue membership deals exclusively with the status of intermarried couples. I would have liked to see a clear acknowledgment of the socioeconomic diversity of the Jewish community, leading to a clear admonition to synagogues to welcome and respect the dignity of poorer Jews, and perhaps an endorsement of the "Fair Share" dues system that some synagogues use.

While there are many things in The Observant Life that trouble me, it was the chapter on tzedakah that floored me. After reviewing the usual Talmudic sources on tzedakah, this chapter suggests that Conservative Jews devote 90% of their tzedakah funds to Jewish institutions and charities and no more than 10% to the wider world (402). The author of this chapter does offer a rationale for this--that Jewish institutions have no other source of support--but all the same, this strikes me as an unconscionable rejection of the very basic Jewish value of social justice. I find it doubly offensive because the chapter explicitly acknowledges that feeding the hungry is, after redeeming captives, one's most basic charitable responsibility (401) and that there is a long-standing Jewish law that Jews must feed the hungry, care for the sick, and bury the dead of other nations (401-402) and then, one page later, suggests that observant Jews minimize their donations to non-Jewish charities.

I was delighted to find that a chapter on the environment--a very timely topic--wraps up The Observant Life, and I read this chapter with attention. I think it does an excellent job of laying out the theological concepts that might shape a Jew's approach to environmental ethics. It is much less successful in its treatment of actual current problems. For example, the section on "Environmentalism and Food Issues" deals primarily with the ethics of consuming genetically modified organisms (887-889) and does not even mention the idea that minimizing one's consumption of meat is an easy, Jewishly sanctioned way of shepherding the earth's resources. And while the chapter admonishes us to drive slower or carpool (882), it does not consider the environmental impact of leaving lights burning for the twenty-five hours of Shabbat--a question that Blu Greenberg, an Orthodox writer, raised in print in How to Run A Traditional Jewish Household way back in 1988. Neither of these questions is simple, and I wasn't looking for the essay to provide definitive answers, but it might at least have raised the questions.

Some passages in The Observant Life are unintentionally humorous. I laughed out loud when I read the instructions for what acts of intimacy short of intercourse an unmarried couple might engage in; it reads like a teenagers' manual on how to sleep with your boyfriend without getting pregnant (845). (Admittedly, the author of this chapter seems more sympathetic to the approach of accepting some non-marital sexual activity and looking for ways to infuse it with holiness.) I also laughed, but bitterly, when I read the very brief discussion of keruv. One of the principal recommendations is that non-Jewish spouses of Jews be "include[d] . . . in the class of those eligible for consideration as potential converts" (64). What this inelegant sentence appears to mean is that we should permit, or at least consider permitting, non-Jews who are married to Jews to convert to Judaism. Have synagogues been turning them away?

The Observant Life is extremely ambitious in scope and has a star-studded roster of contributors. For those reasons alone, I think it belongs on the bookshelf of every Conservative synagogue, if not of every household. Well-organized and accessible, it could be useful as a reference work. But it's full of muddy logic; it barely scratches the surface of some of the most interesting contemporary halachic questions; it is a little less respectful than I would wish in its attitudes towards women, gays, and lesbians; and it is much less respectful than I would wish in its stance towards non-Jews, interfaith couples, and children of mixed marriages. It is also a very cautious book--I found almost nothing new or thought-provoking in these essays. I write with profound regret that this is not a book that will be useful to me in resolving halachic quandaries or in living an ethical life.

This is a truly wonderful book on understanding the core of being Torah observant. It is very thorough and takes on all aspects of life. It is a complete manual/handbook that should be in every Jewish home. Not only does it explain the halacha (Jewish law) of all the main areas of life, but it does so with HEART - explaining the heart of the mitzvot (commandments) - the whys and infinite wisdom of each mitzvah.

As the Conservative movement has not had a good history of observance, an Orthodox Jew might have reservations about purchasing such a book. I think this should be reconsidered for several reasons:

1) This book is not a reflection of what the Conservative movement as a whole does in practice. It reads much like what is practiced in modern Orthodoxy. It describes what Conservative Jews *should* observe (not what they do observe) - and it is quite close to Orthodox practice in many respects (but varies in some areas).

2) Even Orthodox Jews struggle with children assimilating into American society and losing their Jewish roots. This is a wonderful guide to give to a son or daughter who has become disillusioned with being observant and is struggling to keep a balance in the secular world. It gives a beautiful world view of the wisdom and sanctity of Torah.

3) Sometimes as Orthodox Jews we become caught up in practice and lose a little bit of the heart of Torah. "Justice, justice shall you pursue." In the end, it's not about perfect practice, but about doing what is right and just in the eyes of G-d, Who can see inside our hearts as well.

4) This is a perfect book to give as a gift to a Jew who has not been traditionally observant (Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist) - to give as a wedding present, a birthday present, a graduation gift, or upon the birth of a child. Why give this book instead of an Orthodox guide to observance? Because an Orthodox guide will likely be far too advanced for someone who has not been observant, and they might never pick it up to read it. We have certain midrash and observances (such as the 100 prayers a day derived from Gemara) that, unless one has been brought up in the tradition, may confuse or overwhelm a non-observant Jew. This book strikes a great balance between modern life and observance - and will give a Jew seeking more an excellent start in life of observance.

5) This book has taken a more conservative stance on observance than the previous manual. The Conservative and Reform movements - faced with high assimilation rates, low attendance, and a world that is progressively becoming less moral and more chaotic - are beginning to see the value of staying closer to mitzvot. This definitely reflects in this edition of The Observant Life - as stated by a previous reviewer.

6) All in all, I hope this book is ends up in many Jewish homes and inspires those who are starting to see the value of staying strong as a people to become observant and pass it on to the next generation.

For Orthodox guides on being observant I recommend:
- To Be a Jew
- To Pray as a Jew
- To Raise a Jewish Child
by Hayim Donin

Other recommended books:
- How to Run a Traditionally Jewish Household

I haven't finished the entire book, but so far, I like what I've read.

I think that the book does two things very well. First, it explains with a high degree of clarity, and in unprecedented detail, what it means to be a Conservative Jew. Second, it goes well beyond the things that are arguably most commonly associated with being religious, that is, Shabbat (Sabbath), Kashrut (keeping kosher), tefillot (worship and prayer) and holidays. It also explains topics such as business, personal relationships, ethical conduct, and many other aspects of daily life. So for those seeking to become more religious but not ready to reorganize their kitchens, it provides many other areas in which one can start to deepen their personal observance.

As a somewhat knowledgeable about Conservative Jewish observance, people (Jewish and non-Jewish) often ask me questions about Shabbat, Kashrut and other religious issues. As I read those chapters, they seemed to answer virtually all of the questions I am commonly asked. I also found that some of my questions were answered as well.

I am enjoying the book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about what Conservative Judaism is, as well as those on a personal journey to deepen their understanding and commitment to living a Jewish life.