I came across this article, and could not help but write my feelings about it.
The woman who wrote this is Rabbi Laura Baum, who leads OurJewishCommunity.org. She is also a rabbi in Ohio. What struck me immediately is the title of the article, "Why I lead an online synagogue". As someone who is slowly immersing herself in a very real Jewish world, I wanted to know what this online synagogue was all about.
Baum says that because social networking is how hundreds of millions of us are connecting these days, it seems only natural to allow Jewish people to come together online for services - including holidays and Shabbat. "We maintain so many of our personal and professional relationships online. So why would our religious involvement be any different?", says Baum. She claims that making the "trek" to brick-and-mortar synagogues creates a "barrier" in our increasingly busy world.
What Baum says is, essentially, true. Yes, our world is evolving and, yes, many of us use social networking to stay in touch with loved ones, or even just old college acquaintances. But how can this possibly be compared to the real-life Jewish community? My answer is that it cannot.
First of all, I understand that Baum is not an Orthodox Jew, so her views of Judaism are much different than mine. This is a completely different issue which needs much more attention than will be given here. Humanistic and Orthodox Judaism, I feel, are two separate worlds. In any case, Baum is encouraging behavior that is not only unnatural to Judaism, but goes against it.
Let's forget about the fact that, to even participate in one of her services, you must be using the computer on holidays and Shabbat. This is just a small issue, if you ask me. If one has a strong desire to fully commit to keeping Shabbat, eventually he or she may discontinue using electricity all together. That is praise-worthy. But the pillar holding all of this argument together is the Jewish community, and for me, I absolutely cannot see the same equivalent happening online.
Perhaps Baum feels like making the "trek" to a synagogue has gotten to be too much trouble for the modern-day Jew. After all, we have Facebook to connect us to all of our friends, so we already know what's happening with them without ever having to see them face-to-face. We have Google to answer just about any question we may have. But what Baum's synagogue cannot give people is the feeling of real companionship and family that a brick-and-mortar synagogue can give. Take Shabbat, for example. Waking early in the morning, getting dressed, walking to the beit knesset with your family. Giving and receiving hugs and kisses to all of your friends. Listening to the singing. Enjoying delicious food together. Spending the afternoon relaxing, talking, and playing with children without the distraction of IMs and television.
Baum asks why our religious involvement should be any different than the relationships we carry out in social networking websites. She says, "There’s a persistent myth that community is something that only happens in person", and that "using tools like Facebook, Twitter and Skype, are increasingly common and can even be stronger than physical connections." When someone wants to say hello in the communities I've been a part of, they come to the door. They bring their children. They visit. In the outside world where it seems most of us can't function without social networking, many conversations only happen through text messages, status updates or comments. I do believe that online correspondence can lead to friendship and a sense of community, but that is just it: it's a sense. The person who loyally comments on your blog or sends you regular emails asking about your parents' health may be very sweet. But, it is NOT the same person who will watch your kids when you can't make it through the day, or knock on the door in the morning just to drop off an article they thought you might like, or even just help you cut vegetables before Shabbat because you're in such a rush to get everything done.
It seems like Baum's synagogue is a great solution for people who do not want to fully commit to a Jewish community. They can log in and off whenever is convenient for them, and therefore have no responsibility to that community. They are able to separate Judaism, at will, from their daily lives. Her theory that the traditional synagogue is what creates the barrier between people seems backwards. For me, being able to stay at home behind a computer screen is the real barrier. Perhaps this will be the new generation of Reform, Conservative, Humanistic, and other progressive movements. Thank you, Laura Baum, but I am very happy in my real-life community.
In the last issue of my synagogue's magazine, our Rabbi wrote about the importance of face to face communication, panim el panim, amidst all the "social networking" surrounding us. Nothing can replace face to face human interaction! I am kind of offended that Rabbi Baum thinks that we should reduce Shabbat/Yontif to an online experience from the comfort of our couches. Really, how lazy have people become? For the love of Hashem (!), get out of bed in the morning and GO to synagogue, JOIN your real life (not virtual) and experience a shul the old-fashioned way. A computer cannot allow you to enjoy the simcha that goes along with laughing, praying and singing with your fellow congregants. Synagogue is not log on/log off to me; it's real, and I have to be there, that's right, in a brick and mortar sanctuary, to feel a connection with my shul and it's members, our Rabbi, our Chazzan, those being honoured with an aliyah... "Attending" a service online, from my living room, while being distracted by messenger, other browser windows and links that might catch my eye doesn't cut it for me.
ReplyDeleteI can safely say that Rabbi Baum does not represent non-Orthodox streams of Judaism. I can think of many Reform-affiliated Jews who would disagree with her point of view! Perhaps her "online synagogue" attracts people who haven't been to synagogue in years, are afraid to go for whatever reason, etc. One can only hope that Rabbi Baum's social network "shul" will encourage people to step away from their computers and try the real thing.
Thanks for your comment! I'm sure her views don't represent all of non-Orthodox Judaism. It's just unfortunate that her article kind of made it appear that way. I agree with what you said about being distracted by messengers or other windows. Sometimes it can be easy to get a bit lost or bored in synagogue, ESPECIALLY if you're new and not sure what's going on (which I think Baum's synagogue is counting on to gain people's interest in how "Easy" it is). So how can you possibly focus on a religious service when Facebook, Twitter, the news, and anything else you want is just seconds away? I'm just hoping that anyone new to Judaism or returning to the religion stays away from her philosophy.
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