A blast from my past
What is Unitarian Judaism? One man’s opinion
First let me address any landsman that may be reading this brief essay.Allow me to say upfront what Unitarian Judaism is not.It is not Messianic Judaism or any derivative thereof.Commonly referred to as Jews for Jesus,which is actually a singular organization within this “Messianic Jewish movement”. Unitarian Judaism is not fundamentalist Christianity with Jewish trappings.We do not believe that Jesus was G-d,or the only son of G-d.We do not believe he died for anyone’s sins,or that his blood was a sacrifice or atonement to G-d replacing the Jewish sacrificial system.We do not believe he rose from the dead,then ascended into heaven.We do not believe Jesus performed any miracles or taught something that could not be found in the Torah or the whole of the Tanakh.
With all that being said,and this is of course just my opinion,I can appreciate the teachings of Yeshua(his proper name)of Nazareth.I consider him a prophet of G-d within the great prophetic tradition of Judaism.His words are the teachings
of a first century rebbe to his hasidim,all of whom lived and died as Jews.(1 pg206)There was nothing different or “un-Jewish” in his teachings.He was a liberal;he was against all injustice,in the tradition of the prophets.He taught the observance of Mosaic Law.Nothing he preached,taught,or said was in contridiction to what other Jewish prophets,rabbis,sects said or taught.(12pg 139-140)
So what does the Jewish community say about Yeshua of Nazareth.From the time since Yeshua’s teaching career many Jews have commented on him,including Maimomodies(The Rambam,author of the Thirteeen Principals of Faith)but for brevity sake I will name just a few modern Jewish authors and scholars.
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi states can we say that Yeshua of Nazareth,through whom countless people had a bridge to the living G-d,was not a guise(as Elijah tends to disguise himself)of such good news as we refer to in our Grace after Meals,when we ask G-d to send Elijah the prophet with the good news(besorot tovot)of redemption and consolation.(1pg213 paraphrased) Rebbe Zalman goes on to say that it is only when we try to make Yeshua,G-d or a god,and say everything in Torah and Yiddishkeit is already superceded,that we as Jews,must draw the line.(1pg213)Unitarians would agree,I think.
Let’s move on to authors, Rabbis Ted Falon and David Blatner.”While Jews cannot accept the Messiahship of Yeshua,many Jewish teachers over the ages have acknowledged his great importance.Maimonides said that Christianity was a way in which
G-d brought important parts of Judaism’s message to the rest of the world.”(10pg330)
Author Rabbi Michael Learner-”Indeed,as we move away from the historical period in which Christian’s oppress and demean Jews, it will be possible for Jews to look at Yeshua’s teachings with fresh eyes,and reclaim the “Jewish Jesus”as an honored
teacher without having to reject everything he said merely because of the ways it was subsequently used to hurt us.When we can come to that point Yeshua will regain his rightful place as a respected and sometimes insightful teacher of the Jewish
people.(13pgs 141-142)
Martin Buber argued that no other faith has invested so much in his concept of G-d as the Jews,but he refers to Yeshua(Jesus) as “my brother”,a great Jewish teacher.While Yeshua is a great teacher and a great historical figure,as a Jew he cannot accept
him as the Messiah.(3pg445)Again most Unitarians would agree.From the same book as this,author George Robinson referencing Exodus”An eye for an eye” states Yeshua explicitly denies its validity implying that the author acknowledges Yeshua’s teaching
authority.
Finally,as far as modern Jewish opinion goes we come to Rabbi Joseph Tellushkin.”Like many of Judaism’s great rabbis he saw love of neighbor as religion’s central demand.(2pg121)”Is there a concensus on how Jews are to regard Jesus?Perhaps not, but in recent
decades many Jewish scholars have tended to view him as one of several 1st-2nd century Jews who claimed to be the Messiah,and who attempted to rid Judea of its Roman oppressors.However almost no Jewish scholars believe that Jesus intended to start a new religion.(2pg126)”Jesus was a Jew,his apostles(Hasidim)were Jews,his message was to the Jews, and the Jews,the only people who knew him,rejected the claims Christianity made on his behalf.”(2pg187)
So as we cam see Judaism has had plenty of commentary on Yeshua of Nazareth for a very long time.Now lets look at Unitarianism.
By definition “Rationalist Unitarianism”- G-d is one being who consistes of one person-the Father.Jesus is not the Son of G-d but merely a “good and wise man”who taught others how to lead a better life…It’s proponents took a highly intellectual approach to religion,rejecting most of the miraculous events in the Bible including the Virgin Birth.They embraced evolutionary concepts, asserted the “goodness of man” and abandoned many principals of Christianity.Rationalist Unitarianism is distinguished from Deism(with which it nevertheless shares many features)by the fact that RU’s believe in a personal deity who interacts with His creation.(11)
Looking at the principals of the American Unitarian Conference we can find nothing in opposition to progressive liberal Judaism.(14) In fact the organization”s motto of Faith,Freedom,and Reason resound loudly in Reform Judaism.”Faith and reason are two beacons “each shedding it’s own light”,but both ultimately meeting and fusing into one bright beam.”(5pg9)Israel remained loyal to that spirit and to knowledge,never attempting to confine freedom.(5pg9)
In reading the Constitution of the World Union for Progressive Judaism(5pg32),”Prayer and a growing G-d”-Henry Slonimsky in Gates of Understanding-Lawrence A. Hoffman pgs77-79(3pgs38-40)Ethical Monotheism-Levi A.Olan(5pg40-41)The Philadelphia Principals,The Pittsburgh Platform,Guiding Principals of Reform Judaism,Reform Judaism,a Centenary perspective,and a statement of Principals of Reform Judaism,
now ratified.(5pg196-212)we again can find nothing in conflict with Rationalist Unitarianism.
We even find a Reform rabbi being hired as a Unitarian Universalist clergyman according to Interfaithfamily.com in the article “The Rabbi serves the Unitarians” by Jill
Suzanne Jacobs,where Rabbi Howard Berman is quoted as saying that Unitarianism is “basically Reform Judaism without the Hebrew.”Unitarians have particular affection for the religion of the Jews…affirms the strict unity of G-d.(7pg66)
Just a few more quotes to think about.”G-d is thus one and is the core belief of Judaism/Classical Unitarianism.”(9)”Judaism has always been rigorously Unitarian.”(9)Please note the aforementioned website, I just quoted from, I have a great deal of disagreement with but freedom,reason,and faith preclude me from passing judgement.Each to their own. “Jesus was a man.Jewish religious teacher,prophet,regarded by the Unitarians as an example to follow,a master of religious and ethical life in teaching and acting.”(15)
Now I will speak of the question I am asked the most often-Why don’t I just become a Unitarian Universalist or join a Reform/Liberal/Progressive/Reconstructionist congregation?
I’ll start with Unitarian Universalism.I am a Jew plain and simple.I believe in G-d.I celebrate the Sabbath from Friday sundown till Saturday sundown.I celebrate all the Jewish holidays and only those holidays.For me(even though there is a great deal I agree with in UUism and it boasts 10% Jewish membership) UUism is too much of a hodgepodge of different religions or no religion.The domination of atheism and polytheism make it untenable to my personal belief system.
As for Reform Judaism,it has moved away(as has Reconstructionism)from its classical roots.They are now becoming more demanding of what you should believe to be a “good”Reform of Reconstructionist Jew.This not only attacks my freedom but my reason as well.Also the denial of Yeshua of Nazareth as a prophet and teacher in the proper Jewish prophetic tradition is like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
So to sum up for me,Unitarian Judaism is the practice of liberal,progressive Judaism hallmarked by faith,freedom, and reason with the inclusion of Yeshua of Nazareth as a great Jewish teacher and prophet,and honing the best of the teachings from the gospels
only,of the Christian Scriptures.I also include Jewish Universalism as defined here.(16)
All of these things I have listed and stated has led me to self-identify as a Unitarian Jew.Combining these two great faith traditions has given me the best of both worlds and led me into a closer realationship with the G-d of my understanding.I hope I have explained my position well and also hope that unaffiliated and disenchanted Jews might read this,give it some thought,and maybe even find a new spiritual home.Shalom!
Rav Ya’akov Litman
1)Jewish with Feeling- Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
2)Jewish Literacy- Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
3)Essential Judaism-George Robinson
4)Judaism;Myth,Legend,History,and Custom-the religious to the secular-Abraham J.Arnold
5)The Reform Jewish Reader-Meyer and Plaut
6)Explaining Reform Judaism-Eugene B.Borowitz,Naomi Patz
7)The Elements of Unitarianism-George Chryssides
8)The Age of Reason-Thomas Paine
9)http://www.sullivan-county.com/id2/judaism.htm
10)Judaism for Dummies-Rabbis Ted Falon and David Blatner
11)http://www.indopedia.org/Unitarian.html
12)Jews,G-d,and History-Max Dimont
13)Jewish Renewal-Michael Lerner
14)http://www.americanunitarian.org/
15)http://www.unitarius.hu/english/principl.htm
16)http://www.simshalom.com
Well let’s go through this bit by bit and see what has evolved in time with me.
First off, my God concept has changed completely. I no longer believe,in any way shape or form in the Judeo-Christo-Islamic Yahweh myth. That god is not worth my time of day. Brutal,sadistic, racist and IMHO a downright evil creation.Thank G-d it’s just a story/myth. My God concept now is more in the ways of Spinoza and Kaplan. Life and Nature are my G-d now.It is impersonal,logical,and rational.But believe me when I say it was the most monumental paradigm shift for me and it literally changed my world. When you no longer believe in some capricious god who has it out for some and not for others, and change to Life just doing and going along as it does impersonally,there is a freedom and a love for self and others which truly passes all understanding. I am eternally grateful for the change.
Next let’s move on to Yeshua. First, theologically nothing has changed from my beliefs that I previously wrote about.What has changed is my belief in the historical truth that there ever was a Rabbi Yeshua.So many other ancient religions and cults came up with a son of God story that I personally cannot be sure Yeshua ever existed. But someone very wise once told me,if you meet a teacher who answers a question with “I don’t know” then you have met a teacher worth having, so on this subject I will say I don’t know if there ever was a Yeshua(Jesus)but I do accept the reality that a great number of people do believe there was therefore I will act accordingly.
As far as the Torah,Tanach, Talmud, Christian Scriptures,and the Koran goes,they are just plain stories and stories about stories with some spiritual truths mixed in for good measure,. They are all reflective of the socio-political worldview of ancient peoples who thought the world was flat,God was just above the clouds,and many other backwards ass thinking and thoughts.They cannot be blamed for their ignorance but their worldview is not ours in a scientific age, when we just plain no better.Their writings should be taken with a grain of salt.
Now on to Unitarian Universalism. Let me say I am a proud member of a congregation(Church of the Larger Fellowship U.U.)within the UUA.My position against the atheism and polytheism within the UUA has laxed considerably since this previous writing. I now am more open and inclusive in these points of view because I now understand everyone has a different path to be on and no one path has all the answers.Who am I to say they are wrong.I can only say that they are not right for me.
My views on the Jewish institutions I previously mentioned have remained unchanged which is why I have placed myself within the Humanistic Jewish world with Polydox Judaism as my footing.Check out Polydox Judaism here. You will find it quite refreshing.
So to sum up, I now consider myself a Polydox Jew, currently living in the Humanistic Jewish world. As my current congregational rabbi states,(located at Our Jewish Community,a sub congregation of Congregation Beth Adam found here.) we should say what we mean and mean what we say. So unless specifically requested, I do not use God language in Life Event ceremonies or services. I will only do so with the complete understanding of all parties that I do not believe in a supernatural life-intervening God and if they have issues with that they can find another rabbi out there who does believe. No sweat off me.
Well again I hope I have explained myself well and look forward to my next blog…when I figure out what it will be about.:-) Shalom for now!
Rabbi Yaakov
P.S.There has been another rabbi(female)elected to run a Unitarian Universalist church.
