Dear Editor,
I'm writing to express my disappointment with Jane Ulman's article about Tisha b'Av observance ("Tisha B'Av Dilemma: Day of Solemnity or Celebration?", July 20).
Ms. Ulman suggests that Reform Jews don't celebrate Tisha b'Av, relating an anecdote about a synagogue in Cincinnati, Ohio that held a rummage sale last year on the fast day. Her only source for the story is an unnamed "spokesperson" for the temple's sisterhood.
The story serves little purpose to the article. Who cares if she can find some congregation somewhere (in this case, suburban Cincinnati) who doesn’t commemorate Tisha b’Av? It is inappropriate that she infers generalizations about Reform Jews from this one example.
Furthermore, I challenge the factual accuracy of her assertion that Tisha b’Av is “a non-event in some, usually Reform, congregations.” What evidence does the author have to support such a claim? Has Ms. Ulman done a statistical survey of holiday practice at synagogues in America? Since she failed to cite such research, I gather that her statement was based on her own assumption, a reflection of popular stereotypes about Reform Jews. What is the value of a newspaper article in which the author simply shares her own assumptions, reinforcing stereotypes?
It is particularly strange that Ulman reported on last year's activities in Cincinnati instead of reporting on Tisha b'Av observance at local Reform congregations. For example, Temple Judea in Tarzana planned an event entitled "Lunch Without Lunch - Does Tisha B'av Have Meaning For Us Today?" I wonder why Ulman chose to discuss a congregation thousands of miles away that didn't commemorate the holiday when a congregation right on her doorstep did indeed mark the occasion.
Later in the article, Ulman writes, "Some Reform Jews, as did 19th century Rabbi David Einhorn, actually see the holiday as celebratory." While the author's understanding of Jewish history is not incorrect, her inference that modern Reform Jews celebrate on Tisha b'Av is ridiculous. She mentions "some Reform Jews" who "actually see" (present tense), but then fails to cite any examples or quote anyone born after 1809. As an active Reform Jew, I can say that I've never met anyone who celebrated on Tisha b'Av, and I would challenge Ulman to find a normative Reform Jew who does.
Einhorn -- it should be noted -- believed a lot of things that today's Reform Jews would find ridiculous. Citing Einhorn in a discussion of modern practice is like a political writer reporting that, "Some members of the Democratic Party, as did 18th century President Thomas Jefferson, actually believe in owning slaves." Like Ulman's mention of Einhorn, such a statement is an over-simplification of Jefferson's complex views and, more importantly, has nothing to do with today's Democratic Party. Unlike Einhorn, today's Reform movement is outwardly Zionist, chants Kol Nidrei on Yom Kippur, and believes that the Jewish textual tradition is important. And many of us commemorate Tisha b'Av.
Ms. Ulman's reporting was irresponsible, inflammatory, and contrary to norms of journalistic standards. In the future, I urge you to give her writing the much closer editorial supervision it deserves.
Sincerely,
Josh
Josh, you're one scary guy.
Ease up.
Honestly, it's like you can't even believe that people believe different things than you.
Just relax, because right now YOU'RE the inflammatory one.
Posted by: Concerned reader | October 06, 2006 at 11:14 AM