Show 4C Ogden Standard-Examin- Saturday June 2 1984 er 3 Ogden Standard-Examin- - Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — The time may have come : to bid farewell to the American Jew You know him (or her): the intellectu- I al arguing on campuses or serving on government advisory committees the cothe somedian wry and cial activist demanding attention on television or in the newspapers the ethnic? talking with one hand eating a corned beef sandwich with the other There’s nothing necessarily religious about any of them but every one has been identified as unmistakably even self-deprecati- ng fiercely Jewish Unfortunately that may not be enough’ any longer to keep them from disappearing — at least as Jews ' That in any event appears to be the implicit conclusion of several new analyses of Jewish life in this country : The problems are not new: They range from assimilation to population growth below the replacement level What is new is a realization among very diverse segments of the American Jewish community that the shrinking of the Jewish population may be accelerat-- ! ing not slowing down Says One expert: “The issue is our-- j group survival” The concern transcends intrareligious differences For instance one prominent herald sounding the alarm is Irving Howe a man who has built a national reputation in the secular side of Jewish ‘ ! j i j : i life While keeping a sharp distance from organized religion — he doesn’t belong to a synagogue — Howe certainly seems to meet many other tests of a secular Jewish identity A certified New York intellectu- al (he is now a distinguished professor of English at City University of New York) Howe 63 won the National Book Award in 1977 for his book “World of Our Fa- thers” The book lovingly recreates the ‘History is pulling down the curtain on my kind of Jewish life’ — Professor Irving Howe niable But whether or not someone lived entirely according to Jewish law hinged on more than just being born to Jewish parents In Howe’s words fate no longer determined faith of course Continuing made it convenient for some ambitious Jews to shed names habits and even facial figures that might provide clues to their background Other Jews reacted to by a stronger reaffirmation anti-Semitis- m anti-Semitis- life of the Eastern European Jews who emigrated to America Social activism? Howe is a coeditor of the magazine Dissent Ethnic? He is a recognized authority on Yiddish once the language of a flourishing Jewish culture That Howe’s manner of speaking is wry and then goes almost without saying m of identity Neither approach provided much protection from the Hitlers and Stalins of the world Yet in the long run at least tolerance appears to be having almost as toxic an effect on the Jewish community as bigotry What Howe calls the “subtle enticements of the liberal democracies” have g lessened the importance of many ties to Jewish identity Such eleHOWE concedes the secular ments as the immigrant experience a Jew already may be on his or her way to sense of Jewish ethics and remembrance becoming a historical relic “History is of the Holocaust are losing the power by pulling down the curtain on my kind of themselves to keep American Jews JewJewish life” he said “A phase of Jewish ish says Howe history is nearing its end” Others see the same trend A recent That phase began almost 200 years ago study called “The American Jewish with the liberation of the Jews from EuCommunity in the 21st Century” sponrope’s ghettos during the late 1 8th centusored by the American Jewish Congress ry During the period that followed Jews suggests that the once highly distinctive began to be allowed to play an active part Jewish community is steadily becoming in society at large for the first time in centuries No longer were Jewish energies more “Americanized” through cultural assimilation and a high rate of intermarnecessarily circumscribed by the closed riage world of Orthodoxy On the one hand that opened the path of worldly success to men as diverse as Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein Indeed Jews in this country while accounting for only about 2 percent of the population have given America 20 percent of its Nobel laureates But the Jewish community has paid a price for the new openness As Howe describes the change “Abandonment of a total Jewish life (became) not apostasy or d but for good or bad was an integral part of the Jewish experience” The influence of religion remained unde self-deprecati- ng once-stron- Yet Jewish life shows signs of renaissance as more and more American Jews seek cultural and religious identity —Gerald Kraft self-hatre- businessman Added to that is the serious problem of a birth rate well below the replacement level The American Jewish Congress-sponsore- d study predicts that the Jewish population in this country will shrink to 5 million from 55 million by the year 2000 Others though are far more pessimistic At the Hebrew University in Jerusalem demographers estimate that the US Jewish population will decline by 5 to 17 percent from now to century’s end A controversial project done in 1977 by the Harvard Center for Population Studies is even more downbeat If present trends continue the American Jewish population will shrink to a mere 420000 — less than its present size — by the year 2076 one-ten- Is THE AMERICAN Jewish commuwell on its way to oblivion except as nity a small religious remnant? Howe suggests two paths for enriching the quality of Jewish life in almost the same breath as he rejects them for himself The first is religious commitment specifically Orthodox religious commitment The second — which wouldn’t help the American Jewish community — is immigration to Israel known as aliyah or “going up” Not everyone views the future of American Jewry through dark-tinte- d glasses A spokesman for B’nai B’rith the world’s largest Jewish organization says its members can maintain strong Jewish identities despite the organization’s lack of formal affiliation with any branch of Jewish religion w Associated Press Writer New HAVEN Conn (AP) — When Donna McKenzie was in eighth grade someone asked her if she wanted to be a nun No she answered but she’d probably like to be a priest Since women can’t be priests in the Roman Catholic Church Ms McKenzie did what for her was the next best thing She became a lay minister and now is the chaplain for Albertus Magnus College a small Roman Catholic school for women Such posts as chaplains counsellors parish administrators and other ministries are commonplace nowadays for many Catholic women nuns and laity some of whom would enter the priesthood if the rules permitted it ' 9 m aa Vi 'eV mm a a awy -- - ‘Women are doing marvelous things in the church right now I hope against : hope that they will be recognized and offered the opportunity to share their involvement fully” She says her own main inclination always has been “to work with people” and “help make the world a better place to be in I also wanted to create a place in the church to help people recognize their membership in the church” From study of the Scriptures she says she is convinced there is “so much good that could be operative today” Ms McKenzie 29 has worked for the college’s ministry for four years most recently as its sole chaplain She can’t say Mass or administer many other priestly duties but she organizes liturgical services teaches counsels and coordinates some of the college AfRVts Vhit’ he h ’ f h e ’door: thef furtherinfr"of: volun-VAee- 1 - i3 the common good are bound intricate- they often have trouble acknowledging ly publicly “If you believe in God being human you must think of the human dignity of a person” she said on a quiet afternoon in her office at the college’s campus center Ms McKenzie a tall woman who likes to ski and spend time outdoors also is on the steering committee for the New Haven Walk Against Hunger and the advisory board of a parish renewal program for the Archdiocese of Hartford and belongs to a diocesan association of lay ministers She is not married She does not know how many women head campus ministries now but believes the number is small Part of her mission at the’college is tO'help students resolve their ftqljngs aboyt religion feelings that" she say s r v By GEORGE W CORNELL “It is hard for the admission of religiousness in this consumer materialis- tic achievement-oriente- d society” she says “It’s counter to what the heart of the Gospel is about “We’ve lost a real sense of the sacredness of life or at least I fear we have People think in terms of careers of professional and personal success rather than in broader humanitarian terms” ’But she decided a ministry would better suit her need to work with people and she entered the Jesuits’ Weston School of Theology in Cambridge Mass While she entered campus ministry at Albertus she said other women in her class now administer parishes work in' religions 'education and plan religious n “Sure it affects us just as it affects all US citizens” says Capt Alvin Koeneman a LuLlFE IN THE Armed Forces is theran chaplain and aide to the charged with religious paradoxes Navy Chief of Chaplains Rear as seen by some of its leaders Adm Neil N Stevenson a Presinvolving a clash between hu- byterian manity’s noblest and worst imHowever Koeneman and othpulses But it also can build ers in military iife are convinced spiritual mettle it can have a reinforcing reliThose mingled sometimes gious impact on men and womcolliding aspects of military life en in uniform sharpened in degree by nuclear “It can be a spiritually posiweaponry were cited by several tive kind of experience” Koenechaplains and line officers in reman said in a telephone cent talks and interviews interview But whatever the inherent tenA line officer Army Capt sions “no one in the world Daniel P Mahoney of the field Photo by R James Sawdey wants peace more than the milbase at Fort Sill Okla artillery Elizabeth Close wears a silk wedding Louise White in 1906 Mrs Close was itary” says Maj Gen Patrick J says he has seen millitary life worn Hessian a Roman Catholic 20 both “drive men closer to gown by her grandmother Olive married in the gown in 1976 their in the Army and its chief religious roots” and also years away of chaplains from those roots “No one is more aware of the “But it helps most he awfulness of war than people said in an interview people”mil“Many who have been to war” itary values such as duty honor Yet the strains of conscience OGDEN United Methodist pictorial aspects writings and dress of and selflessdiscipline yesterday exist between abhorring war and ness — all loyalty Women will Old present “Something and today part of the military advancing ways to wage it a tradition — are values that reliSomething New” a centennial tea and style The United Methodist Women’s Centennial Ves-seshow 9 from 2 to 4 pm at First United June Gen I that y John W problem also gion promotes program that began a year ago and continues Jr chairman of the Joint “The link is there It can rein- - I Methodist Church 2604 Jefferson next year states that the “United Methodist The public event will feature wedding and Chiefs of Staff says may have force those common values” Women’s journey is continuing” no clear religious solution other dresses both long and short and the a It doesn’t stop in the 19th century or in the Catholic and Mahoney attire of bridesmaids flower girls mothers of “‘There is only a choice West Pointer said the middle of the 20th century and the programs military’s the bride and men from the present and the among evils’” he quotes a Brit- view of sacrifice of willingness are concerned with the work of the women in ish philosopher about past to lay down one’s life to defend the past and now A silk gown worn by Olive Louise White in aspects of nuclear de- the nation and its people makes Proceeds from “Something Old Something 1906 and by her granddaughter Elizabeth terrence Vessey a Lutheran the profession “a New will go to the Family Counseling Service calling almost Close at her wedding in 1976 will be modeled says the problem could well ap- like the priesthood” a professionally staffed agency that is dedicated by Mrs Close ply to “the military profession in He also said religion seemed toward the strengthening and enrichment of A reception will follow the style show general” to be more respected in the serfamily life The style show and tea are in part a But he and other devout milivices than in society generally Tickets for the event $2 each may be celebration of the 200th anniversary of the tary career men firmly maintain “It’s well supported in the chain obtained from Joyce Speak Dorothy Methodist Church’s founding in the United that their role serves both God of command T hose who are re5 or Loraine Sawdey Imnan States their fellow citizens and nation ligious catch less flak and ridiReservations are requested by June 6 Cecilia The June 9 event focuses on the local a historic conviction of Americule than in civilian life” Frank is chairperson of the style show Dorothy cans in general however dreadongoing journey of women in mission through But while military principles is president of the women's group Sawdey ful the modem means of war often parallel those in religion ' That also remains the basic he said the motive differs which position of churches recognizing is mainly to produce an effective the military purpose to uphold combat team — and that rerights of faith justice and na- quires molding aggressive traits tion but increasingly emphasiz- discounting the humanity of the ing conscientious objection as other side also a valid effort to do so “The warrior’s soul is a conMoreover both US Catholic fused soul” he said “It adds up bishops and major Protestant to a dual character It’s hard to in children and bodies have repudiated nuclear be at peace with itself” — “The Wonder Fair” featuring ary presentations warfare as undermining past departments “Nevertheless we know that “God’s Wonderful Surprises” youth (j ‘r ijfyi Other adult electives include a “just war” rationales stirring re- the grace of the Lord extends to will be theme for the Vaclass on the Christian Family led O 'in' ft © ligious questions and sporadic us in whatever we do in our dai- cation Bible School atfamily o Rev Ken Stafford Christian WashingO $113 Hit ®fil by I) Q protests about military work officers and ton Heights Baptist Church 147 counselor from Salt Lake ly lives as O O ClanBTtj At the same time churches servants of military City the nation” O E 4800 S o r and in a the book Hag-gof are troubled by some current atstudy O 'IBhdgkicom o There are about 2 million The runs 8 June program led by Rev Les Magee titudes that tend to treat military men and women in the from 7 to 9 nightly and includes Armed ram 4) O Classes for all ages and a nurspeople “like scapegoats” with Forces served by 3408 chap- games useful crafts refreshery will be provided “class rejection” says the Rev lains --— 2626 Protestant 707 ments music missionary stories 4 V if Francis K Wagschal a Lutheran Catholic 48 Jewish and 28 Eastand Bible study Church in America official ern Orthodox Special guests during the week Yet military leaders particu“It’s a unique kind of miniswill be the Rev Dale and Jan larly in the chaplain’s corp grap- try” says Hessian who was Williams missionaries to the ple with those same issues of wounded in Vietnam He noted Ivory Coast fl’WMIVI & lilkiili modern means of war in discus- that in the Williams will teach an adult military unlike civi' esai sp sions and conferences almost as lian Jife with the ’ elective class on missions Mrs A chaplains’are T much as the churches Williams'wilt give the mission troops full time AP Religion Writer 1 Woman called as coll®§® chaplain I! By SUSAN OKULA among miftary th Howe’s attitude is not unusual At present the intermarriage rate among Jews is estimated at 1 in 4 up from in 50 during the early part of the century during the greatest influx of Eastern European Jewish immigration and the one in five rate of the early 1960s (Because the Census Bureau makes no tabulations of religion all estimates are subject to a wide range of error) 5C Religion remaims powerful force Identity loses as traditions weaken assimilation becomes major factor By MICHAEL L MILLENSON Saturday June 2 1984 er ailMlliiiilii"igiiii“i‘MM‘ ’ ©thodlis® Th moral-theologic- women plan sea al 782-70- 70 392-153- 392-65- 56 Terrace Bible school begins on Monday Washington terrace 111 I :l ai 4-- m I |