These are trying times for British Jews. The community is awash in controversy. The esteemed Rabbi Sacks is being attacked by a former campus rabbi; driving bans against Orthodox women were imposed and then repealed ; and the legitimacy of interdenominational Torah study is hotly contested.
Ideological conflicts are exacerbated by larger societal threats, problems which plague Jewish communities throughout the world. The advent of the internet and social media has posed a huge challenge to the observant community. Today's youth are technology-natives, spending the majority of their days on social media or navigating various technological platforms. These virtual worlds have a hierarchy and authority structure all of their own. Existing social frameworks are crumbling and falling apart.
While some might find this state of affairs dispiriting, I find it inspiring. The Talmud (Makot 24B) tells the story of Rabbi Akiva and friends going for a walk in Jerusalem. At some point, they noticed the vacant lot where the Beit Hamikdash had once stood being trampled and desecrated. Although his friends were devastated, Rabbi Akiva was inspired. His friends reacted instinctually. But, the Rabbis explain, Rabbi Akiva took the long-term view. His foresight allowed him to see the silver lining even in something as tragic as the destruction and desecration of the temple.
Rabbi Akiva's approach is the more appropriate one for our times. If we look closely, we will notice that here, too, there are redeeming values in the perpetual cycles of controversy we are witnessing. Debate spurs growth, controversy generates improvement. It helped us grow in the past, and it will help us improve now.
Jewish history is often one controversy after another. Each generation is famous for its philosophical debates and halachic disputes. Those struggles made us stronger and better, spurring us to constantly grow and improve.
Our generation is no different; we too should cherish these debates. They prompt us to reflect on our practices and re-evaluate our assumptions. As a matter of fact, the more intense the debate, the better the outcome. The fervour with which these debates are conducted is evidence of the community's vibrancy and passion.
This community cares deeply about its Yiddishkeit and is willing to closely examine every step it takes and every decision it makes.
The same is true for the prevalence of the internet and social media. It, too, is more of a blessing than it seems. It has rearranged the Jewish community, altering the relationship between rabbis and their lay leadership support. When information, and sophisticated Torah, is only a mouse-click away, Torah knowledge becomes more inclusive and more available for everyone.
The English Jewish scene is being transformed, a lot is changing. I know from my personal experience, that change can sometimes be scary and disorientating. I grew up in the ultra-Orthodox Satmar community and now teach at Rabbi Avi Weiss's Modern Orthodox rabbinical school, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an institution that is passionately Orthodox and proudly modern. We have introduced certain changes into the community's norms that have been very successful.
Successful change has two ingredients: courage and authenticity. We need to champion change courageously and unapologetically, but we need to acknowledge at the same time that this is treacherous and confusing terrain. We need guidance from Torah and tradition on how to navigate it properly. As Ecclesiastes (1:9) teaches us: Ma she'haya hu she'yiah - ''that which was will be again''. The dialectic between tradition and modernity is the bread and butter of the halachic discourse. For the journey of change to be authentic, we need to tap into that conversation.
Ultimately, we need to be guided by the powerful and succinct teachings of Rav Kook Zichrono le'vracha. He famously stated: hayashan yischadesh ve'hachadash yiskadesh - ''the old will be made new and the new will be sanctified and made holy''.
We need to cherish our beautiful tradition and courageously allow it to encounter and embrace the modern and the new.
