Edgar Bronfman

[querzl]

One can be Jewish without believing in 'Biblical' God  
 
By Shlomo Shamir  
 

NEW YORK - Edgar Bronfman, 79, still best known in the financial world as the owner for many years of Seagram's Whiskey and until a few years ago as president of the World Jewish Congress, recently published a book, "Hope, Not Fear." Over its 222 pages, Bronfman preaches for comprehensive reform of the content of Jewish life, and calls for changes in the conduct of its religious streams - particularly in the relationships between them.

In an interview with Haaretz yesterday, Bronfman said: "Judaism must open up and fully accept families where one of the parents is not Jewish. If a revolutionary change is not made in the present rejectionist attitude toward mixed couples, the Jewish community in America will shrink and lose its influence, and American support for Israel will be in danger."

In the midst of the financial crisis, Bronfman, who is considered a symbol of capitalism, says he is more worried about the future of Judaism and what the Jewish community may have to face because of what he defines as "narrow-mindedness and clinging to archaic Jewish values that are not in keeping with the needs and goals of the community in the 21st century."
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According to generally-accepted statistics, intermarriage in the Jewish community stands at 48 percent. Bronfman stresses that he is not encouraging intermarriage, but the phenomenon exists and cannot be ignored. He warns that "if Judaism wants to keep its relevance, it must grow," and that will happen only "if Judaism welcomes men and women who have chosen to marry non-Jews.

"Abraham welcomed the three angels as his guests and did not ask who they were or what their religion was," Bronfman says.

As support for his argument, Bronfman presents a little-known statistic: "About half the students on U.S. campuses who identify themselves as Jews come from families where one of the parents is not Jewish," he says. This particular figure has meaning for Bronfman, who has for many years chaired the international board of governors of the Jewish campus organization Hillel.

Bronfman, who is spending time lecturing in synagogues and promoting his book, says "I am surprised at the positive reaction to my opinions about the need for changes in Judaism."

After his talk at an Orthodox synagogue on Long Island, 70 copies of his book were sold, he says proudly.

Bronfman says he does not believe in the type of God in the Bible "that orders the killing of people. We were not created in God's image, but rather we created God in our image," he says. Bronfman also said one can be a part of Judaism without believing in what he calls the "Old Testament God," and that he loves tradition and ritual, Friday nights and holidays. "The content of Yom Kippur is wonderful. But I do not ask forgiveness from God, but rather from human beings."

According to Bronfman, the main problem in Judaism is that various denominations are "fighting with each other. They need to learn to respect each other and respect people of other faiths." Bronfman says such behavior will lead to greater respect between a Jewish and a non-Jewish spouse.

He also challenges the place of the struggle against anti-Semitism at the top of the Jewish community's priorities, which he calls a "mistake." When Bronfman was president of the World Jewish Congress, he led fights against anti-Semitism, but says that in the U.S., anti-Semitism is not a problem that requires special action and that financial resources would be better spent on education - paying teachers in Jewish day schools higher salaries.

As opposed to other Jewish leaders who prefer not to comment on the presidential election, Bronfman says he is going to vote for Barack Obama, and that he had preferred Hillary Clinton.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027412.html