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Rabbi Pelcovitz’s legacy: Clarion call to our youth

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Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau in his commentary on Pirkei Avot (Artscroll-Mesorah, 2006) teaches us, from Rav Shimon, that “a wise person always looks to the future. He weighs the consequences of his behavior and then considers what actions to take.”

Further on we learn this:

“In our sages’ observation, ‘Who is wise? One who sees the future,’ the phrase ‘one who sees the future’ means, literally, ‘one who sees that which will be born.’

“The ability to foresee the future is the path to which a person should cleave, states R’ Shimon ben Nesanel, because without such predictive ability one cannot grow and develop spiritually.

“A person must certainly plan for the future. But beyond what he can control, he should no longer worry, but instead trust faithfully in G-d.”

It was from Dr. Zev Eleff’s recent anthology, “Modern Orthodox Judaism (Jewish Publication Society) that I first learned of Rabbi Ralph Pelcovitz’s observations concerning his view of the future of Orthodox Judaism and especially that of the Orthodox shul and its youth.

With the valued assistance of Rabbi Simon Posner of the Orthodox Union, I was able to obtain the full original essay by Rabbi Pelcovitz, and what follows are several relevant sections of his observations that should be of urgent concern to just about everyone in our community today.

The title of the essay is “The Ye- hiva Alumnus and The Synagogue.” As you read these quotes, think back to how relevant they are to your own observations and experiences.

“A careful study of various communities where a concentration of yeshiva alumni is found will reveal some strange and startling facts. True, a goodly number of yeshiva-trained laymen, among them some former practicing rabbis, are congregants of synagogues and do take an active part in community affairs. 

“A sizable group, however, carefully avoid the synagogue and are conspicuous by their absence in many areas of community endeavor. They establish smaller private minyonim or patronize a local shtibel. They avoid the synagogue, both as congregants and participants, though it should be noted that many are members in name only for reasons best known to themselves and/or the energetic membership chairman of the local synagogue.”

Further on, Rabbi Pelcovitz notes that “the hands of the rabbi would certainly be greatly strengthened in guarding the pristine traditional character of the shul if there were but a nucleus of strongly committed and articulate Orthodox laymen in the congregation.

“How often it comes to pass that the religious elements chastise and censure certain questionable practices and innovations to be introduced into the synagogue. How tragic that these same pious, sincere individuals were not present or sufficiently interested to be involved at the moment of battle when these policies were introduced. It is far more important to participate in the righteous struggle than to strike a pose of self-righteousness after the battle has been lost.”

Lastly, consider the situations we currently face with at-rise youth — as well as at-risk adults — in our community:

“What is so often overlooked by yeshiva graduates is the effect of their detachment upon their own children. What attitude toward the kehillah, its rabbi, communal responsibility, and unity is fostered when children are withdrawn from the main stream of the Jewish community in which they live? Certainly this is an integral part of chinuch, on a par with formal academic education.”

Rabbi Pelcovitz asks:

“What guarantee is there that those of the next generation will be properly trained to take their places in the Jewish community of their choice, once they leave the homes and shtibelach in which they have been reared?”

And lastly: “Where shall they turn in their shtibel-less suburbia for anchorage, affiliation and identification?”

My dear reader, these are the words of a very wise and scholarly rabbi, reflecting the situation still current in many spiritual venues unto this very day.

And consider that these teachings by Rabbi Pelcovitz were written in … October, 1960! 

Alan Jay Gerber is a columnist for The Jewish Star.