Michael H. Steinhardt - Chairman of Jewish Life Network, philanthropist, and self-identified atheist - spoke at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in February about the growing disparity between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews. (via Drew). The Edah Journal has published his remarks, entitled “A Challenge to Orthodoxy: Remarks at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, February 9, 2006“.

I’ll begin by saying that most of what Steinhardt says is sensible. He’s right to lament the lack of cooperation among Jewish groups of different affiliations. Orthodoxy, he points out, surrenders much of its ability to influence the greater Jewish community for the better by increasingly isolating itself. Near the end of his talk, he makes an appeal for what he defines in the next paragraph as “Open Orthodoxy”:

I would like to offer you the opportunity to be a partner in renaissance with all of kelal Yisra’el. I ask that you recognize that non-Orthodox Jews have values also, and that these values are not empty. To do that, you must learn to judge non-Orthodox with the benefit of the doubt (“le-kaf zekhut,” as the Rabbis say). I ask you to focus not only on their glaring weaknesses; try to respect the commitments of non-Orthodox to education and critical scholarship, to family and tsedaqah, to Israel and to solidarity with all Jews.

My criticism of Steinhardt is about what he doesn’t say and what, by all indications, he doesn’t understand. The self-isolation of many Orthodox Jews and the sense that liberal or secular Jewish groups are beyond the pale stem from geniune halakhic-theological considerations and important social realities. Steinhardt’s omission of these issues leaves one wondering what he believes to be the root cause of this disparity.

While this talk was obviously addressed to Orthodox rabbinical students, I wonder if Steinhardt also speaks to liberal and secular Jewish groups about their responsibility not to alienate their Orthodox counterparts. I’d like to go into more detail on this subject in a future post, but suffice it to say my experiences with Jewish pluralism has left me somewhat bitter.

Steinhardt’s request that Orthodoxy “respect the commitments of non-Orthodox to education and critical scholarship, to family and tsedaqah, to Israel and to solidarity with all Jews” is easier said than done. In many ways our respective ideals are mutually exclusive. While I agree with Steinhardt’s goal of a shared “Jewish renaissance”, some practical suggestions would be nice.