To Be or To Be Something Else? That is My Question

Israel doesn’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to Jewish pluralism. If you could order pluralism on a menu here your choices would basically be religious or secular. With an occasional serving of Haredi on the side. In fact, most Israelis aren’t even aware that there is a difference between Conservative and Reform Judaism.

In general, as a Conservative Jew, the lack of a Jewish pu pu platter often leaves me a little hungry. And it’s not because I just fill up on rice. However, there are some benefits to the ubiquitousness of Orthodox Judaism. One of the biggest advantages, in my experience, is that Israelis with any religious background tend to be more knowledgeable than your average (i.e. not completely secular) Conservative Jew. For example, when a neighbor of ours recently passed away, every single one of our other neighbors could actively participate in the Shiva Minyan. And they could all address the mourners with the traditional Hebrew verse when they departed the Shiva house.

Now I grant that being native Hebrew speakers gives Israelis a distinct advantage, but I think the fact that their religious education, however one dimensional, is more thorough allows them to connect with observant Jews more meaningfully. There could also be a generational bias at work as my neighbors are all older, but it raises an interesting question. If I could have only one, what would I prefer my neighbors to be knowledgeable about - Jewish plurality or Judaism?