This generation seems to produce more organizations than it does children. How far left do you want to go? If the leaders of the club you are in look too mild, don’t just differ with them as fellow members. Resign and organize a group that’s more extreme. Same holds true on the right, of course.
It also can hold true in reverse: if your group leaders look too extreme, resign and form a more diplomatic organization.
That is one way organizations multiply. True both in the nationwide population of our country, and specifically in the Jewish community.
Religiously, American Jews were long considered to belong to 3 categories: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. This generation also counts Reconstructionist, Renewal, Modern Orthodox, Hasidic, Secular, and no doubt more that don’t come to this writer’s mind.
Politically, too, we are just about as divided as our Gentile neighbors. Even in the foreign policy field, we promote all shades of policy, from pro-Israeli to pro-Arab.
The old expression “Two Jews, three opinions” is far from describing our reality. It’s more like “Ten Jews, fifty opinions” these days.
Facing a national election, it takes no genius to see the development of an overdiversified campaign, and voters who cannot confidently select any candidate they really agree with. Seeing Israeli elections fail, one after another, and the country continuing to function “without a government,” we might well wonder if that could happen here.
More of us need to analyze our plight. Disband about 75% of our squabbling organizations, and let’s promote basic targets – freedom, security, peace. It could be done.
