Tuesday, October 9, 2007

How big is Klal Yisroel?

In one of the courses I teach, I teach about statistics--how to analyze them, what they might really mean etc. I admit to a fascination with the population statistics that are available. Some of those statistics have relevance to Klal Yisroel.

What is the Jewish population of the United States? As of 2006, the Jewish population was 6,452,030. Every one of the fifty states has people who have self-designated themselves as Jewish. New York has a Jewish population of 1,618,320. This is 8.4% of New York's population, or approximately 1 in 10 people in New York are Jewish. By state, New York has the largest Jewish population, but across the country as a whole the majority of Jews do NOT live in New York.

What are we to make of these figures? First, the census records as Jewish only those who have self-designated themselves as such. This means that the figure includes people who are not "halachically" considered as Jewish. It includes those whose conversion to Judaism was not "k'halacha" but who consider themselves as Jewish. It includes those whose fathers are Jewish but whose mothers are not, but who consider themselves as Jewish. And yes, it includes all Jews, orthodox, conservative, reform and "other." So the "actual" Jewish population, halachically determined, is less than the figure given.

If you trace the census back some years you see a disturbing pattern emerging. There are less Jews today, as a percentage of the population and keyed to population growth, then there were 5 and 10 years ago. The 2006 figure seems large but it is a shrinking figure. The sad and alarming fact is that Klal Yisroel is losing members to intermarriage, to conversion and to "lack of interest."

I could not find any reliable statistics to show what percentage of the Jewish population is "orthodox." In one large survey Jews who attended a synagogue on a regular basis counted themselves as "religious" or "orthodox" regardless of the type of synagogue that they attend. That is, a reform Jew who goes to synagogue considers himself as religious.

There is also the very real problem of what constitutes "orthodoxy." For a few groups in Klal, those who are members of a Young Israel synagogue or who send their children to day schools rather than to "yeshivot" are very borderline orthodox, if at all. Using the word "frum" doesn't help either. What we do know, however, is that "true" "orthodox" Jews are in the minority of the Jewish population.

It has been said that "frum" Jews have larger families, thus ensuring that Klal Yisroel is growing. The figures don't support this contention: Klal Yisroel is shrinking here in the US. "Yes, but the "frum" element is growing" is the answer I get back. So, only the "frum" Jews count as part of Klal Yisroel?

Please think about that statement for a moment and think if that statement is really in concert with what our great sages thought and taught. What does Klal Yisroel actually consist of? Who is counted as a member of Klal? Are only learned Jews or "frum" Jews considered as Klal Yisroel? I'm going to go further with this in another posting but I really do want my readers to think, and think hard, about how they define "Klal Yisroel."

2 comments:

Matt said...

There is a Mishnah at the beginning of the 10th chapter of Sanhedrin which reads: "All Israel have a portion in the world-to-come, as it is written, "And your people are all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, wherein I glory" (Isa. 60:21). But these do not have a portion in the world-to-come: one who says, "Resurrection of the dead is not from the Torah," and "The Torah is not from Heaven," and an heretic apikoros. Rabbi Akiva says, Even one who reads external books, and one who whispers over a wound, and says, "I will put none of the diseases upon you, which I have put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that heals you" (Ex. 15:26). Abba Shaul says, Even one who pronounces the Name by its letters."

Needless to say, the terms in this Mishnah require definition, but I'm not interested in going into that right now.

According to the Rambam, "klal Yisroel" does not denote a particular nation as a whole, but a certain group of individuals within that nation - individuals who share the same fundamental convictions. This Mishnah is the source of the Rambam's famous 13 Ikkarim. The Rambam understands the Mishnah to mean that any Jew who belives in these 13 Ikkarim is a part of Klal Yisroel and has a portion in the world to come. Jews who (in his words) "are doubtful" about these ikkarim - and certainly those who deny them - are not part of Klal Yisroel and do not have a portion in the world to come.

According to this definition of "Klal Yisroel", Klal Yisroel is much smaller than the figures you listed. There are many "frum" Jews who would not even qualify, due to their distorted beliefs about God and Torah.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts. After all, you posed the question: "is [this] really in concert with what our great sages thought and taught?" This Mishnah seems to address that question.

Anonymous said...

Do self-hating Jews count too?

I guess I divide Jews into three tiers:
1. the people who would give me a lift from a Wal-Mart parking lot if I asked
2. the people who identify as Jews
3. the people who are but don't identify

I have fellow-feeling for them all, but the distance I'd stick my neck out for someone reduces with each tier.