Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., November 08, 2008 Cheshvan 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 07:50 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 22:20 08/10/2008
Bronfman: One can be Jewish without believing in 'Biblical' God
By Shlomo Shamir
Tags: U.S., Edgar Bronfman, Israel

NEW YORK - Edgar Bronfman, 79, still best known in the financial world as the owner for many years of Seagram's Whiskey and until a few years ago as president of the World Jewish Congress, recently published a book, "Hope, Not Fear." Over its 222 pages, Bronfman preaches for comprehensive reform of the content of Jewish life, and calls for changes in the conduct of its religious streams - particularly in the relationships between them.

In an interview with Haaretz Tuesday, Bronfman said: "Judaism must open up and fully accept families where one of the parents is not Jewish. If a revolutionary change is not made in the present rejectionist attitude toward mixed couples, the Jewish community in America will shrink and lose its influence, and American support for Israel will be in danger."

In the midst of the financial crisis, Bronfman, who is considered a symbol of capitalism, says he is more worried about the future of Judaism and what the Jewish community may have to face because of what he defines as "narrow-mindedness and clinging to archaic Jewish values that are not in keeping with the needs and goals of the community in the 21st century."
Advertisement
According to generally-accepted statistics, intermarriage in the Jewish community stands at 48 percent. Bronfman stresses that he is not encouraging intermarriage, but the phenomenon exists and cannot be ignored. He warns that "if Judaism wants to keep its relevance, it must grow," and that will happen only "if Judaism welcomes men and women who have chosen to marry non-Jews.

"Abraham welcomed the three angels as his guests and did not ask who they were or what their religion was," Bronfman says.

As support for his argument, Bronfman presents a little-known statistic: "About half the students on U.S. campuses who identify themselves as Jews come from families where one of the parents is not Jewish," he says. This particular figure has meaning for Bronfman, who has for many years chaired the international board of governors of the Jewish campus organization Hillel.

Bronfman, who is spending time lecturing in synagogues and promoting his book, says "I am surprised at the positive reaction to my opinions about the need for changes in Judaism."

After his talk at an Orthodox synagogue on Long Island, 70 copies of his book were sold, he says proudly.

Bronfman says he does not believe in the type of God in the Bible "that orders the killing of people. We were not created in God's image, but rather we created God in our image," he says. Bronfman also said one can be a part of Judaism without believing in what he calls the "Old Testament God," and that he loves tradition and ritual, Friday nights and holidays. "The content of Yom Kippur is wonderful. But I do not ask forgiveness from God, but rather from human beings."

According to Bronfman, the main problem in Judaism is that various denominations are "fighting with each other. They need to learn to respect each other and respect people of other faiths." Bronfman says such behavior will lead to greater respect between a Jewish and a non-Jewish spouse.

He also challenges the place of the struggle against anti-Semitism at the top of the Jewish community's priorities, which he calls a "mistake." When Bronfman was president of the World Jewish Congress, he led fights against anti-Semitism, but says that in the U.S., anti-Semitism is not a problem that requires special action and that financial resources would be better spent on education - paying teachers in Jewish day schools higher salaries.

As opposed to other Jewish leaders who prefer not to comment on the presidential election, Bronfman says he is going to vote for Barack Obama, and that he had preferred Hillary Clinton.


Related articles:
  • Who are the 100 most influential people in Israel?
  • Who stands to profit from the AM:PM boycott?
  • Israel Corp buys solar energy firm HelioFocus
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Never walk alone
    It's safe to assume that Obama won't abandon Israel.
    Apprehensive in Israel
    Rightist MK Aryeh Eldad warns 'Israel should be wary of Barack Obama'
      1.   masonic worldview 04:55  |  dave 08/10/08
      2.   For a rich man he is pretty unrealistic 05:52  |  Robert 08/10/08
      3.   Bronfman 06:08  |  Yosemite 08/10/08
      4.   "BIG SURPRISE" coming from an intermarried Jew! (NOT!) 07:02  |  Yaakov K. 08/10/08
      5.   Thank you Oligarch Bronfman 08:11  |  Shlomo 08/10/08
      6.   Beating a dead horse 08:49  |  Jonathan 08/10/08
      7.   why not change the recipe for whiskey as well 09:00  |  shraga 08/10/08
      8.   Clueless 09:03  |  Dave 08/10/08
      9.   correction of one word to previous message 09:03  |  shraga 08/10/08
      10.   How about making Judaism a PR religion? 09:14  |  KMS 08/10/08
      11.   The Jewish religion has not (yet) arrived in the 21 th century... 09:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      12.   Thanks to Bronfman for opening the topic 09:39  |  Natallie Durson 08/10/08
      13.   By the way, in all fairness, what I said in my previous post..... 09:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      14.   Israel may be broken, but Judiasm is still sound 09:55  |  Ilan 08/10/08
      15.   Thanks to Durson for opening this door 10:26  |  Joe Sittizen 08/10/08
      16.   Edgar, whatever you believe . . . 10:59  |  Zvi 08/10/08
      17.   Jews must unite 11:07  |  ScotGuy 08/10/08
      18.   Bronfman is right! 12:02  |  chelemer 08/10/08
      19.   others have also tried 12:05  |  ecr 08/10/08
      20.   Who cares about Israel or Judaism anymore? 12:10  |  Dutch 08/10/08
      21.   just like whiskey judiasm has ingredients to make it what it is 12:13  |  zionst forever 08/10/08
      22.   Ilan #10 and others 12:18  |  Michael 08/10/08
      23.   misplaced energies 12:20  |  sws 08/10/08
      24.   Who is a Jew? 12:27  |  A born again Jew 08/10/08
      25.   Speak For Yourself Natallie 12:37  |  Yosemite 08/10/08
      26.   What a "surprise!" (not) 12:41  |  Yaakov K. 08/10/08
      27.   Bronfman: for all the wrong reasons! 12:42  |  Alicia 08/10/08
      28.   If the topic is open, let`s get it right 12:51  |  Joe Sittizen 08/10/08
      29.   Jews or lose 12:53  |  tbart 08/10/08
      30.   Jewish 12:57  |  Charles 08/10/08
      31.   Dave 13:08  |  tbart 08/10/08
      32.   Hello, Rabbi Edgar 13:17  |  Zev Davis 08/10/08
      33.   The Jewish people managed to survive for 2000 yrs w/o E. Bronfman 13:24  |  Jew 08/10/08
      34.   Bronfman`s Son Married out and "We" need to recognize this? 13:25  |  Ben 08/10/08
      35.   From Natalie the Assimilationist always the wrong side 13:28  |  Ben 08/10/08
      36.   Apparently the more watered down Judaism the better 13:29  |  Ben 08/10/08
      37.   One can be kiddng themselves 13:42  |  Avi 08/10/08
      38.   Insights 13:54  |  Baz Mann 08/10/08
      39.   8, Durson, strategic ally is why 98% benefit as well 14:14  |  The Equalizer 08/10/08
      40.   ISRAEL NEEDS A BIGGER TENT...OR ELSE 14:18  |  jewish DOctor 08/10/08
      41.   Mixed marriages 14:36  |  Hastaroth 08/10/08
      42.   What`s Next Mr Bronfman, Desalting The Sea? 14:38  |  Alex 08/10/08
      43.   Was the money laundering applied by Bronfman biblical or not? 14:41  |  Aounist 08/10/08
      44.   Defining a Jew 14:42  |  Brod 08/10/08
      45.   Bronfman sites an interesting statistic 14:43  |  Meir Weinstein 08/10/08
      46.   Bronfman Atheism 14:45  |  Amos/ Jeremiah 08/10/08
      47.   Conversion 14:53  |  ILFESSO 08/10/08
      48.   Intermarriage is ancient problem yet we have still survived 15:06  |  Bartley Kulp 08/10/08
      49.   One can also be smart and Jewish !!! 15:08  |  Moshe 08/10/08
      50.   Bronfman is right 15:17  |  J K 08/10/08
      51.   #8 Natallie Durson 15:17  |  Not Quite 08/10/08
      52.   is the presidency of yishuv open?? 15:38  |  Rob of melbourne 08/10/08
      53.   A righteous Jew - Bronfman 15:38  |  Barry Praag 08/10/08
      54.   Well spoken Mr.Bronfman. 15:54  |  Stephen. 08/10/08
      55.   Bronfman 15:56  |  Kalinin 08/10/08
      56.   strategic ally #12 ?? 16:08  |  Rob of melbourne 08/10/08
      57.   NOT SO FAST 16:08  |  Barry S. Roffman 08/10/08
      58.   No We should not water down our religion thru Mixed marriage 16:26  |  Robert/Montreal 08/10/08
      59.   True Judaism 16:30  |  Edmond. Cohen 08/10/08
      60.   Swiss (Dino) 16:39  |  Jane 08/10/08
      61.   structure of judaism 17:14  |  AMIHAI 08/10/08
      62.   to amos/jeremiah, inventing god 17:27  |  amos 08/10/08
      63.   # 60 Jane (1) 17:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      64.   # 60 Jane (2) 17:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      65.   For Natalie who is afraid to open my posts. Do I scare u? 17:59  |  Big Sur 08/10/08
      66.   mixed marriages is the future 18:00  |  CM 08/10/08
      67.   for Ben & others in the Galut 18:44  |  Ari ben Yisrael 08/10/08
      68.   Its not reform it`s spirit! 18:56  |  rigma 08/10/08
      69.   How? 18:59  |  rigma 08/10/08
      70.   intermarriage 18:59  |  alanna 08/10/08
      71.   Shlomo #5 19:02  |