Unrestricted-hippie-liberal-permissiveness? Maybe it's the wrong movement for you. Being reform doesn't mean one needs no rules, so Yoffie says.
Now take a look at another issue Yoffie dealt with in his speech. Again, the same general mood, same general notion: "True, it is difficult to formalize boundaries and to say 'no,' particularly for our movement, which always prefers to open doors and build bridges. But sometimes it is necessary."
The subject: kids from mixed families who attend both Jewish and Christian education, as their parents can't make up their mind: "The Jewish parent, wishing to avoid conflict with a spouse's family, may feel that some Jewish exposure is better than none; and synagogue officials are reluctant to take steps that may alienate interfaith families. Nonetheless, there is no escaping that dual education is harmful and unfair to the child," says Yoffie.
"Our rabbis and educators," he suggests, should "meet with parents, explain the reasons for choosing a single religious tradition, and offer them study and counseling that will enable them to make this choice wisely."
"Let us not forget the lesson of King Solomon, who - faced with two mothers claiming the same child - knew that the parent who refused to cut the child in half was the one who loved him more."
After saying no twice, there's also a yes side to the coin of commitment. Yoffie speaks of the very sensitive issue of inter-marriage, as he begins with the praise that should be bestowed on those non-Jews driving their kids to Sunday school, camp, Torah study etc. "When a spouse involves herself in the activities of the synagogue; offers support to the Jewish involvements of husband or wife; attends Jewish worship; and, most important of all, commits to raising Jewish children, he or she is deserving not only of welcome but of our profound thanks."
"These spouses are heroes - yes, heroes - of Jewish life," Yoffie says. "While maintaining some measure of attachment to their own traditions, and sometimes continuing to practice their religion, they take on responsibilities that, by any reasonable calculation, belong to the Jewish spouse. And very often they do all of this without recognition from either their Jewish family or their synagogue."
However, Yoffie does not forget who is a Jew. "By making non-Jews feel comfortable and accepted in our congregations, we have sent the message that we do not care if they convert. But that is not our message," he preaches, urging a more aggressive approach to conversion. Being Jewish and non-Jewish might both be good ? but not identical.
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