The mid to late 1960s, into the mid-1970s, saw the rise of a new movement. It's initial form has all but faded, but its influence is still keenly felt. Perhaps more important is what its implications are for the entire Jewish community, including us. It was known as the Havurah movement. A Havurah means a "group" or "fellowship". As early as 1960, there began to appear Jewish agricultural communes in rural areas. With the mid 1960s, the counter-culture Hippie movement had begun; first on the West Coast of the United States, then quickly spreading from coast to coast. It was a reaction to the war in Southeast Asia, a general malaise about government and society, and essentially rejecting the values of previous generations. The Hippies saw themselves as the beginning of a new era, the dawn of the Age of Aquarius. Many Hippies left home, and gathered in various communal settings, further alienating themselves from "polite society". Terms like "generation gap" and "credibility gap" were common fare in the media. These ideas hit home for many young Jews as well, leading them into the Hippie movement. But another group arose within that setting. Its members wanted to be Jewish, but resented the large suburban mega-synagogues that were common at the time. (One rabbi quipped that American Jews have an "edifice complex"). Most rabbis of these synagogues were aloof, and did little to further the spiritual growth of their communities. Judaism, in these communities, was cultural, sociological, ethnocentric, but rarely spiritual, or even participatory. Rabbi A, J. Heschel wrote "the American Synagogue is suffering from a severe cold". Synagogues were often political battlegrounds. The founding members of these synagogues usually jealously guarded their rights and privileges, with young people kept in the background. Ostentation and conspicuous consumption were hallmarks of Jewish suburbia. Some of these disenfranchised youth formed communes of their own. In these communes, they began to practice a brand of Judaism that encouraged study and participation. They would worship together, and explore new ways of doing things. The most influential people in this movement came mostly from the Conservative Jewish Theological Seminary, but had broken away from the structure that had become standard and standardized. These communes, now called Havurot, had no rabbis or professional leadership. Together, the members would study texts, and plan religious celebrations and observances. Some Havurot aimed more at universalism, Others explored what being Jewish means. The American Jewish establishment was scandalized by the new movement. First of all, it had thrown off the leadership of the Jewish community; not only on the local level, but even at the national level. In addition, the sexual freedom which had become so widespread in American society was also to be found in the Havurot. Not that this is acceptable from a halachic standpoint, but it was so pervasive at the time, that rationalizations were found to allow this behavior within a Jewish context. (Remember, this was NOT an Orthodox movement, but it did bring young people much closer to an understanding and appreciation of Judaism.) The very existence of Havurot was seen as a threat to everything Judaism had come to stand for. The reaction of the organized community was to ignore the Havurah phenomenon, except for an occasional article in obscure publications. "Ignore it, it will go away" was the general attitude. But it didn't. In 1973, a book came out that had a great impact in the short run, but changed Jews' perception of themselves and their faith ever since. It is so outdated now, that we may giggle at some of its ideas. But a spark was kindled which still is a light to many. That will be the topic of my next post.
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