Orthodox and Non-Orthodox Judaism part 15

As the idea of the Havurah movement became more mainstream in the mid 1970s, interest in communes was dwindling. Some Havurot became places for prayer and study meetings, with the members living independently. Some were welcomed as separate groups within an existing synagogue. More importantly, many synagogues switched from being dry centers of ethnicity and ceremony, to becoming vibrant centers of Torah study and spiritual awareness. Being initially an offshoot of Conservatism, the Havurah movement was primarily intellectual; WHAT do Jews do, and WHY? Just the facts, please. To be sure, there was an element of seeking G-d, as well as individual soul searching. But these were secondary to knowledge. A new approach was being formulated, however. The focus of prayer; indeed of EVERYTHING, should be G-d. Some rabbis of the Havurah movement's leadership, joined by some Orthodox and even Hasidic rabbis who had left the path of Orthodoxy, began to make new semi-Havurot. Like the Hippie movement, that  went from a focus on self reliance, to a search for spirituality (which then became first focused on drugs, then on cults), the newcomers sought first, and foremost, spirituality. They drew heavily on Hasidic ideology, if not practice, but did not hesitate to include insights from Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sufism, and a host of others. This approach became known as "Jewish Renewal". It emphasizes ecstatic experiences,  mantra meditation, feminism, pacifism; in short, just like what the Hippie movement had become in its second stage. One of its founders even said "Judaism has a point of diminishing returns, which requires us to supplement from elsewhere." Jewish Renewal now ordains its own rabbis. It takes two forms. One is as a confederation of Renewal groups around the country and beyond it, which has, for all intents and purposes become yet another denomination. The other is as an individual experience of people who belong to the other denominations. One will frequently encounter in a Reform or Conservative synagogue (and occasionally Orthodox), one or more persons who, during services, is wrapped in a tallit (often decorated in many colors), dancing and chanting by themselves. In the 1960s, they would have undoubtedly been expelled from the service. But the Havurah movement has made many communities open to different experiences. Although Renewal began with the Havurot, in some ways, it is the opposite of that movement. Some have compared it to the Mitnagdim (the Lithuanian opponents to Hasidism) versus the Hasidim; knowledge versus experiences. Another difference is in leadership. Whereas the Havurot were decidedly "do it yourself", Renewal centers around charismatic leaders. Here, too, it parallels the Hippie experience, as many became cult figures.  Mainline Renewal is decidedly non-halachic. But another form, which doesn't identify as Renewal, despite springing from it, maintains the basics of a traditional lifestyle. However, the emphasis is clearly on experiencing the joy of Jewish life. This form avoids non-Jewish influences, but often takes liberties with some Jewish observances, similar to some forms of Modern Orthodox that I have previously described. "Holiness", in these groups, is often synonymous with "feels good" What can and must be said is that Renewal, in its various forms, has brought a consciousness of G-d to many thousands of people. This was, however, at the cost of much of the message and framework of Torah.