Sectarian discrimination?

GORDON M. WEINER

It was troubling to read Rabbi Barton Lee's letter describing Hillel at Arizona State University's need to abandon the Macabee Clubs mentoring program because of a cut in funding by the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix ("We can reduce drop-out rate," Jewish News, Aug. 27).

Having taught Jewish studies at ASU for almost 30 years, I can attest to the meager level of Judaic knowledge among our Jewish students. Taking nothing away from the day schools and the Bureau of Jewish Education's Hebrew High School, there simply are far too many students who fall through the cracks, and programs like Rabbi Lee's that serve all Jews, regardless of their denominational affiliation, are critically necessary.

I am sure that the federation cuts were made out of a need to meet a tight budget and not as a criticism of the Macabee Clubs. However, in cutting a broadly pluralistic program while continuing to fund more narrowly sectarian Jewish agencies, the federation is giving preferential treatment to particularistic approaches to Judaism.

Let me explain. Why should I, a Reform, non-kosher Jew, have my federation dollars go to support the Orthodox Va'ad Hakashruth and the Orthodox Phoenix Hebrew Academy? Can you imagine the letters the Jewish News and federation would receive if, in the face of budget cuts, the federation decided to fund a chaplaincy for interfaith marriages?

When the hechscher was removed from Karsh's bakery, David Goldstein, an attorney for whom I have great respect, argued that the size of the Orthodox community had grown to the point where a more traditional definition of kashrut could and should be applied. If the Orthodox community has grown, why can't its members support the Va'ad? If they are not numerous enough to do that by themselves, perhaps they should reconsider broadening their base of support by including establishments like Karsh's.

If non-Orthodox rabbis are barred from serving on the Va'ad, why are non-Orthodox dollars being siphoned through the federation to support it? The notion of K'lal Yisroel is a two-way street, and we should not be replicating the sectarian discrimination practiced in Israel against Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jews.

Gordon M. Weiner is professor emeritus and former director of Jewish Studies at Arizona State University. Contact him at weinerg@aol.com.

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