peter@unm-la.UUCP (bill peter) (02/09/86)
To further discuss the excellent points brought up by J. Abeles, it should be noted that Judith Resnick came from a traditional Jewish upbringing, obtained a PhD in electrical engineering from Maryland, and yet, according to her father, "did not want to attend or participate in the amenities of Jewish life,", and that "religion played no part in her life." The Orthopractics amongst us will point to all the other less-religious (according to their standards) Jewish families as an excuse for this phenomenon. No matter that the grandsons of even the famous Rabbi Reines now eat "treyfe" and have faculty parties on Yom Kippur. No matter that countless other orthodox families see their way of life being challenged by their American descendants within two--if not sooner--generations. No matter that according to a recent Israeli demographic study, the Jewish population in the US will be down 25% within 15 years due to an aging/dying population, intermarriage, and low birth rates.... As Abeles correctly surmised, the question "Do Jews belong in space?" can only be seriously considered by someone who traces his theological roots to Medieval Eastern European shtetlism. A similar person living in Vilna could easily ask the question "Do Jews belong in Elizabeth, NJ?" The fact is is that Jews belong anywhere and everywhere, and their obligation to be "or la'goyim" does not stop at an altitude of 3000 feet. It is this theological primitivism that is witnessing the continual decay of American Judaism, an autocratic orthopracticism which drives off many of the young and intelligent Jews today by reason of its hypocrisy and fanaticism. Technology and science, and even space-travel, is within the domain of Jewish law. It is not, however, in the domain of the rigid Medievalists who claim to be our moral superiors. This issue must be made clear to those Jews who dream and yearn for the stars, so that they need not turn away from Judaism. When a Shul is built on Tranquility Base, let the Medievalists decide which way into space the "daveners" should face; let the rest of us witness the splendors of a universe created by Hashem. -- bill peter ihnp4!lanl!wkp