On Hiding My Point Of View: A Question For My Readers

Yesterday, over a chocolate break with co-worker friends, I talked a little about my blog. The co-workers I was talking to know my beliefs even if the members at the JCC usually do not. A few of them vociferously agree with me. They are all very dear people for whom I care a great deal.

At one point in the conversation, a couple of them remarked that I should be careful. I could suffer problems at work from expressing my point of view. They were honestly concerned for me.

I was taken aback. My job at the JCC is in senior administration. I coordinate grants with organizations like the United Way. I do internal communications and publicity. I supervise some staff and facilities. I coordinate the calendar.

Though I was originally brought on as Jewish educator, the Jewish education that I have provided has always been secular in nature. That is appropriate at a JCC where the Jewish voice is split into a broad chorus of opinions, ranging from me on one side to a small handful of Orthodox on the other. How could I possibly teach a version of Judaism that everyone would agree with? Why would I event want to try?

I have no desire to use my JCC job as a platform for my beliefs. I have other outlets for that such as this blog, the Association of Humanistic Rabbis, the Society for Humanistic Judaism and Congregation Beth Adam. However, if asked, I will proudly say that I am a secular humanistic rabbi and explain what that means.

So I pointed out to my co-workers that my position is a legitimate one in Jewish life. That the Society for Humanistic Judaism is a movement like any other in our community. I talked about how our rabbis sit on the boards of rabbis around the country. They had expressed the concern, but now I was trying to calm myself down.

What is it about non-theistic Judaism that would elicit a reaction like this? Polls show that many American Jews already hold non-theistic views. In my last post, I pointed out that many other liberal rabbis do, too.

Even for Jews who proclaim their theism, it’s hard to know what they mean by it. Is it the God of Orthodox Judaism or a Mordecai Kaplan-esque metaphor for a non-supernatural process?

So I’m asking you, my readers, what you think. A large percentage of American rabbis do not work in congregations. Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, Renewal, Haredi and Modern Orthodox rabbis are found in every Jewish agency you can imagine.

They do not hide their affiliations. Must I?