Hirsch Ammiel - One People, Two Worlds

To my parents

Educate a child in the way he ought to go,
and he will not swerve from it even in old age. (Proverbs 22:6)

AMMIEL HIRSCH

Dedicated to the memory of my mother,
who taught me the value of knowledge.

YOSEF REINMAN

Consider this, you who are engaged in investigation,
if you choose to seek truth. Cast aside passion,
accepted thought, and the inclination toward what you used
to esteem, and you shall not be led into error.

MAIMONIDES , Guide for the Perplexed(1:76)

This book is the result of the vision, creativity, and tenacity of my dear friends Richard and Leslie Curtis. Ever since that first day when I walked into their synagogue, Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City, to become the assistant rabbi, still wet behind the ears, Richard and Leslie have never let up on me. They urged me to write. They pushed me. They cajoled me. Finally, when Richard, a literary agent, called to tell me of another idea he hadthis bookI succumbed. Richard and Leslie practice tough love. They tell you when you are okay and they tell you when you have to improve. I am, and will always be, deeply indebted to them. Thank you, dear friends.

My coauthor, Yosef, is a unique individual. In person, he is not at all as uncompromising as what you are about to read in print. He is big-hearted and friendly. I wish that the readers could meet him personally and not be limited to his acquaintance through this book. I have found him to be of the highest moral caliber. He is a man of principle. He is deeply learned. I am proud to have engaged with him in this way. My prayer for both of us is in the fulfillment of the words of the prophet: Let those who revere God speak one to the other. And God will listen and take note. (Malachi 3:16)

Our editor, Susan Ralston, is another one of those people who practice tough love. We are fortunate to have had her guidance.

My parents, to whom I dedicate this book, have been granted the good fortune to enjoy the fruits of their labors. They successfully raised four children into adulthood. Nothing went seriously wrong along the way. My siblings, Ora, Raphi, and Emmet, medical doctors all, are also learned in Jewish thought and tradition. Their insistence on the highest intellectual standards is fierce. I was the third of four children all born a year apart, and the only one not scientific-minded. My siblings never allowed me to get away with anything, a pattern they upheld regarding this book. Their criticism was spirited. It is the way it is done in our family. How glorious!

Finally as we say in Hebrew, last and most beloved, my Alison and Abigail. They bestow upon me lifes greatest gift, unconditional love. I am truly blessed.

AMMIEL HIRSCH

Writers usually have the luxury of reviewing their completed work and making revisions if need be. In this book, by its very nature, Ammi and I did not have that luxury; there was no going back and revising or restating positions. Writing from an Orthodox point of view, I felt this disadvantage acutely. My arguments and positions in this book are completely my own as an independent scholar, based on my studies and research. They are not to be taken in any way as the official views of the Orthodox rabbinate. Nonetheless, since I was put in a position of defending classic Jewish thought, I could not afford mistakes. Therefore, I owe a debt of gratitude to the rabbis who offered comments and critique.

I want to thank my friend Rabbi Sholom Kamenetsky who read all the postings and showed many of them to his father, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky. Special thanks to Rabbi Noach Weinberg, who answered my questions with his legendary wisdom and gusto. Last but not least, I also want to express my appreciation to Dr. Shalom Srebrenik of Arachim Institute in Israel for his insightful advice, especially the criticism.

As for the book itself, my primary acknowledgment is to my dear friend and literary agent Richard Curtis, who conceived and initiated this project and was its catalyst; he kept us on an even keel when we could easily have run aground. One of his postings is included in the book, but his contribution was invaluable throughout. Gratitude is somehow inadequate. I also want to acknowledge Susan Ralston, our editor at Schocken, for her deft editorial touch. Special thanks to Altie Karper at Schocken for her past, present, and future efforts on behalf of this book. And of course, this book could never have happened without my coauthor and new friend Ammi. I have found him to be a passionate man, an idealist, and a good friend.

My family has given me much encouragement from the sidelines, for which I am truly grateful. I want to thank my brother and close friend Yisrael for sharing the experience with me from the beginning. I also want to thank my childrenmy daughter Devora and her husband, Tzvi Follman, my son Chaim and his wife, Cindy, my son Berel and his wife, Sora Rochel, and my son Sholomfor their constant and enthusiastic interest. Above all, I am beholden to my wonderful wife, Shami, for her moral support and for her sensitive reading of the postings to make sure I did not overstep the bounds of decorum.

In closing, I humbly thank the Creator of the Universe for giving me the opportunity to bring honor to His Name, His Torah, and His people. I have tried to perform the task faithfully, and I pray that I have done it well.

YOSEF REINMAN

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Ammiel Hirsch is Executive Director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America/World Union for Progressive Judaism, North America. His editorials, articles, and sermons appear in newspapers around the world. He lives in New York City.

Yosef Reinmans monographs and articles have appeared in many Jewish periodicals. His Biblical commentaries and studies of Talmudic law are standard texts in many yeshivas. He lives in Lakewood, New Jersey.

January 21, 2000

Dear Ammi (if I may take the liberty),

Since this is my first communication directly to you, I suppose it should begin with something clever and profound, but nothing comes to mind.

I understand that our shadchan (a seasoned matchmaker named Richard Curtis) has arranged a dinner meeting as an icebreaker. As far as Im concerned, there is no ice to be broken, just a little unfamiliarity.

I look forward to meeting you for a number of reasonsthe book, the project, the contact with a Jewish world that is quite alien to me at this point, as is mine to you, no doubt. But there is also a personal reason. Over the last month, Ammi Hirsch, of whom I had never heard, has materialized for me as an individual, a fellow Jew with a past and a future, someone who is a little apprehensive about meeting me (which is endearing but unnecessary)just as I have materialized for you as a real person. Doesnt it therefore behoove us, two Jews passing in the night, to stop and say hello to each other? So, no matter what comes of this, I wish you shalom aleicham, and I am happy to make your acquaintance. Perhaps some day it will develop into a friendship. I hope so.