Where is everyone?
When I was first on my conversion journey twenty-five years ago, I had the good fortune to have an excellent rabbi guiding me and a reasonably robust Jewish community to participate in. The synagogue I attended had Friday and Saturday services, for example, and they were both pretty busy. But fast-forward to today, and it’s easy to see that things aren’t what they used to be. There’s no question the diaspora as a whole has taken a severe beating, especially in the last couple of years.
I remember thinking, as I began again, “Gosh, it’s quiet. Must be an off week.” But then I started to notice that, by and large, I was seeing the same dedicated group of folks, and we were all, let’s say, not as young as we once were. A whole generation is missing, the age cohort I was in twenty-five years ago. My peers all grew older… and no one followed us.
It’s a problem for Christian folks, too. Religious services aren’t a draw anymore. And it’s a difficult thing to face when you’re already looking at a winding road. Rabbi S, who is also an exemplary rabbi, is with me, and I know the people at the synagogue are behind me, but you can’t say it’s still not a little disheartening.
I’m not saying everybody needs to get back to their house of worship, but maybe they ought to try? Don’t let a good thing die, as the saying goes.