Grant’s cold welcome from UK rabbis

The UK’s Jewish Chronicle reported that Avram Grant spent Rosh Hashanah at a Kabbalah Center service and dinner. Surprisingly, two prominent UK rabbis and members of UK Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks’s rabbinical “Cabinet” were quoted as severely criticizing Mr. Grant for his choice of synagogue. Sir Jonathan’s Israel representative, Rabbi Barry Marcus, said he was worried about Mr. Grant’s affiliation to the Kabbalah Center: “The Kabbalah Centre is adept at using celebrities to get the publicity they crave, and having another high-profile person with links to the Kabbalah Centre will dupe more people into buying water and worthless red (Kabbalah) bracelets.”

However, the harshest criticism of Mr. Grant came from another member of the Chief Rabbi’s inner circle. Rabbi Yitzchak Shochet said that, “This is an example of yet more high-profile people sucked into this nonsensical cult…Just how someone so naive can manage such a big club beggars belief. Frankly, Mr. Grant would do better giving the money to Manchester United.”

Love-hate relationship 

Now, I am no supporter of the Kabbalah Centers and have some misgivings about the way they operate. During my time as a rabbi, however, I have seen a number of people who have become more involved with their Judaism and the Jewish community because of the Kabbalah Center’s influence. In fact, a number of people who attended our High Holiday services did so only because they had been introduced to Judaism by the Kabbalah Center. That the Kabbalah Center is doing some good is thus irrefutable.

It is therefore troubling when two prominent UK rabbinic leaders feel obliged to criticize Mr. Grant’s association with the Kabbalah Center instead of welcoming him to the Jewish community of Britain. However, as one who served that community, I am not surprised by this attack by the Chief Rabbi’s representatives.

In the course of my work with Anglo-Jewry, it became apparent to me that the British Jewish Community has a love-hate relationship with its institutions. The largest synagogue body in the UK is the United Synagogue, founded, with the sanction of an Act of Parliament, in 1870. The spiritual leader of this group is the Chief Rabbi, who in many respects is seen as the spokesman for Jews in Britain. A review of the Jewish press in Britain over the last number of years shows that British Jews have a tendency to overly criticize both the United Synagogue and the Chief Rabbi. Simultaneously, however, British Jews are reluctant to embrace any organization that is not under the aegis of a major Jewish institution. Seemingly there is a fear of new organizations that may pose a threat to already established major Jewish institutions.

Recognizing diversity  

While living in the UK, I began an innovative Jewish educational organization. Both philanthropists and community leaders told me that they would withhold support until we received the blessing and cooperation of other established Jewish instructions such as the Chief Rabbi’s Office, the United Synagogue and Jews’ College. When their cooperation was not forthcoming, the effort failed. Most frustrating of all was that those same philanthropists and community leaders would bemoan the shortcomings of the institutions they wanted us to partner with.

The primary concern seemed to be the perpetuation of the major Jewish institutions, despite the fact that most people felt that they were failing. This, I surmise, accounts for the rabbis’ criticism of Mr. Grant’s affiliation to the Kabbalah Center—the fact that it is independent of the major Jewish institutions of the UK scares them.

In 1990, there were estimated to be about 340,000 Jews in Britain, but today the population has declined by a fifth to only 270,000. It is not too great a leap of imagination to see a link here. British Jewry must recognize that diversity in Jewish life brings vibrancy, and as long as they remain tenaciously attached to their major institutions and thus stifle competition, the community will continue to shrink.

Rabbi Levi Brackman is executive director of Judaism in the Foothills and the author of numerous articles on a whole range of topics and issues, many of which can be found on his website