A Jewish future? Only in Israel 

Op-ed: Considering soaring assimilation rates, the Jewish population 
in many countries around the world will likely disappear completely 
in six or seven generations. Israel is the only country in the world 
where the number of Jews keeps growing and the only place where 
the Jewish people have a future. 

by Noah Klieger
April 29, 2018
Original Ynet posting at:
http://bit.ly/jewish-future-only-on-israel

I read the forecasts on the Jewish people's future across the universe 
in several generations from now very carefully, and with all due respect 
to the demography experts, I disagree with their forecasts. In my opinion, 
they are simply too optimistic and incompatible with the reality of the past 
few years.
 
After visiting many countries around the world over the years, and being 
a rationalist, I am convinced there will be a dramatic decrease in the Jewish 
population in most countries worldwide in six or seven generations from now, 
and in some countries it will most likely disappear altogether.

For example, if there are about 7,000 Jews living in Denmark, which has 
less than six million residents, how can they survive? Clearly, most of them 
won't find a partner within the community, and everyone knows that mixed 
marriages usually lead - after several generations - to a loss of the Jewish 
identity. And that makes complete sense.

What about countries with a relatively large Jewish population? In the United States, 
for example, the number of Jews in the general population of 327 million residents 
is about 5.5 million. Clearly, the Jewish community there will last longer than the 
Jewish community in Denmark, Belgium or Spain.

It's pretty clear, however, that the American Jewish community will also disappear 
eventually, apart from the ultra-Orthodox. But the latter make up only a very small 
percentage of the US Jewry, and the rate of mixed marriages there keeps growing 
and has already reached 60 percent, according to data.

Even though some of those who live in mixed families claim to lead a Jewish life 
and maintain a Jewish identity, as the Reform Jews have been trying to convince us, 
they will assimilate completely within several generations. The undeniable fact is 
that the Jewish people in the Diaspora are losing tens of thousands of members 
every year.

If the non-Jewish wife in a mixed family is against performing a circumcision 
on the couple's baby boy, what will her Jewish husband do? Divorce her? 
Of course not. After all, they married out of love and a desire to start 
a family together. Moreover, the baby isn't considered Jewish according 
to the Halacha.

And then the husband convinces himself that he can be Jewish even without 
circumcising his children, that a Christmas tree at home isn't a religious act 
but a traditional custom, that studying in Jewish educational institutions 
isn't necessary for maintaining a Jewish identity, etc.

The situation is similar in the opposite case, when the wife is Jewish 
and the husband isn't, even if the child is definitely considered Jewish. 
For how long? Until he marries a non-Jewish woman.

Most members of the Jewish people, who were scattered across the world, 
managed to survive and avoid assimilation for 2,000 years. Despite decrees 
and riots and annihilation, they insisted on sticking to their faith and succeeded. 
And now, when Jews enjoy freedom of religion and faith - at least in 
Western countries - and aren't facing an existential threat, many of them 
are drifting away from their Jewishness.

The only country in the world where the number of Jews keeps growing 
on an annual basis is Israel, of course. Nearly 6.5 million Jews live in the 
country today, the birthrate is increasing and the number of immigrants 
is greater than the number of people who leave the country for different 
reasons. Seventy years after the Jewish state's establishment, it is clear 
to everyone that in light of the growing assimilation rates, the future of 
the Jewish people can only be found in Israel.