A Moment with Rabbi Niles Goldstein

Author of Gonzo Judaism: A Bold Path for Renewing an Ancient Faith

Niles Goldstein isn’t your typical pulpit rabbi. His belief that American Judaism has “ossified” has led him to look for God off the beaten path and as far away as the Arctic Circle. In Goldstein’s latest book, Gonzo Judaism: A Bold Path for Renewing an Ancient Faith, he charts new ways for Jews to embrace their faith and for synagogues to engage their members. His congregation, the New Shul in New York City’s Greenwich Village, is the testing ground for the “Gonzo” philosophy of its poet rabbi. In this interview with Moment’s associate editor Danny Gainsburg, Goldstein defines Gonzo Judaism, tells why Hebrew schools have it wrong while Jewish camps have it right and explores the future of American Jewry.

What is Gonzo Judaism and where does the term originate?
What I’m trying to do with Gonzo Judaism is similar to what Hunter S. Thompson did with the form of journalism he pioneered and called Gonzo journalism. The Gonzo philosophy is about being both an insider and an outsider at the same time in order to effect change. I want to bring a brash and life-affirming attitude to a religion I consider ossified and boring and in serious need of an infusion of adrenaline. I want people to live their Judaism not just with their heads, but with their hearts.

What is it about Judaism that you consider ossified?
Too many of our rabbis and lay leaders have become complacent. It’s easier to do things the way they’ve been done for years than to mix things up and try to be provocative. Kafka said that laziness is the cardinal sin. Many rabbis are afraid to challenge their congregants, but I think people want to be challenged in synagogue.

What sort of things should synagogues be doing to engage disaffected Jews?
Synagogue services need to be more interactive and participatory. The rabbi doesn’t need to deliver a sermon every week. I usually ask a provocative question which often then leads to a lively dialogue. This tends to get everyone involved.

There are a lot of great traditions many people aren’t even aware of. For instance, the Talmud describes a ceremony known as Simchat Beit ha-Shoevah, which is a Jewish rain dance that was originally celebrated during Sukkot. In my synagogue, we reenact this ritual using musical instruments including a Shofar, dress in costumes and have a full-blown celebration complete with dancing with bowls of water.

What kind of person is the best candidate to become a Gonzo Jew?
A person who is intelligent and spiritual but also is disaffected with the way things have unfolded in American Jewish life. I also think that Jews need to get rid of some of their baggage. Just because they had a lousy Hebrew school experience doesn’t mean Judaism is bankrupt.

What advice do you have for Jewish educators that can help them make the Hebrew school experience more fulfilling?
We need excellent teachers and great think-outside–the-box programs for our Hebrew schools. I took a class on a rock climbing trip and incorporated Jewish texts in the context of the rock climbing. It was much more powerful than being in a traditional classroom setting. I was able to talk about the Jewish philosophies of confronting obstacles, building a team and overcoming problems while using the rock climbing as a teaching tool.

Why are you such a fan of Jewish camps?
The camp is an informal setting and, because the campers live every day in that setting, it is primary rather than supplemental. This type of immersion experience can also work for adults—it can be at a retreat center, on a kibbutz or at a weekend Shabbaton. The key is the immersion, which is what leads to the bonding and the sense of community, and these bonds tend to last.

Is there anything wrong with being a “cultural Jew?”
Nothing is wrong. Ninety-five percent of my congregation is ambivalent about God and ritual practice. I think you can be a cultural Jew or an agnostic or atheistic Jew. However, I would argue that the spiritual and prophetic and moral component of being Jewish is inextricably linked to God and the Jewish covenant with God. Without that trio, those people are definitely Jews, but they miss out on a central part of being Jewish and they won’t lead lives as fully actualized Jews.

What should American Jewry do to reinvigorate Judaism?
We need to move beyond our nostalgia- based Judaism. We need to construct a life-affirming, brash, joyous Judaism that is open and willing to take risks. I think the Jewish community will end up being leaner and meaner—one that is rooted in commitment and creativity, which has always been our strength.