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Since the end of World War II, there have been enormous changes in American Judaism. For a whole generation that came of age after 1945, the Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel were the two defining events. Even today, studies show that most American Jews believe memorializing the Holocaust is one of their most important obligations.
Many feel that remembering the Holocaust is more important than participating in synagogue services or celebrating the Jewish holidays. Even those who do not share this view understand that the Nazi would have murdered all Jews, regardless of denomination affiliation or level of piety. All Jews are therefore part of what Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik called the b’rit goral, the covenant of fate.
In recent years, fewer American Jews are finding this historic justification insufficient. Religion is seen as a matter of personal choice rather than an inherited obligation. Many people are looking to Judaism to provide them with existential meaning. They hope that their participation in religious experiences will enrich their lives by uplifting their souls.
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