IN REPLY TO:
“Or if the synagogue-center had become the predominant model, would Jewish mega-synagogues have created a more vibrant Jewish religious life, akin to the success of evangelical Christianity today?”

ANS:
“Religion is an act of the will inclining man to observe the right order, springing from his dependence on God. St. Thomas (II-II, Q. lxxxi, a. 1) defines religion as "(the virtue which prompts man to render to God the worship and reverence that is His by right). The end of religion is filial communion with God, in which we honor and revere Him as our supreme Lord, love Him as our Father, and find in that reverent service of filial love our true perfection and happiness. Bliss-giving communion with the sovereign Deity is, as has been pointed out, the end of all religions”

The vibrancy of religion is found in its doctrines and its beliefs. If they are not true, the teachings lose their vibrancy. The vibrancy comes from teachings in respect to the following question. "Do these teachings conform to reality and reason, and are they in consonance with human nature?"

“Judaism is a religion founded by God and brought to completion by the Messiah, who came to fulfill the Old Covenant. Some Jews didn’t want to come along. God made the Jews His chosen people that they might go out and evangelize the faith to all, but the Jews became xenophobic. They were waiting for a Messiah; He came and the Jewish leaders did not recognize Him. Judaism unfortunately is still waiting for a Messiah and has faded into an abstruse sectarian religion.

Moreover, the Jews have quarreled among themselves on its doctrines which resulted in division. Many of the forms of Judaism have contradicted their ancient traditions. This conflict between tradition and the modern world was the theme of the “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Judaism was loosing its covenant with God. “The kabbalah flowered during the Middle Ages, combining older trends in Jewish mysticism with Neoplatonism and other ideas. Kabbalistic signs and writings were used as amulets and in magical practices,” namely an obscured affinity with witchcraft was taking place. Witchcraft is an affiliation with demonism.

As the conditions of life deteriorated, apocalyptic beliefs grew—national catastrophe and the messianic kingdom were seen as imminent events. Some groups (see Essenes; Qumran) fled into the desert to lead righteous lives in anticipation, while others followed claimants to the mantle of Messiah (most notably Jesus). Out of these numerous ingredients came both Christianity and classical, or rabbinic, Judaism.

Ultimately, it was the halakah (the law) that divided Judaism in the 19th cent. The Orthodox is one. The Reform was another. It held both the written law (Scriptures) and the oral laws (commentaries on the legal portions of the Scriptures) as authoritative, derived from God, while the Reform do not see them as authoritative in any absolute sense, but binding only in their ethical content.

While Orthodox Jews maintain the traditional practices, Reform Jews perform only those rituals that they believe can promote and enhance a Jewish, and God-oriented life. In 1999, however, leaders of American Reform Judaism reversed century-old teachings by encouraging but not enforcing the observance of many traditional rituals.

The ‘historical school,’ or Conservative movement, attempts to formulate a middle position between Orthodox and Reform, maintaining most of the traditional rituals but recognizing the need to make changes in accordance with overriding contemporary considerations.

Conservative Jews believe that the history of Judaism proves their basic assumptions: that tradition and change have always gone hand in hand. What is central to Judaism, and has remained constant throughout the centuries, is the people of Israel (and their needs), not the fundamentalism of Orthodoxy or what they consider the abandonment of traditions by Reform.”

So Judaism has many forms many different beliefs going in many directions, and, in a sense, has become a human religion of changes made, not by God, but by man. That has impugned the integrity of Judaism not in its antiquity and roots, but in its modernistic attempts to adapt to the present times.

Because Catholicism was founded by God to complete the covenant God made with the Jews, those Jews, who refused to accept the New Covenant, became a closed esoteric society by rejecting the fulfillment of the Scriptures and lost the counsel of the Holy Spirit, That has weakened its teaching authority.

“Religion implies, first, the recognition of a Divine personality in and behind the forces of nature, the Lord and Ruler of the world, God.” However, some sects of the Jews materialized their religion. The related Reconstructionist movement of Mordechai M. Kaplan holds Judaism to be a human-centered rather than a God-centered religious civilization.”

Modern Judaism that is human centered is for the most part a staunch supporter of abortion and homosexuality that personifies the affect of modernism on Judaism’s beliefs.

Because of Judaism’s esoteric nature, its muted evangelization, its lack of leadership in doctrine, its unity in its beliefs,, and the change of its roots in some cases, Judaism has lost a lot of its vibrancy.

IN REPLY TO:
Or if the synagogue-center had become the predominant model, would Jewish mega-synagogues have created a more vibrant Jewish religious life, akin to the success of evangelical Christianity today?”

Religion is an act of the will inclining man to observe the right order, springing from his dependence on God. St. Thomas (II-II, Q. lxxxi, a. 1) defines religion as "(the virtue which prompts man to render to God the worship and reverence that is His by right). The end of religion is filial communion with God, in which we honor and revere Him as our supreme Lord, love Him as our Father, and find in that reverent service of filial love our true perfection and happiness. Bliss-giving communion with the sovereign Deity is, as has been pointed out, the end of all religions”

The vibrancy of religion is found in its doctrines and its beliefs. If they are not true, the teachings lose their vibrancy. The vibrancy comes from teachings in respect to the following question. "Do these teachings conform to reality and reason, and are they in consonance with human nature?"

Judaism is a religion founded by God and brought to completion by the Messiah, who came to fulfill the Old Covenant. Some Jews didn’t want to come along. God made the Jews His chosen people that they might go out and evangelize the faith to all, but the Jews became xenophobic. They were waiting for a Messiah; He came and the Jewish leaders did not recognize Him. Judaism unfortunately is still waiting for a Messiah and has faded into an abstruse religion of obscurity.

“Moreover, the Jews have quarreled among themselves on its doctrines which resulted in division. Many of the forms of Judaism have contradicted their ancient traditions. This conflict between tradition and the modern world was the theme of the “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Judaism was loosing its covenant with God. The kabbalah flowered during the Middle Ages, combining older trends in Jewish mysticism with Neoplatonism and other ideas. Kabbalistic signs and writings were used as amulets and in magical practices,” namely an affinity with witchcraft. Witchcraft is an affiliation with demonism.

“As the conditions of life deteriorated, apocalyptic beliefs grew—national catastrophe and the messianic kingdom were seen as imminent events. Some groups (see Essenes; Qumran) fled into the desert to lead righteous lives in anticipation, while others followed claimants to the mantle of Messiah (most notably Jesus). Out of these numerous ingredients came both Christianity and classical, or rabbinic, Judaism.

Ultimately, it was the halakah (the law) that divided Judaism in the 19th cent. The Orthodox is one; the Reform another who holds both the written law (Scriptures) and the oral laws (commentaries on the legal portions of the Scriptures) as authoritative, derived from God, while the Reform do not see them as authoritative in any absolute sense, but binding only in their ethical content.

While Orthodox Jews maintain the traditional practices, Reform Jews perform only those rituals that they believe can promote and enhance a Jewish, and God-oriented life. In 1999, however, leaders of American Reform Judaism reversed century-old teachings by encouraging but not enforcing the observance of many traditional rituals. The "historical school," or Conservative movement, attempts to formulate a middle position between Orthodox and Reform, maintaining most of the traditional rituals but recognizing the need to make changes in accordance with overriding contemporary considerations. Conservative Jews believe that the history of Judaism proves their basic assumptions: that tradition and change have always gone hand in hand. What is central to Judaism, and has remained constant throughout the centuries, is the people of Israel (and their needs), not the fundamentalism of Orthodoxy or what they consider the abandonment of traditions by Reform..

So Judaism has many forms many different beliefs going in many directions, and, in a sense, has become a human religion of changes made, not by God, but by man. That has impugned the integrity of Judaism not in its antiquity and roots, but in its modernistic attempts to adapt to the present times.

Because Catholicism was founded by God to complete the covenant God made with the Jews, those Jews, who refused to accept the New Covenant, became a closed esoteric society by rejecting the fulfillment of the Scriptures and lost the counsel of the Holy Spirit, That weakened its teaching authority.

Religion implies, first, the recognition of a Divine personality in and behind the forces of nature, the Lord and Ruler of the world, God. However, some sects of the Jews materialized their religion. The related Reconstructionist movement of Mordechai M. Kaplan holds Judaism to be a human-centered rather than a God-centered religious civilization

Modern Judaism that is human centered is for the most part a staunch supporter of abortion and homosexuality that personifies the affect of modernism on their beliefs

Because of Judaism’s esoteric nature, its muted evangelization, its lack of leadership in doctrine and unity in its beliefs,, and the change of its roots in some cases, Judaism has lost a lot of its vibrancy.

The original post is not 100% true. While Reform and Conservative synagogues may today play a role in only a small part of a person's life, Orthodox Synagogues continue to play a major role. They ( the Orthodox Synagogue) continues to function as a "community center" Maybe that explains why Orthodox Judaism, even though its' numbers are the smallest is still thrivingl.

Shari,

I think the previous model is something that would be an amazing thing to recreate, and hopefully we will do it, because it will get rid of the fact that so many shuls feel the need to compete with each other for congregants. The synagogue that my parents and i belong to is similar, its small and it constantly has to compete with larger and wealthier. If American Judaism embraced the old-school model, i think we could have a truly more vibrant American Jewish community.

Shari you said "I once more ventured out" don't

Look at the quotes below and see.

25. When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:
26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you.
28. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
30. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
31. (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Do you see “And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.” Do you not understand ”ye shall serve gods” Those of the so-called Christian faith serve the father, son, and holy ghost. Look “the work of men's hands” Look at the words of Isaac to Esau “And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.” Do you see “wood and stone” Let’s see where that leads us.

12. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day:
13. That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
14. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;
15. But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:
16. (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;
17. And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
18. Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
19. And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
20. The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.
21. And the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:

Do you see “Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:” History has repeated itself “ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them”

7. Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
8. For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9. And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
10. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

Do you see “For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.” Do you see ” the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured” This is the cross of the Christian faith. Look “Absalom rode upon a mule” who came upon an ass that the Christians worship. Do you seee “his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth” this is the head of the Christian church.

14. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15. And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16. And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
18. Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

Do you see “And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him” Look, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.” Here is his place “and cast him into a great pit in the wood”

32. And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
32. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Do you see “my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom” This is the trinity of the Christian faith, the father (my son Absalom) the son (my son) the spirit (my son Absalom)

26. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
27. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
28. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Do you see “And Isaac loved Esau” These are the words of Isaac to Esau “And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.” Do you see ”the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured”

7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

These Words of David in the Psalm “mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.” “and see the reward of the wicked” Do you not understand ”ye shall serve gods” Do you see “wood and stone” Do you see “And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him” This is what David said “would God I had died for thee” That is what the heathen sinner creatures did.

30. Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
31. For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
32. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
33. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.

Do you see “And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.” Do you not understand “Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:” Look “there will I plead with you face to face.” Who was face to face with the LORD. “and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm” Is there not another Exodus.