Judaism's Conservative Revolution

Beginning of article

For most of this century, American Jews, liberalism and the Democratic Party have gone together like bagels, lox and cream cheese. At present, we can expect this cozy relationship to continue. However, to borrow President Clinton's favorite word, Jewish liberals increasingly will have to contend with change - and it will not be an easy task.

Liberalism already has changed. From a broad national consensus in favor of equal opportunity, individual rights, popular sovereignty and economic growth, modern liberalism has become a minority ideology supporting equality of outcome, group rights, the rule of the elite and redistributionist economics.

Judaism continues to change. The Orthodox community, the largest potential source of Jewish conservatives, remains …