Various polls and surveys indicate that the Jewish population in the Diaspora, and especially America, is shrinking under the pressures of secularism and assimilation. The underlying question is whether it is worthwhile to remain part of the Jewish people. Remaining part of the Jewish people means honoring the Jewish past, refusing to consign its contents to the dust heap, but respecting it by seeking to learn and remember its lessons. Only then are we ready for the work of a new day. One way is through the proper handling of tradition.
Tradition honors the past by giving it a voice in the present.
We must live in the present, but proper traditions ensure that the past does not become irrelevant or merely antiquarian. In our time of intense and rapid change, it takes effort to maintain Jewish tradition, but the effort is worthwhile. It frees us from our isolation, and grants us membership in a community that spans time as well as distance. Tradition invites the wisdom of the past into our lives. Thus, for example, it provides specific ways to celebrate Shabbat or Passover, rounding out the picture given in Scripture with rituals, songs, menus, and customs.