According to the 2000 - 2001 National Jewish Population Survey, only 46 percent of the 5.2 million Jews in America belong to congregations. That percentage is by all accounts dramatically lower for those under 35, a crucial demographic that the NJPS didn't even bother to poll, notes Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein, founder of the New Shul in Manhattan. Taking a cue from the reporting style and vituperative approach of the late writer Hunter S. Thompson, the author turns to the spirit of "gonzo" to wake up Jews who are turning elsewhere for their spiritual sustenance. He offers a vision of a vibrant, inspiring, edgy, and joyful Judaism that is popping up all over the place as an alternative to a fearful, defensive, ossified, and out-of-touch Judaism. Calling for a revitalized and remodeled ancient faith, Goldstein describes a Judaism that speaks to the mind, body, and soul.
In chapters on religion in the raw, extreme religion, recovering ancient Jewish practices, tribalism, false prophets, and tapping into the creative energy of artists and performers, Goldstein shows that Jewish identity, community, and ritual can take place in fresh and exciting ways and places. For example, there is a Jewish Outward Bound adventure in the high Arctic where participants take on physical challenges while probing the spiritual and moral lessons of Judaism. There is a Jewish Rain Dance, a festive, multisensory, interactive, and intergenerational rite. Goldstein states: "I want more tradition, not less. More enchantment, less routine." He challenges young Jews to become "spiritual archaeologists" open to the discovery of ritual's power and mystery. Pilgrimage is another way to renew an ancient faith.
Goldstein ends this wild ride with a list of spiritual resources for gonzo Jews to check out, including organizations and institutions, synagogues, books, and magazines and periodicals .
