Octcrher 17, 1983

Ltea r Cene:

  hbout ten P-onths aqo you sent c1(? an article by Zavfd U, !kiss
fror, the spring 1981 editinn a€ Tradttion. I took a while to rear:
it and lonper still to F,et the chance to write to you ahout it.
Parr of the delay was that T Eoun8 the writin:: style rough going.

   The article is Interesting and the conclusions make sense. hit
the line of argument does not, at least to me. The prepisct ia that
evolution and traditional Judaism are conpatihlc. That may he EO in
the author's ~ind, hut fn  tine it is R non-nrgtment. For m, these
arc two separate ways of looking at the world with different purposes
and different significances and there is no need to inteyrste then.
For a lot of people my view is bothcrsone as it defies neatness an4
consistency.

The one junction at which people do neec? to joir? the two is vhen

the - uses of sclence present possible conflicts with the moral and
ethical tenets of thcfr relig,ious. or other hclicfs. 8ut this is R
very dlfferent consideration imp integration of the scientific ana
religious views of the world. Let r\e illustrate ulth two specific
cxaaples. Background mterial is in the two enclosed paves nf the
vasazine Mature, a ueekly nagszine of scientific new6 and scimtff ic
papers p~trlished in England and read round the world. Te is the
Sritish equivalent of SCXMCE, but in many ways a btter mgmine
(that fror! an exloember of the editoral board of SCXERCE).

The prohle~ of teaching evoliitionsry theory has arisen in Xsrael

as uc13. as the U.S. Rut in Isracl the Academy of Sciences and
Hunanities sponsored a public discussion of the creationist point
of view as espoused hy firndanentalistfi, Jewish and Protestant, alike.
This off icinl sanction of such view as sctmtifically relevant st1ould
Ewve been avolctcc? and wnulc? not occur with the sanction of the L'.S.
3ational Acadeny of Sciences. hither Israelfs nor Avericans do
their young any $ood hy confoun8ing the issue.  If young people are
to understand both relfs?ion an$ science in order to live their lives
with wisdon and responsibility, the distinctions G~OULT! he clear.
mere can be no waffling abut evolution; It is the singla unlfying
concept in bisloqy and underlies all biological tbouCht and work.
It has no religious content whatsoeverr

  Re second k'ature perge shows in clear teras how the scientific
canmnity views Jetelny Rifkin. This is the erne nan ubo enqincerecf
this sumer'B nandfesto hy a Etotip of reliFlous leaders (incltiding
fbavic! Snpiretcin) cnllinc for a ban on genetic engineerin?* in tiunan
cellsr Other views of Pifkin arc in the cIippin(i,s from the Times an&
the Post. Yet Eieforn 3udaisn chose Kifkin to initiate a discussion
of the serious qrteations reparding human genetic cnoincerinn (Fall
1383 issue). In fact, the hottom line of "nfkin's arguncnt ks not
very different from the current asseseneat of many scientists. Xt
1s mich too early to consider human genetic engineering, there is a
great deal to he learned and rmny experiments arc required on expcrf-
nenral aninals, In the end, it may not be fessif'h? or e~en the hest
way to deal vfth fnherited diseases, Fur Rifkfn Rakes the arguvents
with lousy science, rdsunderstanding of bow biology works and trftki
the irrelevant hut cgc-catchinft rubric ahout uho plays Cod. Vow can
people consider their own rmral nnd ethical stands when they are not
properly infortred ahour the scfevce? The scientific co~nunity fn the
U,S, has a heavy representation of Jews. Vhy didn't Vorsran let then
open this dircussion? Cnly a little scratchfng would turn ep people
ulth different opinions to iflwinafe the issues.

  The post ttnhappy part of 50th these exanplea is rhnt they wilt
perpetuate the estrangcmnt of the e~~omous numbers of Jew who are
Gcientists from Judaisn, Cur conmunity urces its young people toward
such careers and then makes sure that &hey leave the romunitv. gene,
its really stupid, especinllg as they represent the creas-of-the cropl

Give me a call if this is vorth talkinb: about. It votsld eurcly he

g~ad if you let Vorspan know that you bave at least one really anpry
congreqarit. AFout the Israeli Academy there is little we can do, its
of a piece vith the problem discussed in your Posh Raehcnilh sermon.

Best to you and ?:atel Tov on the new grandchild.

Slncerelv,

E%xii?f? Singer