Catholics and "Spiritual Starbucks"

While I support efforts to mend historical, political-driven divisions between Christian churches, I'm hard-pressed to see the value of bringing rabbis into the Catholic Community as a means of "revitalization". No doubt more opportunities for bridging between the more "liberal" and "conservative" groups within Catholicism are needed; I enjoy reading AMERICA precisely because it acts as such a bridge, a forum for a range of opinions and debates. But arguing that a rabbi can "revitalize" a Catholic community seems to stem from two difficult assumptions: one, that Catholicism is somehow so desperate that it can only benefit from those outside its community; and two, that ignoring fundamental differences in theology somehow leads to enlightenment. Let's face it - Judaism and Catholicism differ on fundamental theological points. A rabbi can certainly have interesting insights to offer on day-to-day topics (prayerfulness, meditation, etc.), but it's difficult to look for "revitalization" of a Catholic community from an individual who debates the nature of the core of Catholicism. Despair over the status of various debates within the Catholic Community shouldn't lead us to desperate acts. Yes, as Catholics we should have an open ear and an open mind for those of other faith traditions. We should make ourselves available for open discourse on a wide range of topics; discussion and debate are often the path to enlightenment. And we should always be open to new insights from those outside the Catholic Community. But looking to leaders of other faith traditions for leadership and "revitalizaton"? We have plenty of great minds and great leaders in the Catholic Community. Perhaps challenging ourselves to follow their leadership instead of constantly questioning it may lead to the "revitalization" some see as necessary.

"The 'names' are God's powers of manifestation, his 'measures' or qualities ('midot'). Of these the name ELOHIM designates the quality of power and judgment; the not-to-be-pronounced name represented by the consonants YHVH designates the quality of grace and mercy; the former signifies the limitation of the divine to 'nature,' infinite wonder to law, the incomprehensible light to the comprehensible; the latter the becoming present to the creature of Being itself that is nothing other than grace, but that enters into the restriction because all that is created perishes before the divine fullness of grace. The woman or man who with their soul unites the two names prepares within themselves a place for unification and works for redemption." - Martin Buber "Hasidism and Modern Man"

I though we have already had a Rabbi revitalize the Church: Jesus???

I am a decidedly liberal Roman Catholic who has been very influenced by Hasidic thought. For instance in the Hasidic tradition there is a great stress put on the idea of not hiding. The Hasidim stress the idea that Adam and Eve hid after eating the forbidden fruit. Also after they ate the forbidden fruit, God doesn't ask Adam and Eve "are you being good or evil?". Instead God asks, "Where are you?". For the Hasidim transformation for men and women begins after they stop hiding. I highly recommend Martin Burber's "Hasidism and Modern Man". For twenty years I have gone back to it again and again.