The initiation of confirmation in Judaism: A psychohistorical study of a Jewish ritual innovation

The introduction of confirmation into Judaism illustrates psychosocial dynamics of ritual innovation during a time of intense societal change. The years of 1807--1813 that comprised the Kingdom of Westphalia, birthplace of Jewish confirmation, was such a time. Responding to the Enlightenment and the early stirrings of emancipation, the Jewish community confronted volatile social, economic and political forces. These forces altered the nature of adolescence and exacerbated ambivalent relationships between the generations around questions of authority. Concerning the issue of authority, critics of the reformers have contended that confirmation's origin, borrowing elements from the Christian tradition, amounts to a repudiation of Judaism.;In this dissertation I use theories from ritual studies to offer an alternate understanding of confirmation. In brief, I argue that Jewish confirmation was originally a rite of passage for adolescents. Serving this ritual function, Jewish confirmation provided a practical, symbolic and transformative arena not only for the adolescents, but for persons in the Jewish community who perceived themselves as progressive. When viewed through the lens of ritual studies, the speeches, letters, and the confirmation liturgy of the reformers demonstrate their sincere and thoughtful efforts to be both Jewish and modern.;A psychosocial analysis of Israel Jacobson, chief champion of the introduction of confirmation into Judaism, supports this view. I examine his life and show how generational and societal events, taking place around the turn of the century, helped shape the form and content of the confirmation rite of passage he devised. I show that rite of passage theory helps explain Jacobson's views of confirmation and the goals that he wished to achieve. Hence, I conclude that we have additional evidence supporting the claim that Jacobson viewed confirmation as the initiation of a new era for Jews, not as a repudiation of Judaism.