If Only…

This is a heartwarming event. It shows just what can be accomplished if people of good will act on that good will. The following story was reported in Yeshiva World News.

A Sefer Torah has been donated to Yeshivat Merkaz Harav in memory of the eight Yeshiva students slain there a few months ago. This was a project of two students, Yitzchok Fuchs of Flatbush and Yosef Wartelsky of Far Rockaway who felt they needed to do something tangible to show solidarity with their bretheren in Yeshivat Merkaz Harav. From their photo they look Charedi.

What an expression of Achdus this was. They collected over $30,000 dollars from ten thousand students in over 30 schools. They then bought a Sefer Torah flew to Israel and participated in a massive Hachnasas Sefer Torah that included not only members of Yeshivat Merkaz but Bachurim from Mir, Shuvu an even members of the Knesset.

I only wish this could have happened in a more positive context. Unfortunately it took a tragedy of high magnitude to accomplish this moment of unity. I wish it were the beginning of a new era in relations between those with the Hashkafa of Merkaz HaRav and those with Charedi Hashkafos. Or - even better – all of Orthodoxy with each other.

Dare I hope? Or will things return to business as usual? I think I know the answer.

But at least now in this case, there are two students who felt Achdus and followed it up with action. I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to these young men for showing us how to do it - well after the tragedy happened. I would bet that at least these two young men will have an eternal empathy for Merkaz HaRav students and will respect their Hashkafos even if they disagree with them. Yitzchok and Yosef, I salute you. You are role models for us.

Kiss it Goodbye

There has already been a ton of discussion about it. The Jewish Press reported a story in its last issue about remarks made by Rabbi Yisroel Mantel, Rav of Khal Adath Jeshurun. This is the American Jewish community of German Jewish descent that is associated with the philosophy of Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch known as Torah Im Dereh Eretz (TIDE).

Rabbi Hirsch’s legacy is well known. He was an advocate of studying worldly knowledge (Mada) and engaging with the culture of one's milieu.

I am an adherent of the Hashkafa of Torah U’Mada (TuM). In truth Torah U’Mada is not so easily defined. Dr. Lamm’s definition of TuM is not Rabbi Soloveitchik’s definition – neither the Rav’s nor Rav Ahron’s. Rav Hershel Schachter might have a simple definition while Rav Aaron Lichtenstein’s definition might be more complex.

As I see them, both TIDE and TuM advocate the study of Mada and engagement with the culture. The differences between them are not of any practical significance. The primary difference is that TuM believes that Mada has intrinsic value while TIDE – as I understand it - sees Mada as more utilitarian. Another difference is that TuM sees Torah and Mada as two disciplines to be studied independently. TIDE sees the study of Mada as an integrated part of Torah study. For TuM - Mada is an independently studied entity to be studied for its own sake.

But Torah is at the core of both Hashkafos. Torah is the moral, ethical, and Halachic guide for both. This - in a nutshell - is how I see their similarities and differences. So when TIDE is attacked, I take it personally.

Charedi Judaism by comparison is an entirely different species. They see Mada at best as a necessary evil - that should have as little time spent on it as possible – even when it comes to Parnassa. And participation in the culture is anathema to them.

Charedi Judaism has now taken another step toward total dominance in the Torah world. Rav Mantel in a moment of truth spoke his mind. The leader of the TIDE community now believes what Charedim believe. Torah true Judaism can now only be defined through Daas Torah. And Daas Torah exists only in the Charedi world. Here is how he put it:

The philosophical credo of Rav Hirsch, Torah Im Derech Eretz, is not viable in the absence of its chief advocate… Our generation, he said, must follow today’s gedolei HaTorah (great Torah leaders).

I don’t think he means Rav Aaron Lichtenstein.

This is quite a brilliant tactic on his part. He can praise the spiritual father of TIDE by quoting Rav Yisroel Salanter who said: “Where is there a Gan Eden big enough for Rav Hirsch?” …and in the same speech condemn the practice of Rav Hirsch’s philosophy in our own day. And what better authority to once and for all bury TIDE than the head of Rav Hirsch’s own community?!

Of course there are still important voices there that understand the value of TIDE. Rav Hirsch’s great, great grandson, Samson Bechhofer said:

If the goal of our kehilla and yeshiva is to have all of our sons and daughters end up in Lakewood – and I use Lakewood as a metaphor – then I submit that we are not being faithful to our founder’s philosophy or Weltanschauung, nor are we doing the future of our kehilla any great favors.

Rav Mantel would have none of that: (He) stood up and walked out of the hall at these words. He later returned and told the several hundred assembled that “grandchildren and lawyers” will not decide how to implement Torah Im Derech Eretz.

This slide towards Charedi Hashkafos is not a new phenomenon in that community. Many Orthodox German Jews in America long ago began abandoning TIDE and have been replacing it with a Charedi Hashkafa. Apparently - over the years - their students increasingly attended Charedi Yeshivos. There has also been much revisionist interpretation of Rav Hirsch during this time.

One popular Charedi interpretation is that Rav Hirsch never really meant it. He was really a Charedi underneath. But because of the rampant Haskala of his day it was a time to act - an Eis Laasos - that required change so as to preserve the Torah world and prevent its members from going off the track.

And miracle of miracles, he did it! He saved his entire community from going astray. But now it is no longer needed. We can go back to the true path of Torah - devoid of anything secular. Rav Mantel’s words are just another version of this.

The TIDE community is now an accepted part of the Charedi world. That’s because TIDE has abandoned their original Hashkafos. What remains is Minhagim. That’s it. They do Nitilas Yadayim before they make Kiddush on Shabbos - and other such differences.

So the death knell has sounded for TIDE. The bell has been rung by its leader. It has officially been proclaimed dead and it doesn’t matter that some people are upset. TIDE is dead because Charedi Daas Torah is all that matters.

How Dare They!

Galicia. This is where my father is from. And my father-in-law. It is located in the Ukraine. This is an area that was particularly anti Semitic – as were many other portions of Europe. During the holocaust this hatred came out with a vengeance. Ukrainians took pleasure in persecuting ‘the Christ killers’ in their midst then – giving them up to the Nazi occupiers whenever they could with glee! But there were exceptions.

Some Ukrainians actually had souls and rose to the occasion when Jews needed them most. They did not stand by and do nothing as they watched people being dragged to their death. They were the righteous gentiles who at their own personal risk saved many Jews - my father and father-in-law among them. They both survived because of righteous gentiles who risked their lives and those of their families to save them from certain death. Incredible stories in each case.

Recently there has been a spate of revelations about such people who have heretofore remained very private – uninterested in publicity or fanfare. They did not see anything heroic about what they did. They felt it was simply their obligations as human beings to act. One such hero that has recently come to light is the amazing Irena Sendler, may she rest in peace.

Personal consequences did not affect their decisions either. That’s why they are heros. Heros of the holocaust. I’m not sure I could ever measure up to them. And that’s why an article in YNet about Ukrainian gentiles - the Senevich family - is so disturbing. Here are the pertinent excerpts:

Now 83 years of age, Pieter still vividly remembers being an eye-witness to the execution of a Jewish family Nazis found hiding with his neighbors back in Ukraine. The neighbors too were murdered for aiding the Jews.

Mere days later, two Jewish boys – David and Buszia Schmeigel – entered the Senevich family’s backyard. Their mother, who had been deported to the camps, was able to allow the boys to escape, telling them they must run and try to immigrate to Palestine, which was under British mandate at the time.

The Senevich family did not hesitate; they risked their lives and hid the two children in their home. After the war, the boys made it to Israel and currently reside in Beersheba.

In 1993, the Israeli consul in Ukraine managed to locate and reconnect the two families, which resulted in Yad Vashem granting Pieter the title of 'Righteous Among the Nations' – bestowed on non-Jewish men and women of all religions who helped saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust.

'We thought this was our home'

Five years ago Pieter and his wife Olga immigrated to Israel with their 29-year-old daughter Rosa. They settled in Beersheba, wishing to live close to David and Buszia.

But the Senevich family was dealt a devastating blow after Rosa's visa expired and the Ministry of the Interior informed her she must leave.

I am the last one to criticize the Israeli government. I tend to bend over backwards to be give them the benefit of the doubt. But not this time. This insults me. It insults all holocaust survivors and their families. It insults the memory of all holocaust victims who might have been saved - had their been more people like the Seneviches. And it should insult every Jew and decent human being on the face of the earth!

What kind of Jewish government is it that treats heroes of the holocaust so shabbily?! This is a Chilul HaShem and should not be tolerated.

I am not a believer in petitions, especially eletronic ones that are found on the Internet. I have never signed a single one. I don’t think they do any good. Nonetheless there is one individual by the name of Moshe Broder who has created one for this purpose. I signed it. I otherwise feel helpless in this case and feel the need to at least try and do something, even if it is only symbolic. I therefore include his petition here and urge everyone to do the same. I can't believe this outrage will stand - unless good people stand by and do nothing.

All Jews are Brothers

"Orthodoxy cannot accept Conservative theology." This statement from an earlier post was the basis for the following challenge by a poster:

Orthodox people can accept and reject other people, because we have brains and are capable of discrimination. If you're "interested" in achdus, can you point to a source where achdus only applies to the "right" kind of Jews? I've never heard of one.

"Right" kind of Jews? God forbid that there be such discrimination in Jewry. I have never said that and never will. There is no "right" kind of Jew. All Jews are my ‘brothers’. It matters not what their ideology is. They are to be treated equally with respect and loving kindness. It is the ideology of portions of them that is troubling. Troubling as well is a lifestyle that is either self destructive, destructive of others, or destructive of the ideologies of Torah as Orthodoxy understands it. But not the individual Jew.

If one is a believer in the fundamental tenets of Judaism one cannot accept ideologies that contradict any of those tenets. Nor can one approve of a lifestyle that contradicts the Torah. But it is primarily the ideology that is unacceptable, not the individual.

I am a believer in Achdus. I include all Jews in this category. When I say I include only Orthodox Jews in my call for Achdus, I mean an Achdus of ideology - where we can declare as one that we are practicing and believing Jews as defined by our understanding of the Torah.

This need not mean that our beliefs must be identical. It only means that all versions of our essential beliefs are respected and acceptable - if not all ideal. In other words I define ideological Achdus among all Orthodox factions as being pluralistic – not identical - within the framework of Torah belief and practice.

Thank God

There are no traces of cancer!

All of the tests performed on Reuven were negative.

This is great news, to say the least - in some ways better than expected. Doctors thought we might see non malignant dead cancerous tissue that remained post chemo but not to be concerned. But there was nothing there. He is cancer free.

Thank God.

And thanks to everyone who has prayed on Reuven’s behalf. God bless you all.

There is nothing for Reuven and his family to do except get on with their lives.

Update: My daughter wanted to add the following:

Our gradititude to Hashem knows no bounds, and we continue to daven that Reuven remains cancer free. Doctors will, BE"H, continue to keep a very close watch on him. Thanks to all who have kept Reuven in your hearts and who have been praying on his behalf.

So Close but Yet So Far

There is a fascinating 'symposium' going on at Hirhurim about why non Orthodox Jews become Orthodox. In the second post of a series we again have the perspective of a Conservative rabbi - Rabbi Charles L. Arian. His experiences have led him to spell out why he thinks some Conservative Jews become Orthodox.

This article gives us a glimpse into the minds of what I would term observant or right wing Conservative Jews. This particular article is both encouraging and sad.

As a Jew interested in Achdus, I generally limit my call for that to Orthodox Judaism. I do so because non-Orthodox theologies are either not bound by Halacha which is a definitive of part of Orthodox Judaism. Or as in the case of the Conservative movement they have a theology that accepts - if not fully embraces - heretical concepts. That view unfortunately is evident in the very last sentence of this rabbi’s post, and that makes rejection automatic.

But I do so sadly. Because I think people like this rabbi are truly committed to Halachic observance as they understand it. And so too - are they firm in their belief in a Creator. Their practice of Halacha overlaps with the vast majority of Orthodox Halachic practice. And for the most part they are very concerned with Klal Yisroel.

Rabbi Arian’s views come across as very positive in accepting of Orthodoxy. But the reverse is not true. Orthodoxy cannot accept Conservative theology. Many people in defending their rejection of Centrist Judaism will often challenge my quest for acceptance of it in an Elu V’Elu fashion by pointing to the fact that I - in the same way - do not accept Conservative Judaism.

But I reject that argument because no one in Orthodoxy says that Centrist Judaism is heretical. Not even our worst critics. And yet, as sad as I am by the rejection of my views by the right, I am equally saddened by the fact that I cannot accept an individual who could very easily pass for modern Orthodox in lifestyle and observance.

It is a tribute to this rabbi - and I believe he is not alone - that he is pleased when one of his people become Orthodox. And it is a tribute to his honesty and integrity that he acknowledges his movement’s own failures in creating observant communities. That - he says - is the impetus for many (but not all) observant Conservative Jews in joining Modern Orthodoxy.

Interestingly, he points out that many of these now nominally Orthodox Jews retain their Conservative beliefs. That raises the question about how to deal with these very sincere and observant Jews. They knowingly do not accept a literal interpretation of the events at Sinai. But they do not advertise those facts in their newly adopted Orthodox community.

One may not knowingly call up to the Torah a Mitzvah observing heretic – no matter how sincere and meticulous he may be in observance. Nor may we allow him to be a witness at a marriage. If we know a sincere and observant couple who has come over to us from the Conservative movement - should we ask them about their theological beliefs? I’m not sure how to answer that question.

It is also interesting to note a similar perspective about secular knowledge between this rabbi - who I assume is representative of many others in the Conservative rabbinate - and Modern Orthodox Judaism.

He laments the fact that one of his former constituents who has completely rejected his Conservative past and become Charedi now rejects the writings of a literary giant who he acknowledges helped him on his spiritual journey. He will not allow his own children to read his works.

Right Wing Conservative Judaism. So close, but yet - so far.

Knowledge is Power

Is it a good idea to have a public discourse about matters of abuse – sexual or otherwise – in the public square? I obviously think so. Whenever these matters come up in public via the mass media, not only should we discuss them – we must! But many people feel that going so is not only counter productive but’ hanging our dirty laundry in public’.

This complaint is most often leveled by Charedim when these issues come up in their circles calling such discussions tantamount to Charedi bashing. I do not agree. Obviously. Silence in these matters is far more harmful that speaking out. I am not alone in this view:

As I see things, many of us – with the best of intentions – are not discussing critical klal matters in our public squares because we want to protect the innocence of our children and the reputation of our community. Moreover, some take it a step further and accuse individuals who do discuss them of ‘charedi-bashing,’ “He never says anything nice,” or worse, discouraging or intimidating people who deal with these problems on a daily basis from speaking out. But we are merely shielding our children and kehila from the wrong half – the beneficial side – while leaving them completely exposed to what we are trying to protect them from.

He goes on to suggest that there are some bloggers 'who have a jaundiced view of our kehila' . I think he’s right. But that does not include me. And I think (or at least hope) he would agree. In any case the rest of Rabbi Horowitz’s article can be found on his website. And for those who read this blog regularly, it should sound very familiar.

The Vision Thing

Chicago is undergoing some big changes now. Two premier institutions are trying to define or redifine themselves. One of them is Hannah Sacks Beis Yaakov and the other is the Hebrew Theological College – Skokie Yeshiva.

I was informed by a widely respected Mechanech this past Shabbos that Hanna Sacks Beis Yaakov is changing.

Hanna Sacks was not always a Beis Yaakov. It was once called Hanna Sacks Girls High School. It changed its name to Bais Yaakov many years ago because of another more right wing Beis Yaakov that opened here. They wanted to compete for the same students. Over the years this has moved the school more to the right than most parents were comfortable with. While they did at first try to accommodate parents who were interested better academics by instituting a college prep academic environment it never fully realized its potential because parents on the right were opposed to going too far in that direction.

There has always been an internal ideological struggle between right and left wing parents in the school. In my view this was detrimental to the school. It didn’t succeed at either level. The right wing school was a natural draw for the right. The co-ed school was a reluctant option to those on the left.

Hanna Sacks is a communal school that accepts students from the entire Orthodox spectrum in Chicago. But as the years have gone by and it edged to the right, it lost students. For the right there is no such thing as ‘too Frum’. And for the left who are might send to Hanna Sacks because they are generally opposed to co-ed schools, they still felt that it was the lesser of two ‘evils’ to send to the co-ed school. This year’s freshman class at Hanna Sacks is about half the size it usually is.

The school has now suddenly changed Hashkafos. It has a new vision. The principal has left the school and there is now an interim principal - promoted temporarily from her position as assistant principal. The Hashkafos will now probably be what I would define as Centrist. Among other changes, I expect that Yom Ha’atzmaut will now probably be observed in some meaningful way. I applaud them and wish them much success. My advice is to stay the course and make sure that this policy change is well advertised.

Skokie Yeshiva (HTC) is in a bit of turmoil now - what I would term a state of flux. They have recently changed Roshei Yeshiva. They have lost two very popular Machanchim, one through an untimely death and another who has left for another position out of town. Enrollment is on a general downward trend, if I understand correctly.

They too are now trying to redefine themselves as a more Centrist Yeshiva. I have been told by a source that Yeshiva University was approached by Skokie for a possible affiliation - and were turned down. But the news isn’t all bad. They just hired a young and very charismatic Mashgiach.

Another big thing that is hurting them now is a lack of funding. They are in pretty bad financial shape from what I am told. But the Yeshiva should not give up. They are now going through now is a very painful correction phase. They need to tough it out.

But toughing it out is not enough. It will not help them to just bear the burden of change. They need vision. And they need a president who can provide it. Dr. Jerold Isenberg the current chancellor may be the one to do it. His Hashkafos are the right ones. But his hands have been tied over the years. He needs to be given the chance to provide vision and leadership by being made president, a position left unfilled since Rabbi Don Well left over 20 years ago.

This new vision must be conveyed to the Jewish public. This is an essential element that is missing form the school. Skokie Yeshiva has the potential to rise to great heights. They can be a world class Yeshiva and college if they are determined and committed. Chicago has schools on both the right and the left for both boys and girls. What it doesn’t have- beyond eighth grade - is a school that represents the center.

When I say center - I do not mean some arbitrary or mathematical midpoint between right and left. I am talking about a school whose Centrist ideals – the Shvil HaZahav - are seen as the best way to practice Judaism. A school whose leaders believe that this is what God wants from His people. L’Chatchila, not B’Dieved.

A Centrist school should be characterized by moderation and tolerance instead of extremism and exclusivity. It should value Torah learning first but place a high value on secular studies. In theory it should be able to compete with both Lakwood and Harvard.

There should be an emphasis on character develpoment - where midos Bein Adam L’Chaveiro are as emphasized as Midos Bein Adam L’Makom.

There should be recognition and respect of Gedolei Yisroel from every segment of the Torah world - right to left - agree or not.

And there should be recognition of the value of State of Israel.

All this assumes an enabling budget - which they do not currently have. But I firmly believe the money is there. Those with the ability to provide it simply need to be convinced.

Update: I have been informed that Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov will apparently retain its current name. It should also be noted that the changes I mentioned in Hanna Sacks are based on discussions I had with informed but unofficial sources. But one thing is certain. Changes are taking place along the lines I mentioned.

A Prayer for a Complete Recovery

His hair has begun to grow back. Again. My grandson Reuven has completed his second set of chemotherapy treatment. One we had hoped he wouldn’t need. After the first set of chemo he was declared ‘in remission’. But his cancer soon returned.

We were all of course very disappointed. But not discouraged. Doctors became more aggressive in the second set of chemotherapy - increasing his dosage to near life threatening levels. The dosage of toxic chemicals was so strong that his bone marrow was destroyed. Knowing this in advance, doctors removed his healthy marrow before the chemotherapy so that it could be transplanted after. That happened and was successful. Reuven then also had radiation added to his protocol. This is all completed now. But his immune system was substantially weakened. Reuven was required to be in near isolation at home for a while until his immune system was built up somewhat.

It has been about 2 and 1/2 months since there has been any treatment. His immune system is quickly being restored. And Reuven has been allowed by his doctors to have limited contact with other people. We had the pleasure of his company along with the rest of his family for Shavuos. He was a joy to behold.

He is the happiest 5 year old one can imagine. One smile from him literally melts your heart. One would never know he has gone through his ordeal if not for his bald head. This is a real tribute to those who love him and were with him throughout - his parents and his medical caregivers inside the hospital and out - and the support of the many friends and extended family.

Short version: The doctors are very pleased with his results. I wish it could end there. But it doesn’t. Tomorrow, Tuesday June 24th Reuven is scheduled to take an MRI on his left arm - the humorous bone - where he first contracted his cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma. He is also taking a full body bone scan. On Wednesday he will have a cat-scan on his lungs. This will tell us whether he remains cancer free. And though we are all hopeful we are also of course very nervous.

One thing that I am firmly convinced about is that prayer has helped in his recovery and continues to do so. There are countless numbers of people – well into the thousands or perhaps even tens of thousands - who have Reuven in their prayers or are actively doing Mitzvos such as learning Torah in his Zechus – building merit in the eyes of God for Reuven’s sake. One of my daughter’s close friends has been baking bread every single week since Reuven got diagnosed in large enough size to perform the Mitzvah of ‘taking Chala’ in Reuven’s Zechus.

Before Reuven takes his first MRI and scan, I would ask that those who are saying prayers for him to continue doing so. We are all very grateful.

There is a universal prayer for the sick that can be said which asks God directly for help for a Refuah Shelaima – a complete recovery for specific individuals. It is in Hebrew, very short, and to the point. In Reuven’s case it would read - in translation - as follows:

May it be the will before you O lord, God, - God of my fathers that you send quickly a complete recovery (Refuah Shelaima) from heaven - a recovery of both spirit and body – for the sick person, Reuven ben Tova Chaya - among the sick of Israel.

It is inserted in the Refoenu HaShem- ‘Heal us O Lord’ section of the Shemoneh Esreh. The Shemonah Esreh prayer is said by men 3 times a day and by many women twice a day.

I have never asked people to specifically say any prayer. I have only asked in a general way and - as I said - am grateful to the many who have done so on their own. I would now ask that if at all possible that this specific prayer be inserted whenever one Davens Shemonah Esreh this week. With an emphasis on the word Shelaima – complete! This is a key moment in Reuven’s recovery and we truly need God’s help to make a complete recovery happen.

Why Do They Hate Us?

I do not use community wide Eruvin. An Eruv is a Halachic partition that encloses a halachicly public domain and makes it a halachicly private domain. Carrying in a public domain on Shabbos is forbidden. By building an Eruv one may carry.

I have always felt that the task of building a community Eruv is too huge and complicated to implement so that all Halachic concerns - and the wide array of Halachic opinions - are accounted for. No where is this more evident than in Chicago.

The community-wide Eruv in the West Rogers park section of Chicago is typical of these problems. It was built under the guidance of two of the most respected Rabbanim in Chicago - one Charedi and one Modern Orthodox - in a marvelous example of friendship and cooperation between these two worlds.

Their work was vetted by a Halachic expert in this issue. Additionally Rav Dovid Feinstein - the distinguished Rosh HaYeshiva and son of the late Posek, Rav Moshe Feinstein - stated in writing that his father would have approved of it. The West Rogers Park Eruv is therefore widely used by a cross section of the entire spectrum of Orthodox community.

So what’s the problem?! The problem is that the Eruv is still very controversial. The right wing Yeshivishe world generally does not use it. Rav Aaron Soloveichik was strongly opposed to it based on his interpretation of Rav Moshe’s Psak - which was at odds with Rav Dovid’s interpretation. He said that according to Rav Moshe, an Eruv in a population of the size incorporated by this Eruv cannot render it a private domain. Carrying inside it violates an essential prohibition of Shabbos.

The truth is that even without Rav Soloveichik’s concerns there are reason to be cautious about community-wide Eruvin. But even with all of the problems I do not oppose their construction. An Eruv enhances Oneg Shabbos - enjoying the day - an important element of Shabbos. It enables people with very young children to leave their homes and visit friends and family. One may rely on the Psak a reliable Rav and use a community-wide Eruv.

Which brings me to an issue that has recently raised its ugly head - that of anti-Semitism by Jews ignorant of Jewish law. Non Orthodox Jews generally do not understand the fundamental nature of an Eruv. When they hear ‘Eruv’ - they see ghetto. They protest it because it’s ‘too Jewish’. They do not want their enclaves to become identifiably Orthodox. What turns a community more into a ghetto than partitions? They want to be Americans first and Jews second. The Eruv -they think - will subvert their Americanism.

How ironic it is when non Jewish government officials are willing to accommodate their Orthodox constituents while other Jews oppose them. The further irony is that an Eruv will make Orthodox Jews less ‘different’ and be more like them. It enables Orthodox Jews to do what secular Jews do - visit their friends and family instead of being forced to be ‘different’ and stay home.

I don’t blame them entirely for this attitude though. Their fears may in part be based on an almost constant stream of negative news in the media about what is happening in the Orthodox world.

They see a Chasidic Rebbe involved in an elaborate tax evasion scheme. They see another Chasidic Rabbi guilty of sexual abuse and escaping to Israel to live freely for decades. They see another Chasidic Rebbe being proclaimed as the Messiah. They see a Charedi Rabbi being arrested for over 20 years of child sexual abuse. And they see a Modern Orthodox rabbi convicted for decades long sexual abuse and sentenced to prison. And then there are all those riots in Meah Shearim and Ramat Bet Shemesh. All these stories have been reported in major news media including the New York Times. Can anyone really blame them for saying, ‘Not in my backyard’? Maybe when Orthodox Jews talk 'Eruv' - they see burning dumpsters. It’s hard to blame them for thinking this way.

But, the real issue is ignorance. That is the real enemy here. And these non Orthodox Jews need to be educated by their own Rabbis - who know better... that an Eruv will not harm their image and that Orthodox Jews are Americans too.

Modified: 6/22/08 10:36 PM CDT

Modern Orthodoxy Defined and Lived

Hirhurim has an interesting excerpt form a book written by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. It reads like a tantalizing introduction to a more elaborate description of the status quo of Modern Orthodoxy. It begs for an explanation of the how modernity has impacted its development. He says:

(Modern Orthodox movements) were an attempt to go against the grain of modernity. Contemporary culture replaces the traditional 'and' with a distinctive 'or': Torah or secular culture, Judaism or Zionism, Orthodoxy or the Jewish people as a whole. In each case religious principle suggested that the former must take precedence over the latter.

The ‘or’ argument was in effect used by Noah Feldman in his now infamous article in the New York Times. He claimed that we could not really be loyal to the tenets of both Orthodoxy and modernity. Accepting modernity, said Feldman, meant accepting values anathematic to Torah. I disagree with him and - if I understand Rabbi Sacks correctly - I disagree with him too. He says:

While in principle (Modern Orthodox movements) retained their commitment to derekh eretz, the return to Zion, and Jewish unity, in practice the full implications of these tenets were neutralized.

Following a path of 'Torah and… does not in any way negate Torah. Not in theory and not in practice. What it does is provide a context for adherence to Torah law. It broadens one’s perspective. However those areas of modernity which do contradict Torah become the 'or'. But Modern Orthodoxy is not defined by the ‘or’. It’s defined by the ‘and’. It is defined by engaging in the culture that is permitted to it by Halacha.

One need not define the 'modern' of Modern Orthodoxy to include violations of belief or observance. One may be selectively modern. If one is an adherent of Torah u’Mada and rejects heresy, does that mean he is not modern? I suppose if one insists on modernity to be an all inclusive term, than I guess Torah U’Mada is not modern. But I think it is incorrect to define it that way. It would be like saying that someone is not a music lover because he hates one facet of it. I hate most of rap music. But I still consider myself a music lover since I love almost all other forms of it.

I will agree that from the persepctives of belief and observance it is much easier to accept Charedi Hashkafos. They simply do away with all secular culture. There cannot be any conflict at all if anything that even has a remote possibility of heresy - or behavior that can lead to non observance - is completely avoided. But just because something is easier that doesn’t make it better.

Adherents of Modern Orthodox movements must always be on guard and discern what is permitted and what is not. That is sometimes difficult to determine. But that shouldn’t mean that modernity need be avoided at all cost. Modernity widens one’s horizons and opens up the gates of knowledge. It enables one to appreciate God’s creation – nature in all its glory. Much of that is found in secular culture.

The following story is told about Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch. He was once asked why he visited the Swiss Alps for a vacation. What purpose was there in his doing that? How did that serve God? His answer was that he was worried that when he came to the Olam Ha-Emes – the world to come – that God would ask him, Nu, Reb Shamshon, did you see My Alps?

Chazal tell us Im Omrim Yesh Chachama BaGoyim - Tammim (Eicha Rabba 2:13). The nations of the world have wisdom. This includes both formal and non formal study of secular wisdom. It includes participation in the culture in order to find more ways to appreciate God’s universe - and to be able to find ways to rest and better rehabilitate oneself in Avodas HaShem - service to God.

Whether it is the study of the majesty of the cosmos or the intricacies of molecular structure and subatomic particles …the logic of mathematics and physics …the study of the literary works of Shakespeare or the stirring prose of Faulkner …the soaring notes of a Beethoven symphony or even a classic Beatles tune …or the exquisite joy of a watching a perfectly executed triple play in baseball – all are legitimate.

Modern Orthodox movements do in fact have a danger attached. One might indeed fall prey to heretical thought sometimes encountered in secular studies even when there is care taken to avoid it - and God forbid buy into it. This has happened. One might also be enticed by forbidden behavior - so common found and accepted in secular culture. That too has caused people to leave the fold.

The truth is that that are pitfalls in both Charedi and Modern Orthodox Hashkafos. One must have proper Hadracha – guidance in both. But educated properly there is much to be gained in accepting Modern Orthodoxy’s approach of broadening one’s horizons by choosing to avail oneself of all of God’s creations. That will not only permit observance and belief, it will enhance it.

Gay Pride, Violence, and Learning from Mistakes

Once again I find myself at odds with Rav Elyashiv. This time it is over his call for protests against next Thursday’s scheduled Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem.

Here we go again. The annual Gay Pride Parade is scheduled to take place next Thursday, June 26th. And once again we will see violence initiated by Charedi Jews. Only this time it will be at the directive of a man they consider to be the Gadol HaDor.

That’s right. Rav Elyashiv is threatening violence in the hopes that police will try and avert it by canceling the parade. Nice tactic if it works. But, what if it doesn’t? Apparently this means there will be violence initiated at the suggestion of the acknowledged leader of Lithuanian Jewry ( i.e. the Yeshiva world) in Israel.

I understand the revulsion. I have the same feeling. I too am reviled and disgusted at the idea of proclaiming pride in - or worse - glorifying sinful behavior via the usual displays of exposed flesh and antics that accompany such parades. Especially when it takes place in the holy city of Jerusalem.

But as troubling as that is, it is far more troubling that a Chilul HaShem of major proportions will yet again occur in the holy city by Jews who are identified as the most religious among us. Is that not worse than ignoring the parade? What purpose will be served with violent protest? Let it pass. Don’t bring world attention to it. The world will not focus on the Toeva protest . They will focus on Charedi violence. Doesn’t Rav Elyashiv realize that?! - The Edah HaCharedis does!

That’s right. The Edah. They are the most Charedi of institutions in Israel. They have come to the same conclusion I have. This is an institution with which I have little in common. Last year they were in the forefront of promoting a protest. And, as predicted it erupted into violence which endangered peoples lives. Frum people. Elderly people.

The Edah has learned from its past mistake. If only they had read my many posts on the subject - warning of the consequences. I guess they had to see for themselves. People got hurt, property was damaged. And a big chilul HaShem resulted. They could have avoided it. Eizah Hu Chacham? HaRoeah es HaNolad - a wise man will anticipate the consequences of his actions.

I am not a Chacham but I saw it coming. Why didn’t they? But… at least now after having experienced what turned out to be a Chilul HaShem they have called for calm:

...askanim met with “inciters” to warn them to refrain from inflaming the atmosphere and not to provoke followers into violent protests or actions which are contrary to the decision of rabbonim.

...Eida leaders admit that the protests in recent years “got out of hand” and they were a chilul Hashem.

There will still be movement to stop the parade. The Edah will oppose it diplomatically - as did religious Kenesset members. From Ha’aretz:

Two weeks ago, religious Knesset members, among them Eli Gabbay (National Union-National Religious Party) and David Azoulay, demanded that police take the necessary measures to prevent the parade because it poses a danger to the public.

That is the right thing to do.

It’s too bad, however, that the Edah had to blame possible violence on American students with too much time in their hands. That makes me wonder if they really know what is going on in their own backyard and who is really responsible for violence there. What do they have against Americans?

I don’t think it was American students who were responsible for all the past Charedi violence in Meah Shearim, Bnei Brak, and Ramat Bet Shemesh. But at least they are trying to avoid it now - and for that I applaud them.

But this new approach makes me wonder about a protest earlier in the week by one of the leaders of the Edah, Rav Moshe Sternbuch. He actually encouraged more protest which led to violence. Don’t members of the Edah speak to each other?

An Abominable Act

I have no problem with homosexuals. People who are attracted to members of the same sex are no different in my eyes than are people who are attracted to cheeseburgers or even Chilul Shabbos.

That is because there is no violation of Jewish law in desiring to sin. We all have such desires. The Torah recognizes that. That’s why it legislates against sin. If we didn’t desire to sin, there would be no need for Halachos telling us not to. It is acting on a desire to sin that is forbidden. Although we no longer have the power to execute it - both homosexual sex and adulterous heterosexual sex have the death penalty attached.

The Torah is very clear about illicit sexual acts. It spells them out. Homosexual acts are forbidden. It is foolish to deny it - although amazingly there have been attempts by non Orthodox rabbis to do so.

One can - and should - feel empathy for a homosexual. He is only able to express his desires in forbidden ways. He is never able to do it without violating Halacha. It is therefore very understandable if he succumbs to those very powerful urges. But as in any other sin a human being commits, he has to realize that the homosexual act is indeed a sinful act… one that requires Teshuva – repentance.

Religious homosexuals struggle mightily with these desires. Some go to therapists for help in dealing with them. Perhaps sometimes they even succumb to temptation. It is asking a lot of a human being to never be able to satisfy his sexual urges. I admire their determination to prevent sin and observe Halacha.

As a compassionate people we must treat homosexuals as human beings and full fledged Jews - with honor and respect. ‘Love thy neighbor’ applies to all. Just as we cannot and should not peer into the bedroom of a heterosexual, so too must we refrain from peering into the bedroom of a homosexual. We do not know what goes on in either case nor should we. We have no province in either. At the moment - that is entirely God’s province.

The problem I have is when society start legitimizing, not just the individual but the behavior itself. Then society has passed from the realm of human respect and dignity into the realm of sanctioning the forbidden. This is in effect what California has done. The California Supreme Court has struck down a state ban on homosexual marriage making it legal and equalizing it with heterosexual marriage.

Marriage is more than a civil contract. It is sanctioned by the Torah and initiated by a procedure called Kiddushin. The root of this word is Kadosh – holy. Holiness is a concept that is entirely religious in nature. God is the quintessence of holiness: ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts – the world is filled with His glory!’ We recite this phrase every morning in our daily prayers.

The concept of marriage includes all aspects of it - including sexual relations. The use by the state of the word marriage for homosexual unions confers upon them full legitimacy including acts are which are considered by God to be an abomination – and equate it with holiness!

The truth is that homosexual rights advocates did not need this legislation. Homosexuals have the right to live freely in our society. There are laws that proect them from discrimination. And every right granted by marriage to a heterosexual couple can be spelled out in legal documents the same way for homosexual couples.

Homosexual marriage is not about rights. It's about obliterating a biblical precept - one that is accepted by the vast majority of American citizens. And it is an affront to the sensibilities of all religious people that the state of California now sanctions an abominable act - thereby normalizing it.

This may not violate the separation clause of the first amendment but I think it violates the spirit of it. Instead of religious people shoving religion down the throats of a secular public, religious people are being asked to shove an abomination down theirs. And that is an abomination.

Obama Will Win the Presidency and Why That’s Bad

We live in unprecedented times. World peace is imperiled like at no time since the holocaust. But this time it is imperiled by an enemy which is not guided by the motivations of past megalomaniacs. Nor are their goals those of any civilized society. They place no value on the quintessential American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is anathemata to a people who love death more than we love life. Liberty is a sinful pursuit. Life is expendable in achieving their goals. Their desire is to destroy western civilization by any means necessary. They are driven by their spiritual beliefs which are not subject to reason, threats of personal harm, or even death.

Totalitarian regimes of the past whose uniformed armies were dispatched to dominate the world by any means necessary - including genocide - cared about themselves. They could be defeated and forced to surrender. That ended the hostilities. Not so current Islamists. They are not motivated by life. They are motivated by death. And not being a uniformed army they hide in plain sight. They will not stop until they succeed or are destroyed.

In short this is an era where foreign policy and defense policy needs clear heads to form it. Conventional wisdom based on historical precedent won’t work. Studying history or military strategies is not enough. Understanding the enemy is what’s needed.

That brings me to the current Presidential race between Barrack Obama and John McCain. In my view John McCain understands the issue. Barrack Obama does not. I base my conclusion on public statements each has made with respect to foreign policy. Obama’s approach is - let’s talk to the enemy. As though by talking to them we will be able to reason with them. He believes in the conventional wisdom that we can reason with our enemies. ‘Speak sofly and carry a bib stick’. Like Islamists care about our ‘big stick’. Obama must be thinking - We will see what they want – they will see what we want and reasonable compromise will take place.

Obama doesn’t realize that you cannot reason with people who reject reason as a basis for their actions and are devoted killing innocent people and dying for their cause. There is no ‘big stick’ leverage with people who think like this. You cannot destroy an idea. All you can do is defeat them with force. John McCain knows that and it’s why I support him.

Unfortunately John McCain will lose this election. Here’s why.

The success of the so called ‘surge’ of troops in Iraq has paid off. Iraq is no longer the big issue. The American people hardly give it a second thought. If anything they want us out now. That is what Obama has promised to do. The big issue for the American people is the economy. And with good reason. This is the worst economy since the Jimmy Carter era. In fact it is probably worse.

The American people see a John McCain who has publicly admitted being virtually ignorant about how to deal with it. That’s not good if the economy is the number one issue.

But there are other factors that have even more impact on this election. The single most important one being is image. And anoher being symbolism.

Let’s compare the two candidates.

Obama is young, McCain is old. America loves the vitality of youth more than it values the wisdom of age. Obama is quite brilliant, having received his law degree from Harvard. Does anyone even know where John McCain went to college? (He graduated from the U.S.Naval Academy at Annapolis.)

Obama is an inspiring speaker - articulate and polished. He sounds knowledgable about a whole array of issues. Record crowds come to see him and hear him. They cheer him exuberantly. McCain comes of as just another old time politician with not even half the eloquence of Obama.

Obama has a beautiful wife who is a successful business woman in her own right. And they have some of the cutest children you’ll find anywhere (…shades of John-John and Caroline Kennedy). And they seems to be living the family values that are so important to most Americans. Obama has been married to the same woman he fell I love with - never having had any affairs. Their love for each other seems genuine - often on display before the cameras. McCain’s marital history - not so pristine.

And then there is the very powerful symbol of being he first black President. Obama is the Jackie Robinson of Presidential politics. Young people who have never voted will vote for him in unprecedented numbers.

The only plus in image John McCain has is that he was a war hero but his appearance is that of an old man – his movements being awkward because of injuries sustained as a prisoner of war. He is anything but charismatic.

So I am discouraged. I favor McCain’s wisdom. But Obama's charisma by far over-shadows it.

Many people compare Obama to JFK - pointing to his success despite his youth. But things are different now. As I said, today’s enemies - are not yesterdays enemies. By making irresponsible statements about meeting with Ahmadinejad Obama betrays his ignorance about Islamism . We need someone who realizes how foolish and dangerous legitimizing Ahmadinejad is. What good will Obama’s economic solutions be (even if I conceded they are good ones - which I do not) in a world dominated by Islamic law - the ultimate goal of all Islamists? If you don’t think Islamists would ever attack the United States, then you do not remember 9/11.

Fractionalizing Ourselves into Oblivion

Religious Zionism is being attacked. And it isn’t only by Charedim. And not only by secular Jews. It is being attacked by their own - former members who left it because they say it has been hi-jacked by right wing Religious Zionist rabbis:

"Religious Zionism has lost its true substance and has become a cult," said MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) Wednesday at the Religious Zionism conference on education, the economy and society.

Otniel Schneller is a religious member of the Knesset who was raised in a Religious Zionist home. He went on further to say:

" The fight for the Land of Israel is important, but hailing it as the sole theme makes Religious Zionism a cult. I know many of you will resent this definition, but this wasn't the way taught by the Religious Zionism I grew up on."

I have been pointing this out for some time now. And I think it is an accurate assessment. Settling the land of Israel seems to be the number on agenda item of Religious Zionist rabbis these days. So much so that a Psak was made recently by one such Rav that allowed homes for Jews to be built on Shabbos:

Concerns that the High Court of Justice might put a stop to the construction of new homes in the West Bank settlement of Ofra have led to the extraordinary step of keeping the work going seven days a week, irrespective of the religious prohibition against labor on Shabbat. The decision relies on a religious ruling by Ofra's rabbi, Rabbi Avi Gisser, aimed at expediting construction so homes can be occupied before a possible court intervention.

Of course no one is saying a Jew may work on Shabbos. What Rabbi Gisser is talking about is Amira L’Nachri – the rabbinic prohibition of telling a non Jew to do work for a Jew on Shabbos - which has parameters for dispensation. But this is one illustration of the focus of the ‘New’ Religious Zionism.

MK Otniel has a point. Like some other movements in Judaism they too have taken devotion to a principle to an extreme and have become obsessed with it. Sometimes to the point of violence. Religious Zionism has become ‘land’ centered instead of God centered.

Religious Zionism was once looked at by the secular Israeli public with great esteem. It was the Hesder soldiers that were the most elite commandos of the army. They were the ones who volunteered in groups for the most dangerous missions. Their ranks had the highest numbers of casualties in battle. Secular Jews knew that and admired them. It was the Hesder soldier that was on the front lines protecting their families. But now extremist rabbis seem to have taken over. And Religious Zionist Jews are now reviled by a secular public who knows an obsession when hey see one. They now see Religious Zionists as fanatics who will take them down the path of oblivion.

While it’s true that some of the most sincere and devoted Religious Zionists have taken this position, their focus on ‘ settling the land’ with a messianic fervor has sometimes led to violent confrontation with the very government so many of them have sacrificed their lives for.

The more politically rightward they go the more marginalized they will become - to the mainstream of both the secular world, the more moderate Religious Zionist world, and the Charedi world.

The Charedi world has grown to a point where they can now assert themselves like never before. They are currently on a tear to take over religious institutions formerly controlled by Religious Zionists. They have ‘packed’ the Israeli Rabbanut with Charedi Rabbis who have asserted their authority over it even though they normally eschew it. With a siren call of strengthening Mitzvah observance or preserving the integrity of Jewish lineage, Charedi Rabbis have undermined decades of religious Psak issued by Religious Zionist rabbis - issues such as Shmitta or conversions - while Religious Zionist rabbis are busy building or expanding settlements. Rome burns while Nero fiddles!

This is not to say that the claims made by Charedi rabbis are not legitimate. Perhaps they are and should be debated. The point is that this is a bloodless coup – a hostile takeover of the reins of control over religious policy in Israel by Charedi rabbis.

Because of this, some are now calling for a complete break with Charedim:

Rabbi Yehuda Gilad, a leader of the religious kibbutz movement and a former Meimad MK, summed it up: "Enough with the ultra-Orthodox hegemony. We need another leadership, a moral one with national responsibility."

What a sad state of affairs we now have. A once powerful, strong and united Religious Zionist movement is now fractured and polarized - high-jacked by extremists. And it is being attacked from all sides.

A complete break is from Charedim is unviable in my view. The fractured state of affairs in Religious Zionism will doom any such attempt to failure. While it is true that Charedim have their own very serious problems that may implode on them sooner than they expect, they have a very distinct advantage. They are united. They have an authoritarian system which they never question. Their leaders are considered sages - Gedolei HaDor – leaders of the generation whose views they treat as infallible. Religious Zionists do no have such leadership.

I am just an observer commenting from the sidelines. I am neither secular, Charedi, nor am I a Religious Zionist - at least not politically. But it still saddens me when as a seeker of Achdus, I see the opposite happening right before my eyes. Attacks from without and attacks from within - all in a climate of unprecedented animosity. I hope that Klal Yisroel is not disintegrating before my eyes – fractionalizing itself into oblivion.

Of Teffilin Dates, Abortions, and Abuse

R’ Yitzchak Zev HaLevi Soloveichik (YZS) is the grandson of my Rebbe, Rav Aaron Soloveichik. Few Gedolim possessed the combination of qualities that R’ Ahron did. His belief in Emes probably cost him his health. His practice of Chesed is legendary. And few Gedolim had a greater love of all of Klal Yisroel and fewer still a love of Eretz Yisroel than R’ Ahron did. And even fewer still had his appreciation of the value of Mada.

YZS followed in his illustrious grandfather’s footsteps. He has inherited the same brilliant mind and many of the same character traits - not the least of which is his devotion to Emes. He made Aliyah, learned in a Hesder Yeshiva, served in he Israeli Defense Forces, learned in Kollel Torah Mitzion, and is about to receive his MD. He is now doing rotations in a hospital in Israel.

It is with his in mind that a statement he made is very troubling:

It pains me every day when I see chareidi children in the hospital who "fall down the stairs" and get broken jaws, who come in with broken arms "from falling off the swings". I weep for the chareidi girls who come in to terminate pregnancies becasue if their parents find out they will murder her.

In the past there had been much denial about he level of abuse in the Torah world, whether it was physical abuse or sexual abuse. That is changing - although at a pace too slow for my taste.

But there is still a virtual denial of consensual out of wedlock sexual activity among Charedi young people. In fact I don’t recall hearing any statistics about that. When religious Jews speak about out of wedlock sex they are usually referring to the modern Orthodox version - the so called ‘Teffilin date’. That is when a young modern Orthodox single man dates a girl in the hopes of having sexual relations with her. He therefore takes his Teffilin along in case he sleeps over. This way he can Daven there in the morning. The term ‘Teffilin date’ has become a euphemism for a 'Frum" person having sex on a date.

But never have I heard about out of wed-lock consensual sex in the Charedi world. YZS now cites evidence of such activity - just on his own watch – where in addition to Charedi domestic violence he sees out of wedlock Charedi pregnancies. Young pregnant Charedi women - perhaps still in their teens -are apparently seeking abortions! That raises the question of just how many other doctors are seeing this!

Before anyone accuses me of Charedi Bashing again, let me make clear that I do not believe that - as a percentage – out of wedlock pregnancies is that significant in the Orthodox population. Especially among Charedim. It is probably miniscule in comparison to the general population of permissive western cultures.

But in terms of numbers -I am surprised that there are any significant numbers at all. And that is just reported cases in Israel of pregnant Charedi girls seeking abortions. How many Charedi singles are there that experiment sexually, don’t get pregnant, - and never report it?

I guess the so called ‘Teffilin dates’ are not exclusive to modern Orthodox communities after all. It is a problem across the spectrum of Orthodox Judaism.

But one does not hear about it happening in Charedi circles. To the best of my knowledge there are no statistics about it. The question is, why?

Well, for one thing non religious people are generally more open to out of wedlock consensual sex. Most religious Jews on the other hand by their nature resist violating Halacha of any kind including those Halachos pertaining to sexual activity.

But that does not prevent all such activity. That now seems painfully obvious based on what YZS has witnessed. The religious community is not immune to temptation. And it is apparently not the rarest of circumstances when it happens. So why is there so little evidence - whether statistical or anecdotal?

I believe that in part it is because of the following. The Charedi world places great significance on image. For men: black hats, black velvet Yarmulkees. white shirts, black pants. For women: severely restricted clothing styles that have nothing to do with Tznius: like no jean skirts or no brightly colored blouses. It is as though it is more important to look Frum - than it is to be Frum. They literally wear their Frumkeit on their full length sleeves.

Protecting their image extends to keeping their problems in the closet. To put it the way they often do, ‘We should not air our dirty laundry in public’. They cannot have the world seeing their pure and pristine image being besmirched by such behavior even if it does exist in their ranks. So they encourage their members to keep these things quite.

The community pressure to do so is enormous. Can anyone imagine, for example, the Shiddach chances of a girl who is discovered to have had out of wedlock sex - or worse – an abortion? Or the chances for a good Shiddach - if a girl were raped?

There was an article in Time Magazine a couple of weeks ago that spoke to the issue of why there is so much denial. They see themselves - and wish to project themselves - as a pure and holy society. They thus virtually forbid any exposure or discussion of these topics. But their goals are not fully realized. What they accomplish instead is the facilitation of an existing ‘nuclear bomb’ that continues to spread its harmful radiation. Sometimes this results in sexual experimentation by hormonal adolescents and sometimes it results in a lot worse. Naomi Ragen put it very well:

"All of these taboos don't necessarily make them saints. Sometimes they become perverts."

It’s a good thing these things are coming out into the open. That forces confrontation with the facts and then dealing with them - instead of closeting them. Let’s hope it is not too little - too late.

The Price of Success

According the internet version of the Yated Ne’eman there is now a total of 120,000 students learning in Yeshivos and Kollelim in Israel. Of that number 60,000 are in full time Kollelim. And that only accounts for those that receive government funding.

One might think that is cause for celebration. And for those who value quantity over quality, it is. 60,000 Avreichim is quite an impressive number – more than quadruple of what I thought it was.

Certainly there is much to celebrate and praise here with these hugely unprecedented numbers - as noted by Roshei Yeshiva and Roshei Kollelim in the article :

...the mesirus nefesh of thousands of avreichim who overcome nisyonos from both without and within the chareidi camp and continue to devote their time to the hallowed tents of Torah.

But one cannot overlook the obvious implication of that comment either. The primary Nisyonos - impediments - they are referring to is the crushing poverty that accompanies this success. That is alluded to in subsequent paragraphs:

Meanwhile the heads of the various institutions must wage constant battles against Reform organizations, legal advisors and government ministries who seek ways to reduce their numbers by curtailing funding, which has become especially burdensome of late due to the 30-percent decline in the value of the dollar. The sharp decline in the value of the dollar means that even someone whose overseas support remains steady, has lost about a quarter of its value.

… and the yeshiva managers wage unremitting budget battles following a series of High Court petitions over budget matters, but they continue to stand firm, maintaining Torah institutions through their mesirus nefesh. Even attempts to cut funding for foreign yeshiva students, kollel students and the entire yeshiva system have failed, largely through efforts by UTJ to torpedo these moves.

What incredible Chutzpah this sense of entitlement has led to. They blame their financial woes on those who they just got though saying fund them (at least in part) with taxpayer dollars. Secular Israeli taxpayers do not understand why other social issues are left un-addressed while money is diverted to able bodied - army exempt students of a Torah which they – in their unfortunate ignorance - deem archaic at best!

Instead of urging their readership to express gratitude - Hakaras Hatov to the govenrment for what they do get, the Yated condemns the government for not giving enough. As though it’s the government’s responsibility to make up for losses incurred to Avreichim by the plunging dollar!

Is there any wonder why so many secular Israelis have evolved from a benign ‘live and let live’ tolerant group into one of deep resentment? Instead of complaining about their plight of poverty - a situation of their community’s own making – and blaming the government, they ought to be urging an expression of Hakaras Hatov at the top of their lungs!

That said the poverty is real. And it is oppressive, so much so that Yeshiva World News did the unthinkable. They had the courage to publish a letter raising the topic of family planning to alleviate some of that poverty. And this was directed to Avreichim in the United States who are somewhat better off than their Israeli counterparts.

The letter wasn’t up here very long, however. They removed it very quickly. I’m pretty sure they were pressured to do so. But what it demonstrates is that family planning is definitely on the minds of young Avreichim with growing families - where each child represents additional major expenses. Who’d a-thunk it?!

The idea of a public policy that encourages family planning is anathema to the Torah world. Yes, there are Heterim for family planning and many who ask Shailos are given a Heter - based on individual circumstances. But never before has this been brought up by a knowledgeable Charedi in a public forum before. This is a major issue now.

The tuition crisis in the Torah world is at an all time high. Additional children added to the schools by impoverished Avreichim will burden the system even more - as poor families do not pay any more than they can afford no matter how many children they have – which is usually a lot less than the tuition for a single child.

And this is taking place in America. Israeli poverty levels are much worse and family planning is on their minds too. Statistics have shown that the number of children per family in all Charedi communities like Kiryat Sefer has gone down ever since government subsidies for large families have been reduced.

So there you have it. This is the philosophy of the Charedi world, especially in Israel. Push everyone - as much as possible - into full time learning. Do not train anyone for Parnassa. As a general policy encourage having as many children as possible thus increasing the financial burden on families who already live under crushing poverty. And then complain angrily to a secular government who funds them - that they don’t give enough.

And rely as well charities that are constantly under pressure to increase their coffers because of increased demand by geometrically increasing populations. And this has led to unscrupulous methods (e.g. the ‘selling’ of Segulos) of raising funds. But of course the needs still continue to outpace the funds.

And we wonder why there is a dropout problem? This is only the tip of the iceberg. As Rabbi Yakov Horowitz put it: We are headed off the cliff if we don’t get our acts together.

A copy of the Yeshiva World News letter follows.

No doubt there are those that are going to disagree with the following statements, but many would be hard-pressed to dispute the reality it represents. The following statements are not based on empirical research, but rather a data set based on numerous qualitative discussions with young couples in our community. I should also point out that having been in chinuch, both as a Rebbi, administrator, family therapist, and now working full time in the corporate world, I believe I have some real insight into the different aspects of the following topic.

There are a number of challenges that Klal Yisrael is currently dealing with: shidduchim, parnossah, the Internet to list just a few. Each one comes with its unique set of nisyonos and hardships. However, there is a new issue currently start to grow within the young families in our community. Family Planning. There are many young families in our community who are currently restricting the number of children they have due to the current costs of raising children. This is not being done out of choice, but as a practical last resort, as a way of preserving some sanity and shalom bayis in a home that would otherwise have none. As a Family Therapist I can tell you that the number one issue couples fight about are finances. More and more couples are faced with doing something they never imagined when they first got married, not having more children in exchange for not fighting about finances. Many young couples are reaching out to their rabbonim to discuss heterim that are available to them.

First, let’s look at the current fiscal situation for a young couple. A 30 year old couple with 3 children in school could potentially have a tuition bill of up to approximately $35,000, depending on where you live of course. If you add camp to the tab at $2,000 per child per summer the total cost of education per year is approximately $41,000. In order to earn enough money for education and camp the couple would have to earn approximately $55-60,000 per year. They have not yet housed their children, clothed them or fed them.

There will be those who are quick to jump and say, “Where is your bitachon? Have as many children as you want and Hashem will provide”. There is no question that the Ribbono Shel Olam is the ultimate provider, but not everyone can handle the challenges that come with being such a baal bitachon. That’s their reality. Does responsible parenting mean one is lacking in bitachon? We are talking about erliche families, who learn and daven daily in addition to earning 6 figure salaries. Who only want to provide the best possible chinuch and opportunities to their children without having to work 2-3 jobs and not even have the chance to see their children, learn with them, or play with them.

Think about the choices that some families have to make: Sending kids to camp, in my opinion, a vital part of bringing up children or having another child? Paying full tuition and perhaps being able to hire a tutor when necessary or growing your family? Having your wife be able to work part time (or maybe not at all) or having another child? These are the choices currently being made by young couples today. Are they lacking Bitachon? Do they not have Emunah Sheleimah?
“Move somewhere cheaper.” Is that the answer? Instead of being able to provide the best svivah, hashkafah and chinuch to our children we should move to a new community that does not have these assets? Young couples should not be allowed to raise their children where they grew up themselves, because of factors beyond their control.

So what are the solutions? There is really no point in bringing up the topic unless there are some possible solutions. The solutions I am laying forth here have to do with the escalating cost of tuition in the Yeshivas and Bais Yaakov’s. For many families tuition represents the largest expense and that’s why many of the solutions lie there. The reality is with the rising costs of housing, food, and energy many people are going to be forced to default on their Yeshiva commitments as it is. It’s not as if they are not going to house and feed their children. Yeshiva’s need to start to create solutions for themselves otherwise they will be spending more and more time fighting to collect money.
What can Yeshivas do?

1) Yeshivas should not offer full scholarships, only partial scholarships, even to their own Rabbeim. At one point in my career I ran a high school. Many parents could not afford the full tuition. Once we established the amount they could afford, I would take the remaining amount and tell the parents, “I will raise half and you raise the other half”. Parents were required to fundraise too. If the entire achrayos for the scholarship would have been on the yeshiva we would have had to raise tuition and only further perpetuate the problem. Rabbeim and others who cannot afford tuition must be involved in raising money; they cannot just rely on the yeshiva. There is no company in the world that offers that type of “perk” on top of a salary. Think about it, if a Rebbi has 3-4 children in the yeshiva and pays no tuition, his “perk” is worth $30-40,000 pre-tax! And someone is paying for that perk!

2) Yeshivas should not be allowed to force parents to pay tuition beyond the actual cost of educating the child. The cost of education is the actual cost of maintaining the class (salaries, physical plant and administrative fees) divided by the number of students per class. Yeshiva tuition is typically not a reflection of the actual cost per student. If a Yeshiva charges $11,000 per child and has 25 children per class the total amount of revenue per class is $275,000. It does not cost $275,000 a year to run a class. A percentage of full tuition goes towards supplying scholarships to needy students. Should Yeshivas offer scholarships to some students knowing that families being forced to pay full tuition may need to compensate by regulating the size of their family?

3) There must be a discount given for multiple children in the yeshiva. I.e. if one has 3+ children in one yeshiva they should be able to get a “multiple children” discount. If not, those being provided with free or heavily subsidized tuition are being encouraged to have more children while those being charged full are being forced to not.
Nothing is easy about these issues, neither the problems nor the solutions. If no one chooses to do anything about it though, there are many who will start to look for solutions that will at least give them some peace of mind, even if it means doing something drastic like family planning.

Speaking of Rabbi Horowitz...

VIN informs us that Rabbi Yakov Horowitz was the recipient today of the prestigious Covenant Award by the The Covenant Foundation. This is a national Jewish organization that honors outstanding Jewish educators around the U.S. for their creative approaches to Jewish education in North America. Rabbi Horowitz is one of three recipients so recognized his year. The following was part of a press release issued by them today:

Rabbi Yakov Horowitz began teaching at age eighteen, when he volunteered to work with restless kids who were having serious problems at school. His career as an educator has grown at every stage from his love for each child as an individual and his willingness to go where others might feel inhibited. His work has brought him not only to lead an exceptional yeshiva but to provide advice, training, and professional development to parents and teachers throughout his community and beyond, and to bring technological innovation to the timeless transmission of Torah. “He believes that the secrets to both parenting and Jewish education are intense engagement with children, a deep understanding of the needs of each child and the wisdom (and courage) to act in his/her best interests without regard for convention,” says his nominator, Yossi Prager of the AVI CHAI Foundation. The school Rabbi Horowitz leads, Yeshiva Darchei Noam (literally, “Paths of Pleasantness”), is known for its loving attention to the overall well-being of each and every student.

I want to add my own congratulations to Rabbi Horowitz for an honor well deserved.