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| Young Chasidic Jews |
This phenomenon is not new. It is as old as Judaism itself.
There are many reasons why someone raised to be observant would choose to stop
being so, but they are beyond the scope of this post. What this post addresses
is the difficulty of transitioning from a lifestyle of observance that, to one
degree or another, conflicts with the cultural milieu in which one finds
oneself.
The degree of conflict depends on one’s approach to that
culture. Modern Orthodoxy’s conflict centers on Halacha. When a popular
cultural practice or event contradicts halacha, modern Orthodox Jews stay away
from it. Otherwise, they tend to engage. That engagement covers a broad area of
commonality with the prevailing culture. So that our uniqueness as Halachic
Jews does not impede social interaction in a general way. We tend to dress
similarly, root for the same sports teams, and enjoy the same kinds of secular
music and entertainment as non-Jewish members of American society.
In other words, there is a certain degree of integration
with the culture - an assimilation of sorts - that is both acceptable and even
laudable in the sense of good citizenship and camaraderie with our neighbors,
coworkers, and acquaintances. At the same time, it remains critically important
for us to be a people apart. But only in the sense of our relationship with
God, by following His laws as dictated in the Torah and interpreted by the
sages throughout the generations.
The further to the right one goes religiously, however, the less this is the case. The prevailing view on the right is that the less one involves oneself with the surrounding culture, the better. Ideally not at all. The most extreme example of this is the world of Chasidim...
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