The Jerusalem Post recently published an article entitled "You've been Aish'd" whcih can be viewed on line at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215330995567&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull. The article basically attacks Aish and other outreach organizations as misrepresenting Orthodoxy in an attempt to promote it to other Jews. This misrepresentatin can be defined in two ways. First it creates an environment that is beneficial for their purpose, in other words it brings people into a world that favours a transition to Orthodoxy by the targeted individuals. Second it presents Orthodoxy in a totally positive manner with a view that people who abide by this system are totally happy and fulfilled. The author of the article then goes on to show how transient this created environment is and how untrue this presentation of Orthodoxy is. She basically concludes her article witht the message that she was someone who was taken in for a while, she knows why she was taken in and there were some nice things about this fantasy that she lived but, in the end, she came back to reality and saw through this presentation -- and she imples this is what happens with most people who encounter this experience although there are a few that stay part of this illusion.
Much can be said about this presentation. I am sure that many would like to come to the defense of the various kiruv organizations that were invariably drawn into this critique. I am sure that there are also many who understand the stance that this woman is taking and agree with her presentation of kiruv as a slick marketing model which spruces up Orthodoxy in order to make the sale. There are arguments both ways and while the marketing inherent in kiruv can be critiqued, we also cannot deny the benefit that kiruv has brought to many people and to the community, in many ways, in general. Yet, it may be time to, at least, start looking at kiruv with a more critical eye. Is there a better way of presenting Orthodoxy? What are the negative consequences of reports of such people as this author who, in challenging kiruv are also challenging Orthodoxy in general.?
I wish, though, to raise another concern. My question is: what is the effect of kiruv back on the Orthodox community in general? There are two parts to this question. What is the effect back upon Orthodoxy of these individuals brought into Orthodoxy through these totally bright presentations - what is the effect they will have on future Torah education? More importantly, what is the effect of the very marketing of Torah upon Torah? To sell Torah means to convince someone that Torah is good for them based upon their yardstick, but the very essence of Torah is to affect our yardstick? There has to be a coercive aspect to Torah to really present the full lesson of Torah -- what is happening to this aspect in a world of sales through kiruv? I invite you to read an article I penned a few years ago on this subject and share your comments here. The article can be viewed at http://www.nishma.org/articles/update/update5754-1.htm
Rabbi Ben Hecht
2 comments:
Kiruv organizations generally interact with their customers on the customers' terms. We live in a "me, me, me" society so that's how these people are pulled in. Being frum is great. It's all positive. You'll discover a wonderful community full of people that are soaking in chesed and will just love to reach out to you and help you on your journey. And if you keep taharas mishpachah, you'll never have marital problems.
I don't have a problem with that approach. These organizations thrive on recruits so they're going to sell their products in the best possible way.
I have a problem with recruits who are so naive as to believe what they're told. Because when they realize that the Orthodox lifestyle is, warts and all, not really that superior to a secular one in many ways, they become convinced they were hoodwinked and that Orthodox Judaism is fake. And it's then impossible to show them the beauty the culture does possess.
So this technique winds up potentially hurting a lot more than helping.
I am reminded of a story of an individual I first met in the early 80's who, while many of his friends attended my shiurim at that time, stayed away. I spoke to him about why he doesn't come. His answer was that he didn't need it. He learned the truth in Israel and had no questions; it all seemed so obvious and intellectually correct, he had no questions thus no need for a class built on questions and no need for further study of what he thought was basic.
A few years later, I ran into this person. At that time, he was a PhD candidate in Talmud at a leading university and was not observant in the least. To illustrate his present lifestyle which did not include any practice of Judaism he told me that, while he apprecitated the intellecutal challenge in Talmud thus stayed with it as an academic vocation, the way he marked the previous Yom Kippur was by going skating and having pizza with a Chinese girl. I asked him what happened. He told me that while he was doing his Master's he avoided any course on Biblical Criticism for why did he need this, as he termed it, "foolishness." When he was applying for the PhD, though, he was told that he would never get this degree if he didn't take at least one course in Biblical Criticism so he decided to take a summer course in this subject just to get it over with -- but he already know how ridiculous it was. Within one month of starting that course he dropped everything and it was my perception that he reaction was so violent and abrupt because he also felt exceedingly foolish in adopting this previous dogmatic approach against Biblical Criticism. I then actually reminded him of our conversation and how he thought he knew everthing and didn't need further study of hashkafa and thought.
This is the problem. If something simple and utimately without depth is presented as the greatest wisdom in the world, eventually this weakness will be found out -- and the result will be that people will turn against the whole enterprise thinking that the simplicity that is inherently lacking is all that this system offers and there is no need to investigate further. In bringing people to Orthodoxy, one may think that they are doing a great service in presenting everything as neat and clean but in the end, when the complexity and difficulty in understanding Torah comes out, the reaction to being misled with the presentation of simplicity may be drastic.
Rabbi Ben Hecht
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