[Avodah] Klal Perspectives - Spring 2012

[Prof. Levine]

[I exapended RYL's quote to include the full web page, because I feel
centrality of this message to this list's mission motivates doing everything
possible to further discussion. -micha]

Please see http://klalperspectives.org/spring-2012/

 From http://tinyurl.com/6txrwm6


Spring '12: Questions


THE AMERICAN ORTHODOX COMMUNITY is experiencing a crisis of spiritual 
connection, in the opinion of many leaders and observers of the 
community. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the executive vice-president of 
Agudath Israel of America, summed up the matter most succinctly in 
the first issue of Klal Perspectives when he identified the single 
greatest challenge facing the Orthodox community as "the increasing 
numbers from across the spectrum who feel no meaningful connection to 
Hashem, His Torah, or even His people." And he was one of the many 
Klal Perspectives contributors who raised this concern.

That lack of connection is reflected most dramatically in the growing 
numbers of so-called "adults at risk," i.e., those who, at some point 
in adulthood, realize that they do not know why they have been 
performing mitzvos all their lives, or why they should continue to do 
so. Among younger people, the symbol of that lack of connection has 
become teenagers who text on Shabbos. We seek to explore the degree 
and implications of these trends.

1. How accurate is this perception that there is a crisis in the degree
of religious fulfillment experienced by observant Jews? Can a reliable
assessment be made and the question answered? Are those who admit their
alienation or feelings of emptiness outliers in a basically healthy
Orthodox society, or are they but the tip of the iceberg of a much
larger group of alienated Jews, who have not fully articulated their
discontent or alienation?

2. For those who suffer a lack of connection to Hashem and His Torah,
is this disconnect primarily intellectual or emotional? Is it due to a
failure to educate in basic issues of emunah and to demonstrate the
depth and relevance of Torah, or does it have its source in a lack of
fulfillment in life as a Torah Jew? Or does it stem from the intrusion
of secular culture and broader experiences into the mindset and
lifestyle of Orthodox Jews? And, most important, whatever the source,
what steps can be pursued by the community and its members to address
these problems?

3. Are there proven methods to inspire observant Jews experiencing a
gap in religious enthusiasm? How can yeshivos and seminaries help
talmidim connect more deeply with their Creator, His Torah and His
people? What dimensions of Torah observance and study should be
reemphasized and encouraged to elevate the connection to avodas Hashem
in our homes, shuls and batei medrash?

We ask contributors to direct their analysis of the present problems
and their causes to the search for concrete ways to lessen the negative
phenomena they identify.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Foreword to Spring 2012
by Editor on April 19, 2012

LAST AUTUMN, THE MAIDEN ISSUE of Klal Perspectives asked contributors to
identify the most serious challenges facing American Orthodox Jewry. One
of the repeated responses was that many observant Jews suffer from the
absence of a connection to G-d, Torah and the Jewish people. In this
new issue, we asked whether the experience of feeling disconnected is
as rampant among observant Jews as suggested, and if true, to identify
the causes. We then asked the most important question: what might be
done by the community and by individuals to reverse this trend.

Thirty people were invited to contribute, and eighteen agreed. Those
solicited included pulpit rabbis, educators, outreach professionals,
roshei yeshiva, community activists and researchers. Contributors
uniformly agreed that the problem of being disconnected is real. The
only people who declined to support this observation were three roshei
yeshiva teaching post-high school yeshiva students. These roshei yeshiva,
serving in three different types of yeshivas, each advised that they
were unqualified to address the questions because they had no familiarity
with the problem. They explained that their students were all intensely
connected and involved, and they had no indication that this strong
connection weakened in the years after the students leave yeshiva.

Numerous writers noted that the problem of Jews being disconnected is not
at all novel, and has plagued our people throughout the millennia. Authors
cited the calls of the earliest prophets for a refocus on religious
passion and intensity. The problem continued up and through today,
as reflected by the advent of the mussar movement and of Chassidus,
both referenced by many contributors.

There was also a general view that achieving a feeling of connecting is
vital. Rabbi Ahron Lopinasky cited two reasons: "First, ahava and yirah
and simcha are core Torah values, and second, when Torah observance
reflects solely a sense of duty and obligation, the commitment withers
and atrophies." Rabbi Gidon Rothstein cautioned, however, that "While it
is certainly enjoyable when we find activities that provide satisfaction
and fulfillment, we cannot use those feelings or their absence as the
barometers by which we judge success." Rabbi Rothstein cautioned against
confusing serving G-d and personal fulfillment: "Many Jews - even highly
observant ones - seek only `personal fulfillment,' which to them means
ridding themselves of obligations, thereby freeing themselves to act as
they wish." Rabbi Rothstein continued: "As Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik,
zt"l, pungently commented, `The problem with American Jews is that they
don't want to daven, they want to have davened.'"

Notwithstanding the repeated accusations that this disconnect reflects
laziness and apathy, there was some sympathy for the disconnected Jew.
Rabbi Benzion Twerski suggested that, unlike the apathy prevalent prior
to the advent of Chassidus, many contemporary Jews recognize that they are
missing something: "The only difference between the days of the advent of
Chassidus and today is that in our day we know, at least in our hearts,
that we should be yearning when we are not, and that we should be singing,
though we may not." Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser related the same theme, as did
Rabbi Moshe Weinberger in describing his arrival to deliver a lecture at
an outreach seminar, only to find that many of the attendees were fully
observant Jews, searching for the same depth of passionate Judaism being
taught to the non-observant. Moishe Bane suggested that Jews can hardly
be held wholly accountable for a lack of connection after suffering for
two thousand years in a bitter exile of hester panim.

Authors provided a wide array of possible sources of the disconnect felt
by so many Orthodox Jews, as well as possible solutions and responses
that might be pursued on either a communal or personal basis.

Rabbi Goldwasser, among others, noted the intrusive nature of external
influences such as the Internet: "The information highway has, with
unprecedented speed, breached our fortifications and penetrated the
security of our homes." Rabbi Shalom Baum, however, cautioned against
placing too much blame on the Internet, suggesting that the true problem
is not external influences but rather that "we avoid the importance of
being more inwardly focused." Similarly, Rabbi Weinberger, though noting
the extreme dangers of the Internet, warned against focusing too heavily
on attacking the damaging effects of technology: "if on Monday, the
anti-Internet convention takes a powerful swipe at the latest technology,
by Tuesday the kids (and the young at heart) discover something better
and faster." Rabbi Weinberger joined others, such as Rabbi Dr. Dovid
Fox, who explained that many dispirited Orthodox Jews complain that
"spirituality was never well defined and was never really talked about
either at home or in yeshiva education."

This absence of focus on the internal meaning of mitzvos was a repeated
theme. Rabbi Shmuel Silber lamented that "we focus on the rules but not on
their meaning and relevance." Rabbi Silber noted that while schools play
an important role, "it is at home where Torah knowledge must come alive."

Rabbi Silber and many of the other writers, however, focused primarily on
the role of education in influencing the degree of disconnect experienced
by community members, suggesting numerous changes in yeshiva education
that are necessary to enhance the sense of connection to G-d. Rabbi
Yitzchok Feigenbaum took our schools to task for failing to prepare our
children to live as well-adjusted, religious Jews. He noted that our
schools overly emphasize external accomplishments and fail to provide
opportunities for personal success. Rabbi Feigenbaum also emphasized
that schools must facilitate individualism and encourage the questioning
of religious ideas, both of which are necessary for a deeper and more
meaningful engagement with Yiddishkeit. Finally, he argued that schools
must validate, rather than ignore or dismiss, the religious struggles
that students confront. Mrs. Chaya Newman echoed the view of many
others that yeshivas teach only information, but fail to inculcate
other dimensions of Yiddishkeit: "Perhaps it is time for all schools
and yeshivas to create a curriculum whose main goal is inspiration
and emotional connection." Mrs. Shifra Rabenstein similarly argued
that "teachers impart information but fail to give over the warmth
of Yiddishkeit." Several writers suggested that the more important
supplement to be added to school curricula is increased focus on the
reasons behind mitzvos and the basics in Jewish thought. In the words
of Rabbi Weinberger, "The thirteen fundamental principles of faith must
become a basic part of the curriculum in all schools and shuls." This
point was reiterated by Jonathan Rosenblum, who wrote; "To the extent
that our children have not internalized the fundamentals of emunah, they
are vulnerable to the myriad temptations with which they are bombarded."

Rather than criticize our schools for the limited preparation for
spiritual growth provided by our educational system, Rabbi Yaakov Glasser
argued that schools cannot be expected to provide that dimension of the
students' growth. Rabbi Glasser observed that the academic structure
of schooling necessarily requires a focus on grades and measurable
accomplishments, which is antithetical to an environment conducive to
spiritual exploration and development. Mrs. Rabenstein addressed this
concern by suggesting that teachers spend more time with students outside
the classroom. Similarly, Rabbi Lopiansky noted that the great European
yeshivas were primarily led by major personalities, who served as both
mentors as role models of connecting to HKBH. He urged yeshivas to renew
their focus on hiring rebbeim whose lives exemplify spiritual heights,
and who could thereby serve as spiritual mentors to the students, a
view shared by others. Rabbi Glasser, however, took a different tack,
suggesting that students need the additional dimension of informal
education to address many needs that cannot be met in the classroom.
Rabbi Glasser noted that informal education models provide students
with a non-judgmental environment that allows for greater individuality,
a safer context for questioning and exploration of ideas, and often an
oasis from the cynicism that permeates many classrooms.

Rabbi Shaya Karlinsky presented a completely different approach to
the absence of connection, suggesting that "the root cause of people
not feeling a connection with G-d (or with society) is frequently the
absence of a true connection with one's own self." Rabbi Karlinsky first
explained that being in touch with one's self serves as the predicate
of understanding the concept of relationships. Moreover, it is critical
to the appreciation of one's own self-worth - also a critical predicate
to developing a connection with G-d. Rabbi Karlinsky also noted that
the prevalence of materialism dampens one's potential for spiritual
connections, a lament shared by others. Rabbi Dovid Goldman suggested a
focus on the holistic needs of others, as well as one's own potential and
the role that Torah plays to meet our own needs. Moishe Bane suggested
that a threshold prerequisite to connecting to G-d is a connection to the
Jewish community, but that current social values and lifestyle influences
stymie opportunities for the creating of deep and intimate connections
among peers. Jonathan Rosenblum pointed out that one's ability to connect
o HKBH is often directly related to the degree that one's overall life
experience as an observant Jew is positive.

Certain writers suggested that a significant source of the lack
of connection is the rote by which many Jews observe mitzvos, but
writers could not understand why people fail to pay more attention
to mitzvah observance. Rabbi Lopiansky explained that G-d gave us the
gift of "habit" to allow us to preserve our concentration for the more
important aspects of life. Unfortunately, "the tendency to allow habit
to control our behavior also affects important activities, including
religious ones." Rabbi Twerski, among others, highlighted the ease by
which so many mitzvos can be observed by virtue of the conveniences
now available. As Mrs. Rabenstein observed, "Perhaps it is the ease of
access itself that allows for religious practice without much depth or
connection." Rabbi Twerski suggested that the absence of the effort to
prepare to perform mitzvos has reduced peoples' feelings and emotional
connection to the mitzvos. "Preparation is not an issue of necessity;
rather, it is a vital manifestation of our excitement about the amazing
opportunity to serve Hashem." Rabbi Twerski suggested that preparation
can also take other forms, such as studying the halachos and meaning of
a mitzvah prior to its performance.

Finally, many contributors suggested a wide array of writings that could
serve as a source of hashkafic guidance, as well as inspiration. Many
writers suggested the Nesivos Shalom, by the Slonimer Rebbe, zt"l. As
described by Rabbi Adlerstein, this sefer is widely read because "He
speaks often and speaks practically about the quality of connection with
HKBH, because that is what it is all about...We should not underestimate
the boost that we can get from this set of seforim." Rabbi Adlerstein
suggested additional readings, as did Rabbis Fox, Twerski and Weinberger.

The discussion in these submissions certainly do not exhaust the topic,
and are intended to lead to further exploration. For example, though Rabbi
Feigenbaum addressed the needs of high school girls, none of the writers
addressed whether there are distinctions in the degree of connection
felt by men and women within the community, and whether solutions may
differ among the genders. While there were suggestions that excessive
materialism may play a role in stifling spirituality, there was little
discussion of the influence of financial challenges. Based upon studies
of the communal integration of baalei teshuva, Judith Cahn presented
research that evidenced the interplay between being connected, generally,
and feeling connected religiously. But, other than general references
by Rabbis Goldman and Karlinsky, there was very little discussion about
the relationship between actual happiness and success and the feeling
of being connected to G-d. Similarly, there was no discussion of the
possible interplay between a person's capacity to express gratitude and
the feeling of a connection to G-d.

We believe that this issue of Klal Perspectives simply scratches the
surface of this central topic. We invite our readers to participate in
this crucial discussion, specifically by sharing brief descriptions of
communal and educational models with a proven effectiveness at creating
and enhancing connection. Submissions should be no longer than three
paragraphs and can be sent to editor at klalperspectives.org.