In the wake of the recent Leib Tropper scandal, I have read quite a lot about his Eternal Jewish Family and its ongoing battle against Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist conversions in the US and in Israel. While many bloggers view it as a power struggle, I think that the political differences are an extension of a theological rift, which in recent decades has been pushing the charedi and the so-called Modern Orthodox camps further apart.
While halacha requires a convert to demonstrate both a sincerity of purpose and a commitment to Jewish observance, Tropper’s EJF has chosen to relax its standards in regard to the former (by converting Jew’s Gentile spouses), while blasting non-charedi conversion courts for foregoing the later. This distinction became especially apparent in an interview given by Shannon Orand, who last week completed her conversion in Israel.
Q: You’ve had a chance to explore the rigors of the conversion process in both America and in Israel – in the Hareidi and the religious Zionist worlds. Is the approach different?
Shannon: I found that the Israeli process is just as stringent, but was far more focused on what it means to be a Jew, whereas the American Hareidi system placed a great – almost exclusive – emphasis on halacha. For example, the Israeli rabbis asked me questions about halacha, but also asked me questions pertaining to the 13 principles of faith, the idea of messiah, belief in one G-d, the importance of the land of Israel, the mitzvot, and what being a Jew means to me. The American rabbis grilled me on the various laws pertaining to Shabbat observance. I have to say that I found the Israeli approach to be refreshing and inspiring.
In reality, the issue runs much deeper than just conversions. Over the past century, the charedi community has chosen to reject all modern ideologies out of hand and place an ever-growing focus on the dalet amot shal halacha. Thus, the charedi yeshiva curriculum focuses almost exclusively on the study of the Gemara. (An acquaintance once told me that at his yeshiva learning hashkafic works is frowned upon as bitul zman). Popular discourse concentrates on the latest psak or the most interesting chumra (bans on wigs, mehadrin buses, and no Internet).
On the other hand, the non-charedi Orthodoxy (whether Modern Orthodoxy in the US or Religious Zionism in Israel), has chosen to go beyond self-definitions based exclusively on halachic observance, and sought to extract the kernels of truth inherent at the basis of modern ideologies. So, while socialism, feminism, and secular Zionism, had their excesses, these communities try to find values in sync with Torah outlook (social justice, intrinsic value of women, and ingathering of the exiles) and incorporate them in their lifestyles.
For this reason, Jewish philosophy is an important study subject in both Israeli Zionist and modern US yeshivas. Both communities define themselves as followers of Rabbinic figures, who despite their Talmudic brilliance, are best remembered for their philosophical works (Rabbi A. Y. Kook and Rabbi J. B. Soloveichik). The “hot” issues are almost always ideological, be they women’s rights or soldiers’ right to refuse orders.
The problem with this difference of focus is that we are starting to lose sight of each other. The charedi public doesn’t seem to understand why religious Zionists are so intent on participating in the secular Israeli society, while the religious Zionists wonder at the charedi insistence on new stringencies.
In the long run, both approaches are necessary for the spiritual well-being of the Jewish People. That is why it is so important to develop a healthy respect for the position of others ( alas, severely lacking). Diversity of opinion is not a hindrance; it’s a necessity for reaching geula in one piece.
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