Cheering for Hailey. But...

Hailey Kops and her skating partner (TOI)

In yet another very thoughtful article, Rabbi Jonathan Muskat expresses much of the same mixed feelings I have about 19 year old Hailey Kops. She is a Modern Orthodox (MO) athlete that will be competing for Israel in the Winter Olympics in the pairs ice skating completion. Like Rabbi Muskat I am conflicted. On the one hand I am always proud of any great achievement by ‘one of my own’ Whether it is in Torah, science, athletics… or any other field. If they are also observant, that pride increases by orders of magnitude. Hailey is Shomer Shabbos and Shomer Kashrus. I am rooting for her to win.

So why am I conflicted? For the same reasons Rabbi Muskat is. Which is the problem I have with Modern Orthodoxy in general. 

That may come as a surprise to many people since I identify as Modern Orthodox myself. But it’s true. Which is why I refer to myself as a Centrist. I believe that is how Rabbi Muskat sees himself too. Although he identifies as MO, I believe that’s in contradistinction to being Charedi in the sense that we both place a high value on the study of secular knowledge, and participate in that part of modern culture that is within the bounds and spirit of Halacha which does not compromise our traditional values. Charedim tend to see secular knowledge in a far less favorable light and reject modern culture even though many of them might participate in it with a sense of guilt.

The Modern Orthodox world from which Hailey comes is not the kind of Orthodoxy I advocate. It is instead a problematic version that crosses lines. Some of which may be in actual violation of Halacha. 

I have used the the phrase MO-Lite in describing them. I have no proof of this, but I believe that the majority of Modern Orthodox Jews are very much like Hailey and her family. So what exactly is my  problem with this subgroup of Modern Orthodoxy? It is that their observance is not complete, and yet where it counts the most, it is. 

Observing Shabbos and Kashrus is what makes someone Orthodox. Unfortunately, however, when it comes to the rest of Halacha, some of it is not observed. Either out of ignorance – not having had a more extensive Jewish education - or simply not caring about what they believe are minor Halachos. In other words they either don’t know; don’t care; or both.

 At this point I want to acknowledge a change in attitude I have about their motives. It isn’t just about living the way the rest of their peer group lives without any real commitment to Halacha. Although I’m sure that’s true in a few cases. I have, however, come to understand that many (most?) MO-Lites are truly committed to the ‘Big 3’ Mitzvos of Shabbos, Kashrus, and Taharas Mishpacha (for married couples). That should be evident by the serious commitment Hailey has  made to keeping Shabbos and Kashrus while competing in the Olympics. Which is of course a Kiddush HaShem. 

On the other hand as Rabbi Muskat notes, even though she walks to the ice rink when completions take place on Shabbos, the fact that she skates on Shabbos clearly demonstrates that the spirit of Shabbos is lacking. Not to mention the possible violation of Shabbos skating on ice might entail.

Then there are modesty issues. Female skaters are not exactly the most modestly dressed women. Their skating outfits are pretty skimpy. Crossing even the most lenient standards of modesty of any modern day Posek. And then there is the fact that she will be competing with a man who will be involved in numerous forms of contact that is at he very least is inappropriate for a Jewish woman to participate in. Pairs skating involves a number of very sensual maneuvers that I believe any Posek would find a hard time permitting. But even if there might be some obscure Heter for those moves in her situation, the optics are clearly not in the spirit of modest behavior that should be modeled after by youthful admirers.

Which brings me to my own version of Modern Orthodoxy that I call Centrism. Centrists value all of Halacha and try to observe it to the best of our ability. We care about the spirit of Shabbos and dress accordingly. Centrists will not be seen in the casual clothing on a Shabbos that many MO Jews will wear . Married Centrist women cover their hair and dress modestly according to Halacha. None of us would go ice skating on Shabbos even if it were technically permitted. If there is a Halacha we are unsure of, we ask Shailos about it. In short Centrists are not all that different than Charedim on these issues .Our differences are Hashkafic, not Halachic.

So that when someone like Hailley Kops rises to a top level in her field, I have mixed feeling about it. On the one and  I am proud of her commitment to Shabbos and Kashrus and hope that she takes home a gold medal. On the other hand I do not consider her the best role model for Jewish values.