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| Modern Orthodox student competing on American Idol (JNS) |
Because there is so much shifting between groups in the Modern Orthodox community marriage rates can be reported in a number of ways. The retention rate for Modern Orthodox was only about 60%, with about 30% of those raised Modern Orthodox moving to yeshiva orthodox in adulthood and 10% to non-Orthodox. And men shift to non-Orthodox at a rate double that of women. The rate of dropout from the yeshiva group was much less, at 16% with 12% moving to Modern Orthodox and 3% to non-Orthodox.
Leaving the ‘MO Shidduch crisis’ aside (serious though it may be) one has to wonder why so many Modern Orthodox Jews are dropping out of Modern Orthodoxy? This was a real surprise to me. Some people (Especially those on the right) might have thought that the greater migration would be out of Orthodoxy altogether. After all the canard against MO Jews is that in pursuit of modernity, they have one foot out the door already by virtue of their lifestyles.
Obviously - as this statistic shows - they are wrong. The exact opposite is true. More MO Jews are gravitating to Yeshiva type Orthodoxy. (Which is another way of saying Charedi Orthodoxy.) 30% is a lot of people. What gives? Do the values of Torah U’Mada or Torah Im Derech Eretz no longer mean anything to them?
I think there might be another explanation of where they are going. Where those values are not necessarily dismissed. I’m not so sure that it is the Charedi world these 30% are embracing.
This statistic may be based on a very narrow definition of Modern Orthodoxy. Which is what I have called MO-Lite.
MO-Lite Jews are not to be confused with left wing Modern Orthodox Jews. They are very committed to their left wing version of Orthodox Judaism. It’s just that their religious values are based on the most liberal interpretations of Jewish laws and customs in order to accommodate cultural values they place in high esteem. But they are not ‘lite’ about anything. They are hard core religious leftists that are committed to their values. And are on the extreme left edge of Orthodoxy.
MO-Lite is an entirely different animal - which I have referred to many times in the past. I believe they comprise the majority of Jews that identify as MO. To briefly restate my definition of this demographic, they are Jews that are observant of the basics of Orthodoxy. But ignore the details - often not even being aware of what they are. And dismissing them as unimportant in any case. They are otherwise quite secular in their pursuits. Their Jewish education is pretty minimal - with a far greater focus on secular academics than on religious studies. They are generally more influenced by the general culture than they are by their religious beliefs and practices.
Looked at that way, it should come s no surprise that 40% of MO Jews drop out of that demographic and become either ‘Yeshivsh’ (30%) or drop out of observance all together(10%). If you are looking for more meaning in your life, it is not unusual to find it in a more religious lifestyle. Whereby Halacha and Mesorah are more important than following the latest culturlal fad.
That does not necessarily mean they are gravitating to Charedism. Although I’m sure that some do, I think that in many cases they might be gravitating to Centrism. In other words they have retained the values of TuM or TIDE - but are more committed to obervance and the radtional vlaues of Orthdox Judaism. I this way they are virtually identical to Charedim.
This does not mean they are no longer Modern Orthodox. At least not they way I define it.
True, the left will claim that mantle for themselves. I agree that they qualify as members of the extreme left of Modern Orthodoxy. But Centrists (which I identify as) are Modern Orthodox too. We are not Charedi.
I have said this many times. Although Centrist and moderate Charedim live almost identical lifestyles, our Hashkafos are different. Centrists have a much more positive view of Mada. Which includes both secular studies and participation in that part of the general culture that does not conflict with Halacha or our religious traditions (Mesorah). Charedim – even moderate ones - do not place anywhere near the value on Limudei Chol that Centrists do. To the extent that they value it at all – is to the extent that it will help them earn a living. As for the general culture, Charedim do not value it at all. To the extent that they might participate in it – is to the extent that they will feel guilt about it.
I can’t know for sure if my interpretation of those results is correct or not. But it makes a lot more sense to me to say that not all their MO values have been discarded than to say they have.