“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
Tel Aviv coastline (Jerusalem Post)
These opening lines from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities are what I thought of when I read Shanna Fuld’s article in the JerusalemPost. Although not an exact analogy, it approximates my feelings about a phenomenon she describes.
There is a growing community in Tel Aviv that attracts immigrants from around the world who do not fit neatly into a box. They are drawn from two sides of the religious equation. Some were raised in observant homes and were on their way out. And some were raised in non observant homes and were on their way in. All are there because their their lifestyle of partial observance was not tolerated well, if at all. A condition she labels Conservadox:
…there’s one community that is lesser known and perhaps even lesser understood: the exploding conservadox (a cross between Conservative and Modern Orthodox) immigrant communities popping up around the city’s center.
…many are flying to Ben-Gurion Airport in an effort to escape Jewish communities in the Diaspora that are no longer relevant for Jews in their 20s and 30s.
Tel Aviv’s growing population of young people is looking for love, high-paying jobs, beach access, and unlimited nightlife. They’ve created a new brand of Jew, who care deeply about their heritage, but are intent on being freed from the cage of Diaspora Judaism that they grew up in.
The question is whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. On the plus side, it is heartening to know that there are Jews that do not want to completely abandon their Judaism and choose to preserve that identity by some form of observance. They want to be free of the traditions and restrictions imposed upon them by their former community. That is a major improvement over the typical non Orthodox Jew these days that is far more likely to marry out than to marry in. That they care any level is something to celebrate and encourage.
On the other hand, the idea of picking ad choosing what to observe and what not to observe hardly satisfies what God wants of His people. True - something is better than nothing. And if one comes from no background at all, that is a plus. But if they come from an observant background and want to abandon some of the obligations they were raised to believe are required of them - that is an entirely different story. While the community as a whole might be on the same page religiously, each side is going in a different direction. Those from religious backgrounds are going in the wrong one.
Or are they? One of the most difficult if not impossible tasks to accomplish is to bring back to observance once religiously observant Jews that have abandoned it. Usually that abandonment becomes complete. It often includes the rejection of the legitimacy of Judaism at any level - if not completely abandoning belief in God. It is far easier to show someone the beauty of an observant lifestyle if they had never experienced anything like it, than it is to convince someone to return to a lifestyle they know all too well and have rejected.
The idea of a community that accepts semi observant Jews like this is something that - to the best of my knowledge has never existed. That there are Jews that abandoned their former community because they didn’t fit that particular mold - can now find a place where their partial level of observance is tolerated without being judgmental is a good thing. Whether they come from a non observant background or an observant one. This new community accepts everyone as they are. And that makes it unique.
The truth is, however, that Chabad iis accepting that way, too. Their success in bringing Jews closer to observance is accomplished by a combination of tolerance, kindness, and example. They are never judgmental - always accepting every Jew as they are. They never force anyone to do a single Mitzvah. By their welcoming spirit, the Jews they reach out to will often want to emulate them. Which Chabad Shelichim (emissaries charged with outreach) are all too happy to help them do. This is why they are so successful. Their warm and welcoming non judgmental approach to fellow Jews is extremely successful. That this community includes Chabad rabbis is therefore no surprise.
Nor should it surprise anyone that this community's population is growing. The only question is whether it will eventually become a fully observant one. I hope it does. We need a community that is fully observant but tolerant of those that are not. A community that does not focus on any one Hashkafa and allows Jews choose any Hashkafa that suits them. Whether Charedi, Chasidic, Modern Orthodox or any combination thereof.
While it is important to remain tolerant of all who enter and live there, regardless of he level of observance. As long as the community is traditional and follows the letter of Jewish law that is sufficient. That makes them a community of Jews in good standing that should be acceptable to all.
There is one thing that is different about Chabad. While they are indeed tolerant and non judgmental and never push anyone to follow Halacha, their Hashkafa is very specific. Those who they motivate to become more observant are guided into Chabad’s particular box and eventually become Lubavitchers. This is not in an of itself a bad thing. But it does limit what they can do for people that do not want to fit into a box. Which is what they were trying to escape in the first place.
I believe that in many cases a fully observant traditional lifestyle where participation in the general culture is not frowned upon will be an attractive option. An option that was not available to them in their previous lives where they were boxed in to a more limiting lifestyle. A lifestyle they can instead now feel comfortable with in terms of religious obligations - but with more freedoms. Being given more options like this will surely produce positive results.
Just my quick ‘shoot from the hip’ two cents.