Haredim/Haredi-ism – Excerpted

“The way to rectify corrupt sexual mores is by replacing them with a healthy code of sexuality, not by advocating asexuality”

23 October 2018 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

The way to rectify corrupt sexual mores is by replacing them with a healthy code of sexuality, not by advocating asexuality. Classical tzniut is too often predicated on the negation of people’s sexuality, creating a[…]

“Historically, ideological matters were kept separate from halakhah”

26 February 201725 February 2018 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

Historically, ideological matters were kept separate from halakhah. The various rabbinic organizations in Europe and the United States were comprised of rabbis who held different views about Zionism and other matters. If you were a[…]

“There is no substantial evidence to see if Aish’s movement is more effective than Chabad’s, but the more modern approach to the material does continue to set the difference in tone in these two online orthodox movements”

20 February 201715 February 2017 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

Like Chabad, Aish provides links to information about their schools and drop-in classes. The website has articles like “Nobituary” with a photo of Whoopi Goldberg, and the caption attached states, “One Jew’s creative way to[…]

“…there is no such concept [of “falling in love”] in the haredi world”

3 January 201731 December 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

…there is no such concept [of “falling in love”] in the haredi world (and in traditional Jewish societies, in both the Ashkenazic and Sephardic worlds, such a notion was hardly found at all). Any love[…]

“…degrading one’s ideological opponents despite their great Torah knowledge…stands at the root of all the terrible disputes in the haredi world”

26 October 201620 October 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

A basic feature of “official” haredism, especially in Israel, is the attitude that even if someone is a great posek, he is still disqualified if he doesn’t follow the correct Da’as Torah. It is hard[…]

“As a religious person, I find the debate over women’s images in publications in itself embarrassing”

7 September 20166 September 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

…when I am told constantly, that the religious world protects women from being objectified, by omitting their images — that this reflects some “essential community value” of appreciating women’s inner beauty over externals, I can’t[…]

“But how can you be a light if almost no one can see you?”

27 June 201620 June 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

…Orthodox answer is “to keep the commandments.” That suffices, we are reassured, because when Jews do that, Jews will be a light unto the nations. But how can you be a light if almost no[…]

“…it is difficult to accept a haredi message about women’s more private roles when haredi kollel culture means that their women have to take jobs requiring much more exposure to the broader world…”

18 May 201616 May 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

In general, it is difficult to accept a haredi message about women’s more private roles when haredi kollel culture means that their women have to take jobs requiring much more exposure to the broader world[…]

“…Agudah finally threw in the towel and accepted the internet, setting up a website for the convention and broadcasting live…”

3 April 201620 March 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

This past year, we were told that it was Agudath Israel of America’s 93rd convention. This convention was significant as the Agudah finally threw in the towel and accepted the internet, setting up a website[…]

“This past year we were told that it was Agudath Israel of America’s 93rd convention. … How is this possible if Agudath Israel in America was not formed until 1939?”

22 February 201615 February 2016 Drew KaplanHaredim/Haredi-ism

This past year we were told that it was Agudath Israel of America’s 93rd convention. … This would mean that the first Agudath Israel of America convention was in 1923 (as we are speaking about[…]

Excerpted

Excerpts of Interest

Category: Haredim/Haredi-ism

“The way to rectify corrupt sexual mores is by replacing them with a healthy code of sexuality, not by advocating asexuality”

“Historically, ideological matters were kept separate from halakhah”

“There is no substantial evidence to see if Aish’s movement is more effective than Chabad’s, but the more modern approach to the material does continue to set the difference in tone in these two online orthodox movements”

“…there is no such concept [of “falling in love”] in the haredi world”

“…degrading one’s ideological opponents despite their great Torah knowledge…stands at the root of all the terrible disputes in the haredi world”

“As a religious person, I find the debate over women’s images in publications in itself embarrassing”

“But how can you be a light if almost no one can see you?”

“…it is difficult to accept a haredi message about women’s more private roles when haredi kollel culture means that their women have to take jobs requiring much more exposure to the broader world…”

“…Agudah finally threw in the towel and accepted the internet, setting up a website for the convention and broadcasting live…”

“This past year we were told that it was Agudath Israel of America’s 93rd convention. … How is this possible if Agudath Israel in America was not formed until 1939?”