Kiruv & Orthodox Judaism

My partner and I recently attended a retreat organized by Footsteps, the organization that supports (mostly) Orthodox Jews leaving religion, especially in the New York area. The retreat was wonderful, and I am grateful to the organization for creating such an enjoyable experience, with a lot of generosity, abundance,...

A recent memory came back to me. At the age of around 14, I remember bursting into tears in front of both my parents. I didn't understand, I told them, what the point of all the Torah study I was doing that I engaged in for about 12 hours...

I hate this time of year. I hate personal growth that gets scheduled on a calendar. A month where everyone goes on their best behavior, like they’re being audited by some heavenly oversight authority. I hate scripted apologies. A specific time of year wherever everyone needs to ask everyone else to...

In the hyperbolic style of Mishpacha Magazine. Inspired by bullshit like this. Mild mannered and unassuming, most people looking at Gedalya Halevi Fleagenkrautz would not realize the man is truly one of the biggest leaders of the generation, a gadol who has brought thousands closer to Yiddishkeit. In the corner, a...

An interview with Rabbi Shalom Tzvi Shore, spiritual leader of the anti-Kiruv movement. This article is part of a series written by the weekly publication Yated magazine, written in their signature broken English and bad grammar that is a mainstay of Orthodox Jewish culture. Speaking with Rabbi Shalom Tzvi Shore,...

The bible, so full of contradictory statements, is a perfect setting for Rorschach tests. It’s all just spilled ink on the page. You see what you want to see. You want airy fairy hippy shit? You got it. “Sons you are, to the lord your God.” You want dogmatic, oppressive, hardline world views? You’ll...

I recently crowdsourced a list of things people had been told or taught during their stint with Orthodox Judaism. None of these are my own. I couldn't make this shit up if I tried. I've organized it by topic to make it easier to digest and jump to your favorite...

I made a song about a certain someone. No clue if anyone else will like it. But it was good for my healing. You gotta admit that the metaphor of Noah's ark sinking is a good one though. https://youtu.be/JNKGhVbgs94 Here it is on Spotify:

Are you wondering how old you are in Jewish? This handy dandy guide will convert your English birth date into the equivalent in Hebrew years. Give it a shot and be amazed! label { font-weight: bold; } button { color: white; background: #CE1126; padding: 10px 80px; border:...

One of my earliest memories of Rabbi Noach Weinberg, also known by the more anglicized name of Noah Weinberg, was encountering him in the street as a young child. I was intimidated, but he gave me the brightest smile and fished through his briefcase for a lollypop. (I can't...