Kiruv & Orthodox Judaism

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 was recently called arrogant by a Shabbos guest. I didn’t object, because maybe I’m arrogant, but I have the humility to admit it. But here’s what else is arrogant: assuming you’re smart enough to not fall for a kiruv-style proof of God. Here’s one of the main ones:  Would the entire...

https://soundcloud.com/shalom-tzvi-shore/with-alex-shandrovsky Recently, in light of recent events, a friend of mine asked to have a call with me, which was quite awesome, and to record it, which was cool. We ended up discussing a whole bunch of stuff - why I write this stuff on Facebook and what it's been like for...

“Judaism is about relationships,” sayeth the narrative. “It’s about aligning yourself with truth. It’s about becoming more like God, so that you can connect with God (how that doesn’t work is the subject of a separate article).” Furthermore, “Only dim witted people, like women and children (a pretty direct paraphrase...

Around two years ago, one of my siblings was struck in a hit and run accident. They spent a day in the hospital before any of us family members even found out about it. When we did, there were a few panicked hours as we tried to figure out...

We're currently in family therapy, all nine of us and two parents. Even with sessions being 90 minutes long, that gives each of us 8 minutes a week to talk about what is most important to us, assuming the therapist doesn't talk at all. (spoiler: she does) The best possible...

I was back in Aish Hatorah. I guess like positivity childhood memories that resurfaced after I'd dealt with parental trauma, my subconscious felt I was ready to find some good beneath the wreckage. The building was even bigger and more magnificent - and more rambly. I wandered through towering mazes...

This one’s a doozy. Bear with me. Also, if you have a bit of context, you’ll know this ones strike quite close to home. TL;DR at the end. Here’s how the spiel goes: Judaism is amazing. It’s enlightened. It’s changed the world for the better. Judeo Christian values are da...

This one is a kiruv special, not aimed at Judaism as a whole. "Did you know the Matrix is a metaphor?That Groundhogs Day teaches us a valuable lesson?That the lead singer for Maroon 5 is Jewish? (and hawt, mmm!)What Gossip Girl can teach you about having a great Jewish marriage! If...

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...