Comments on: Full Beyond BT Shabbaton Recap

By: Rabbi Shmuel Simenowitz

Rabbi Shmuel Simenowitz — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 00:02:20 +0000

“Chavrusas are important because they are not not just people with whom you pour over a book.”
how true I’ve had my chavrusa for nearly five years – he lives in the 5 towns so we learn a few nights a week over the phone, poring over the seforim, but our families have become friends over the years so by simchas (and the occasional stolen shabbos) we actually get to pour over the books together as well!

By: Michael Gros

Michael Gros — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 17:58:05 +0000

Thanks for the great story Steve!

By: Steve Brizel

Steve Brizel — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:23:25 +0000

As a follow up, I would like to thank both both Mark and David for moderating a great blog. I had thought about relating my own teshuvah story in more detail but in retrospect, I think that for me, the keys were:
1) an emotional committment to Torah which prevailed against some initial skepticism via my participation in NCSY which opened my eyes to Torah.My first regional event showed me a range of rabbis and advisors who were able to present Torah in contemporary terms that appealed to me and whetted my appetite I then went to National Convention a few weeks later.As a student in a small town ( Fallsburg, NY)where my family and coommunal milieu was Orthodox shul, drive to Shabbos, kosher inside and not so kosher outside, I was dismayed and curious about what it meant to be Jewish.Being together at a National Convention was a revolutionary experience just in seeing so many of my contemporaries who were interested in searching for their Jewish roots. I learned how to “wash”, bentsch, keep Shabbos and to love “ruach” or Jewish music in NCSY.I bought my first Jewish books ( RSRH’s The Nineteen Letters and Choreb) and my first pair of Tzitzis at a National Convention.Who can forget Divrei Torah from R N Bulman ZTL and music from R S Carlebach ZTL? These moments still ring in my ears. “National” became a noun, not an adjective.After a while, I lived from event to event and letters from advisors.I remember “discussions” throughout my high school years about not going to basketball games, skiing,and movies on Friday nights. I was raised with an appreciation for Classical Music. I can remember my parents and siblings leaving the house on the way to hear the NYC Philarmonic play Tzchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” while I stayed home. Kashrus was far tougher for me because I enjoyed going for dinner with my family. I distinctly remember that my non-Jewish classmates were far more sympathetic to my growth in observance than my Jewish classmates.NCSY’s rabbinical leaders and advisory staff were of huge assisstance to me during those years.

2) attending yeshiva and learning how to learn and to appreciate the depth and breadth of Torah study.My rebbes and friends helped me grow and develope as a Ben Torah.One of the major factors in my YU/JSS experience was that many of our rebbes were Talmidim of RYBS and that we always went to hear RYBS’s annual public hashkafic lectures/drashos. While NCSY gave me the emotional cornerstone, YU and JSS gave me the intellectual basis and Mesorah to navigate a committment to Torah and the challenges of American life.

3) When I entered law school in 1976, I slowly realized that singlehood , even on a short term basis, was not the optimal lifestyle for a BT. B’H, I met my wife the following fall and we moved to KGH in 1978 after our marriage. We set up a household at a young age in KGH, raising two wonderful Bnos Yisrael and getting the most out of our belonging to two great shuls. We are very proud to be members of two shuls with rabbanim that have always reached out to us-the YIKGH and CAY.Believe it or not, we met on a Motzaei Shabbos without a shadchan as a go between on the Upper West Side and quickluy discovered that we were both college educated BTs whose fathers were accountants and that we wanted to raise a family of Shomrei Torah UMitzvos.Her family adopted me as a son. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of marrying the right person at a young age as a BT because you are generally “setting up your own shop” in more ways than one and because extended singlehood and Torah observance do not go hand in hand.

4) meeting two great chavrusas who showed me how a professional could be Kovea Itim LaTorah at all times. Chavrusas are important because they are not not just people with whom you pour over a book. They become your friends and role models in building a family and Torah life.

5)and developing a relationship with a rebbe and GadolBaTorah RHS. a YU classmate correctlty suggested that I would enjoy RHS’s shiurim . Everyone has to have a rebbe just to link themselves back as far possible in the Mesorah to Sinai. In learning Torah, we all must work at jettisoning our contemporary attitudes and try to understand any text as much as possible thru the views of Chazal, Rishonim , Acharonim and Gdolei Zmaneinu. A rebbe is a huge guide to navigating one’s way thru the process. RHS has played a huge factor in helping me in this manner and we are shepping much nachas over our future son in law who learns in RHS’s Kollel.

By: Michael Gros

Michael Gros — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 15:26:20 +0000

My family and I unfortunately found ourselves far from Kew Garden Hills this Shabbas (even though we live nearby), so we missed what sounds like a wonderful experience! (The posts about how beautiful the event was don’t make us feel any better about missing it!)
For those of us who missed it, could some of the speakers who told their stories of becoming frum share them on BeyondBT? I think we’d all appreciate hearing them (except of course any boring stories of being hit by lightning and falling into the Grand Canyon!)
Thanks!

By: Todd greenwald

Todd greenwald — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:13:18 +0000

Thanks to all for making the Shabbaton so special. What I loved most about it was my childrens (ages 13-12-10-8) desire to particpate at all times. They loved everyone’s stories, the ruach and the Melave Malka. For me that was truly “Beyondbt”!!!! Thanks again to all!!!

By: David Linn

David Linn — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 01:10:02 +0000

I can attest that the maple syrup is, quite literally, finger lickin’ good.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 00:54:18 +0000

The Shabbaton was really great, thanks!
Also, thanks to David’s daugthers who helped me chase around Estee as she did laps around the room!

Ezzie- I’ll let you know how the syrup is when we try it.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:36:11 +0000

When do we get some digital pics/audio clips of the Melave Malka?

By: Shoshana

Shoshana — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:37:35 +0000

It was great meeting everyone and putting faces to the writing and comments. HUGE Yasher Koach to Mark, David and their families for all the incredible hard work they put in organizing the Shabbaton!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:54:54 +0000

Ezzie, we didn’t get a chance to chat – but yes, they are adorable.

By: Ezzie

Ezzie — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:34:03 +0000

LOL. Back ON topic… the Shabbaton was really great, and it was wonderful meeting everybody (or just having a chance to schmooze, as the case may be). That maple syrup looked mighty enticing, too…

And of course Elianna is as cute in person. Did you expect anything less?! ;) (Estee was cute, too!)

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:08:17 +0000

Do people wander onto the “wrong” topics by choice or by compulsion? I don’t know the answer, maybe because I wasn’t meant to.

By: Neil Harris

Neil Harris — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:19:58 +0000

I’m sorry for heading off topic. :)

By: Chaim G.

Chaim G. — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:06:58 +0000

Yedeeah vs. bechira rears its ugly/beautiful head once again.

I guess comments on the actual Shabaton appear on the Beyond BT Shabbaton Report Part I post.

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:48:15 +0000

I agree. The idea about each “individual’s free will choices that actualize the potential of that opportunity” is a power yesod (foundation) of thought. I believe that Rav Schwab was refering to the meta-hashgafa pratis that is involved in one becoming frum. As indicated in the end of your comment, a “decision here or there” or even a comment by somone, a question answered in the right way, or just seeing a family out on a Shabbos walk, or at a shopping mall has been the catalyst for many BT, including myself. BTW,
for two years in E”Y I was blessed by hear Rav Yakov Shurin speak in my yeshiva once a week.