Comments on: Identity Theft of the Biggest Kind

By: Judy Resnick

Judy Resnick — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:34:01 +0000

Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal famously described assimilated American Jews as “tinokos shenishba,” like babies kidnapped and raised without knowledge of being Jewish. So Spiritual Identity Theft is more like us being stolen from our identity rather than our identity being stolen from us. It’s similar to the nineteenth-century Cantonists, Jewish men who were stolen from their hometowns in Russia as young boys and forced into the Czar’s army for twenty-five years.

By: Judy Resnick

Judy Resnick — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:16:25 +0000

Years ago, I dreamed of creating an organization for Baalei-Teshuvah and Gairim. I was going to call it “Second Step,” i.e., we had already taken the first step and become observant Jews, now we needed help with the next step (and the zillion steps after that). I never had the motivation to go through with this dream. I would agree wholeheartedly with other postings on this site that complain how Kiruv organizations are not interested in followup once they’ve made someone frum; they simply chalk up one more success and move on to the next candidate. Meanwhile, we may have chosen to observe the Torah, but we still need support and answers.

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:24:08 +0000

Nathan, are you thinking of this as a centralized organization or as something each community could implement in its own fashion?

By: Nathan

Nathan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:40:57 +0000

Abe has made a comment I find interesting.

I suggest creating a new organization dedicated to helping Baalei Teshuvah with anything they need: shiduchim, parnassah, bikur cholim, Shabbat invitations, someone to learn Torah with, etc.

I realize that with our severely troubled economy, there is not even enough money for existing Jewish organizations, nor is there enough money for established tzedakahs; the tzibbur would have a very hard time supporting the new organization like the one I just mentioned (unless they were willing to sacrifice lots of gashmius).

But it is hard to deny that Baalei Teshuvah need the kinds of help that I described in this messsage.

If such an organization actually existed, not only would baalei teshuvah have better lives, they would also be less likely to fall out of Judaism.

Last but not least, I want my proposal for a new organization to help BTs made into a topic of conversation in Beyond BT.

By: Abe

Abe — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:21:22 +0000

Let’s not forget that identity theft works both ways — I’m referring to well-meaning kiruv rabbis who encourage impressionable people to rapidly adopt a radically different lifestyle, promising them the world to come, and then, once they are “frum”, abandoning them in this world with strained or broken family relationships, a derailed career, confused hashkafas, and more out of touch with themselves than ever.

By: Larry Lennhoff

Larry Lennhoff — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:42:36 +0000

I would call it Spiritual Identity Sale. There is no theft – these people freely chose to do what they did. I suppose from your perspective it is a con job – these people gave up a treasure of the afterlife for a few copper coins of ‘freedom’ in this world.

What is the useful purpose in thinking of this voluntary disaffiliation as theft? Does it inspire you more to do kiruv, thinking of these people (and especially of their offspring) as victims rather than willing participants in a transaction?