Unlikely Beginnings

Ken and Beth Broodo of Dallas were inspired on their religious journey by a pair of non Jews, and credit a Rabbi’s blessing with helping them to have children. The Broodos were both raised in non-Orthodox Jewish homes. Ken is a lawyer by trade and years ago he and Beth ran a small business selling [...]

What Do You Wish You Were Told?

A recent Torah-oriented email newsletter discussed the fact that BTs are often exposed to a beautiful life of harmonious family life, Tzinius dress and festive Shabbos meals but are not informed of the food, clothing, tuition and other costs involved. What are the things you wish you were told? And would knowing those things have [...]

In Defense of The B-Students!

New York – In a fiery speech, a respected Brooklyn Rabbi called for an all out war against yeshivos that throw talmidim out of their institutions. Rabbi Aaron Krausz, a prominent chareidi Rov from Williamsburg, New York, and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaar Hatalmid in Brooklyn, addressed the baalei batim during Shalosh Seudos in his [...]

Is It Hip to be Sefardi?

By Ilene Rosenblum Rabbi Avraham Yosef, Chief Rabbi of Holon and the son of Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, recently declared that all newly religious Jews should follow the Sefardi tradition, regardless of their heritage. I’ve heard this one before. Eating kitniyot, legumes on Passover and jamming to music that doesn’t have the oy [...]

How Can We Provide BTs with More Support?

One of the reasons we started Beyond BT is because we felt that BTs needed more support and that we can provide some through this forum. It has been a limited success given the limitations of an online community/forum and the limited available resources, but perhaps we can use today’s question to brainstorm how we [...]

Overcoming the Fear of Being Insignificant

By Rucheli Manville Shalom to everyone here at BeyondBT, my name is Rucheli. I’m a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida and I’m now spending the year at the Mayanot Seminary in Yerushalayim. Over the course of my time here, I hope to share some of the insights gained while at a school [...]

Quest over a Narrow Bridge: Asia, Harvard, and Shidduchim

By Ben Clayman I wrote my last article on the day I graduated university last summer. A lot has happened since then and I thought that Hashem’s loving kindness in showing me new insights in my life could help others in their life journey towards growth. The Talmud says that when a baby is born, [...]

Mazal Tov to Marty Fleischer on the Marriage of his Daughter Sharon to Benjamin Jackson

Mazal Tov to Marty Fleischer, BT author and commenter, on the marriage of his daughter Sharon to Benjamin Jackson on Sunday, October 10th, 2010 at Rockwood Park Jewish Center.

Ode to a BT-FFB “Intermarriage”

Heaven sent my wife to be my soul mate here on earth, Although we grew up differently, ‘cause she’s a frum-from-birth. Her father works in chinuch at a choshuv institution, On Saturdays, my dad just reads his books on evolution. Her kollel brother has written many seforim through the years, My brother went to “Temple” [...]

Dealing with Lack of Promised Kosher Food

Dear Beyond BT I was wondering if anyone could share stories of the frustration of going to events at which they were previously told there would be kosher food for them only for it to turn out that there wasn’t. For example 1) being told that an affair was kosher when in fact it is [...]

Leadership vs Isolationism

Rabbi Micah Segelman The Orthodox community is poised to assume the mantle of Jewish leadership in America. Demographics attest to our continued growth both in absolute terms and as a portion of the overall Jewish community. We are the most passionate and knowledgeable about Judaism and Israel and are the most willing to give of [...]

Sarah’s Place Retreat for Baalat Teshuva Women – October 31st

A recent BeyondBT post (“How Would You Help Fellow BT’s Transition?“) drew attention to many of the dilemmas facing today’s BT – particularly the female (baalat teshuvah) who often feels less connected to her new community. Lacking the “networking” provided by daily minyan and various learning settings, the baalat teshuvah can often go days or [...]

Do You Have Advice for a Wedding for a Child of a BT

A friend asked us to post the following: She and her husband are making their first wedding for their son and they have no family support on their side. The boy is marrying an FFB girl. From a BT point of view, how have others handled the gashmius factor in frum weddings? How have people [...]

I Really Have to Watch What I Say…

I haven’t been writing recently. Both here and my regular blog. There were several reasons, including the birth of my third daughter, things getting busy at work, getting very active in a new hobby, etc. But I think the one overwhelming reason was an incident I had just before Rosh Hashana last year. A group [...]

Start the Parsha Earlier in the Week

The Yomim Tovim are past and it’s a good opportunity to increase our Torah learning. How many times are we rushing to finish the Parsha on Friday night or Shabbos morning? Why not start early in the week so you can research some of the questions you have and do a better job of learning [...]

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