Lag Ba’omer, Rebbe Akivah, and Kabbalah

By Rabbi Tzadok Cable As we cross over the midway point of Sefiras Ha’omer we approach the milestone of Lag Ba’omer – the 33rd day of the Omer. What significance lies within this special day and what connection does it have to the days of Sefiras Ha’omer? When we look into this question the first [...]

How Do You Stop a Baal Teshuva Back Slide?

By Michael For a few months now I been having doubts, and I don’t know why, I think one of the main things that has really been bothering me is seeing so many orthodox sects, not get along with each other, like Satmar, Chabad, non-Chassidus. And so on. I always thought we were one family, [...]

Thoughts From a Mekarev in the Field

By Rabbi Meir Goldberg Reprinted with permission of Mishpacha Magazine It was with great enthusiasm that I eagerly read the recent edition of Klal Perspectives, kiruv edition. After reading many of the articles and especially the responses by R’ Adlerstein and R’ Ilan Feldman, I was hoping to respond with the some thoughts of a [...]

Hanging on a Shidduch

By Sharon Mizrachi The frum community at large has been inundated with articles, lectures, strategies etc. about the current “Shidduch Crisis”. Many have opined the evolution, source, cure, etc., and yet, the crisis continues. Is the problem a result of the influence of the hedonistic & materialistic secular world in which we live? The economy? [...]

Maintaining Derech Eretz in the Face of a Loaf of Bread on Pesach

Blast from the Past. First posted on 11/13/2006. By Westbank Mama I’ve written before about what started me on my journey to observant Judaism, and I’ve been thinking lately of another incident (pothole?) on this long road of mine. My brother decided to become observant also, and we both attended Yeshiva University. At some point [...]

The Ramchal on Pesach from Derech Hashem

The significance of matzah is related to the Exodus from Egypt. Until the Exodus, Israel was assimilated among other peoples, one nation in the midst of another. With the Exodus, they were redeemed and separated. Until that time, every aspect of the human being was darkened by the spiritual opaqueness and pollution that overcame it. [...]

Three Words to be Remembered By – A Baal Teshuva

One Shabbos afternoon, after eating Shalosh Seudos and waiting for bentching, I went to the Shul to learn. An acquaintance walked in and the conversation turned to him making negative comments about speeches in Shul. I related that Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss said that each week we have a golden opportunity to listen to the [...]

An Unusual Dilemma

Since this is an interesting discussion, we’re going to leave this post on top today. – admins This is probably not the sort of post that you will accept or run on BeyondBT, but it is very sincere and I would love to see what your posters have to say about my dilemma: I grew [...]

A Baal Teshuva’s Father’s Perspectives

By “David Shub” As the father of two BTs, the first words of advice to parents of other BTs is to say that you cannot make it a power struggle. Not only is it not a power struggle, but it is not a “fight” of who is right and who is wrong. If someone had [...]

Tzafat – An Ecletic City of Seekers

By Laurie Rappeport English-speaking immigrants have been settling in Tzfat since the founding of the State but in the ’70s the numbers began to grow as many Anglo olim were searching for spirituality combined with a desire to live in a small supportive community. The English-speaking community of Tzfat is comprised of people of all [...]

The Swinging Pendulum of Yiddishkeit

By “Always a BT” I have noticed a phenomenon of late that makes me ponder the proverbial swinging pendulum of Torah observance. It hit me recently, having attended a number of simchas & observing the dress & mode of conduct of my own generation in stark contrast to that of our children. My husband & [...]

Inspired and the Art of Denial

Blast from the past. Originally posted 12/29/2005. Rabbi Yitz Greenman Aish HaTorah / Discovery Being involved in the filming of Inspired was truly a zechus for which I’m grateful to Hashem and a most enjoyable process from beginning to end. That being said, there were some sad moments and I would like to share them [...]

Santa and the Little Jewish Girl

By Marsha Smagley Twas the night before Xmas, (or maybe a week before), When all through the house, (that is. my best friend’s house), Not a child was stirring, not even a mouse… (Except for the little Jewish girl, that would be me) In hopes that.. (Santa) soon would be there! (That is until the [...]

Do As I Do

By “Devorah” As the child of BT parents who got a strong dose of ‘flaming BT-itis’ when I was a teenager; and the wife of a BT, I’ve had the good fortune, if you can say that, of experiencing Baal Teshuva parenting from both sides. That doesn’t mean I have a 100% fool proof knowledge [...]

R’ Moshe Schwerd – Chanukah: Shielding Our Children from Assimilation

Understand: …the strong relationship between Chanukah and Succos. …the different nature of Persumei Nissa (publicizing the miracle) on Chanukah …what the Greeks were claiming back then …what the non-Jewish nations want from us today …where we are failing in the battle against assimilation and how we can succeed …and more Download the mp3 – R’ [...]

Chanukah – Beyond the Facade

By Yered Viders Our homes are illuminated with the timeless Chanukah lights and the timeless message they convey. Looking at the lights, I wondered why the B’nei Binah (“Men of Insight”) — whom we acclaim in Ma’oz Tz’ur for establishing the Festival of Chanukah — selected such a mundane way of commemorating the historic miracle. [...]

Healthy Kiruv…Respecting Those Whom We Bring Closer to Judaism

By Zev Gotkin (Response to “Dishonest Kiruv! The Building of Responsible Jewish Outreach Movements” by Rabbi ShmulyYanklowitz) Many in the Torah-observant world would likely consider me an “outreach success story.” Coming from a secular background I had little knowledge of Jewish teachings or observance when I entered my first year of college. However, I was [...]

Sirens, Sandy and the Light of the Menorah

On her semi-annual trip to America, Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller spoke in Kew Gardens Hills last night on the topic of “Sirens, Sandy and the Light of the Menorah”. You can download the mp3 here. Rebbetzin Heller has just released a new book called “The Balancing Act – How to bring the power and passion of [...]

Parsha Vayetzei and Thanksgiving

From Sara Yoheved Rigler – Beyond Just Desserts: A Recipe of Thanksgiving: JUST DESSERTS Ten years later I was learning Torah in Jerusalem. The Rabbi was explaining why the matriarch Leah named her fourth son Yehuda, a name derived from the word “to thank.” Since the moniker “Jew” derives from the name “Yehuda,” thanking is [...]

The Lonely Rocky Road

Rabbi Yehuda Zakutinsky From Mishpacha Magazine BT Symposium – September 13, 2012 WHEN MANY frum JEWS ARE asked to picture the experience of a baal teshuvah, a fairy-tale-like portrait comes to mind, in which the baal teshuvah has experienced Jewish enlightenment and clarity, and complete acceptance and contentment in the frum community. Unfortunately, the reality [...]

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