Orthodox Judaism outreach
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Orthodox Jewish outreach commonly referred to as Kiruv or Keruv (קירוב - [bring/ing] close in Hebrew), is the collective work or movement of Orthodox Judaism that reaches out to non-Orthodox Jews to believe in God, Torah study, practice the Mitzvot in the hope that they will live according to normative Jewish law. The process and act/s of any Jew becoming more observant of Judaism is called teshuva ("return" in Hebrew) making the "returnee" a baal teshuva, see repentance in Judaism. Orthodox Jewish outreach has always reacted to and worked to foster and enhance the rise of a modern-day Baal teshuva movement.
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[edit] History
Orthodox Jewish outreach in the modern world is often directly associated with, and may function as a trigger, partner and response to, the modern Baal teshuva movement.
Orthodox outreach workers and professionals include activists, rabbis, lay leaders and all kinds of organizations advancing this initiative of "Jewish outreach" mainly based on Orthodox Jewish education some call them "kiruv professionals" or "kiruv workers" as well as "kiruv volunteers."
[edit] Varieties of Orthodox outreach
[edit] Chabad Outreach
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, 6th leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch branch of Hasidic Judaism, and then his successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson were responsible for turning Chabad's strength and activities toward outreach. Each in turn sent out large numbers of rabbinic emissaries, known as "Shluchim", and their wives to settle in places across the world solely for the purpose of teaching those who did not receive a Jewish education or to inspire those who did. The vehicle chosen for this was termed a "Chabad house."
Chabad has been active in reaching out to Jews through its synagogues, and more direct outreach efforts, such as its Mitzvah tanks. The organization has been recognized as one of the leaders in using free holiday services to reach out across demoninations.[1]
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe, had a core of dedicated Hasidim who maintained underground yeshivos and mikvaos, and provided shechitah and circumcision services. They served as the rabbis who jump-started the teshuvah movement and had these services in place so that the new baalei teshuva had whom to turn to for their religious questions and needs.
Chabad, with its dozens of Chabad houses throughout Israel, and yeshiva programs for Israelis, Russians, French, and Americans, reach out to thousands. Followers of Chabad can be seen attending to tefillin booths at the Western Wall and Ben Gurion International Airport as well as other public places, and distribute shabbat candles on Fridays. There are also Chabad houses in almost every location that Jews might be located, whether as permanent residents, on business, or tourists.
Chabad rabbis and their families were sent to teach college students, to build day schools, and to create youth camps. Most of these were geared towards their secular or less religious brethren. Additionally, unmarried rabbinical students spend weeks during the summer in locations that do not yet have a permanent Chabad presence, making housecalls, putting up mezuzot, teaching Judaism, and simply reminding people that they are Jewish.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson also initiated a Jewish children's movement, called Tzivos Hashem (lit. "Army [of] God"), for under bar/bat mitzvah-age children, to inspire them to increase in study of Torah and observance of mitzvot. Rabbi Schneerson also encouraged the use of modern technology in outreach efforts such as Mitzva tanks, which are mobile homes that travel a city or country. The Chabad website, chabad.org, a pioneer of Torah, Judaism outreach on the Internet, was started by Rabbi Yosef Y. Kazen and developed by Rabbi D. Zirkind.
In addition, nearly 7000 people a year visit Chabad's Ascent of Safed, which is a combination recreation center, Jewish youth hostel, and religious retreat that exposes Jews to Judaism, particularly the mystical aspect of it.
In June 1994 Rabbi Schneerson passed away leaving no succesor. Since than more than a thousand couples have gone out to do outreach work, bringing the total of "shluchim" to three thousand worldwide.
[edit] Non-Hasidic Haredi yeshivos
The late 1960s saw the founding of the non-hasidic, Haredi institutions that eventually became the Aish HaTorah and Ohr Somayach outreach yeshivas.
Aish HaTorah has had notable success. The Aish.com website attracts over two million visits each month, and 160,000 unique email subscribers. The site features articles, movies and audio segments on spirituality, parenting, dating, weekly Torah portion, Holocaust studies, and an "Ask the Rabbi" service. Spin-off sites in Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian are all leading websites in their respective languages. At their Discovery Seminar (in different languages) they teach material by Orthodox scientists specifically prepared in accordance with Aish's educational aims to support the authenticity of Orthodox Judaism and its relevance. More than 100,000 people have attended Discovery, at university campuses, Jewish Community Centers, and Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox synagogues.
[edit] Modern Orthodox outreach
Within Modern Orthodox Judaism, the Union of Orthodox Congregations created the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) to reach Jewish teenagers in public schools. Founded by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper, himself a noted charismatic speaker and writer, the movement also developed its in-house literature geared to the newly observant mainly written by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. In addition, many Modern Orthodox professors have developed and used a sophisticated modern terminology to present Judaism in a scientific manner. Their books on Jewish sciences are the most readily accessible.
In 1987, an organization called National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) was founded. Headed by a leading outreach rabbi, Ephraim Buchwald, in the first fifteen years of its existence it had managed to create, co-ordinate and guide thousands of volunteer teachers and tens of thousands of Jewish adults. They participated in programs advertised via the mass media and taught at Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues, as well as Jewish non-religious organizations, such as Jewish Community Centers.
Using mass marketing techniques, NJOP have won the support of major Jewish philanthropists, and an ever widening audience by advertising via the media for the Crash Course in Hebrew Reading, Crash Course in Judaism and other programs.
Finally, outreach professional have been convening national conventions to bring together the professional outreach workers with leading Orthodox rabbis. The Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals (later renamed The Association for Jewish Outreach Programs) (AJOP) was founded in 1988 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
[edit] Outreach organizations
[edit] AJOP
The Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals (AJOP) was established in 1987 to unite and enhance the work of outreach rabbis and their wives. AJOP is lead by prominent rosh yeshivas ("yeshiva deans") and is not affiliated with Chabad.
[edit] Jewish Enrichment Center
Jewish Enrichment Center (JEC) Also very well known, the Taglit Birthright Israel has sent well over 100,000 young Jews 18-26 on free trips to Israel. Now, for alumni in the New York metro area there is a strong alumni network they can integrate with. Currently the Jewish Enrichment Center (JEC) located in Manhattans Greenwich Village is at the forefront of developing a downtown Jewish Community in New York especially focused on the Birthright Israel trip alumni. As the official alumni center for the Birthright Israel Alumni Association for the New York Metro area, it has touched the lives of hundreds of young Jewish New Yorkers. Run by Rabbi Matt Mindell (whose resume includes appearing on Saved by the Bell and serving as Northeast Director at Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation) the JEC sponsors subsidized trips back to Israel for Birthright Alumni and provides classes from basic Torah, yoga, Challah baking and Hebrew to fun and lively Shabbat dinners, one on one learning and even concerts like Matisyahu and indie bands or Dj's. Each renowned teacher and educator provides their own unique perspective; be it working at MTV or European Business news, inventing Speed Dating and writing a book about it, following the Grateful Dead, or going to business school.
[edit] Manhattan Jewish Experience
The Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE) is a cutting edge program for young Jewish professionals in New York City with little or no background in Judaism who are interested in connecting more to each other, to their community, and to Judaism. This program, was started in 1998 by Rabbi Mark Wildes, who has a law degree from Cardozo Law School and was ordained as a rabbi by Yeshiva University. MJE has locations in Murray Hill, the Upper West Side, and the Upper East Side. Its programming consists of a Monday Night Lounge in Murray Hill, including socializing and beginner's Torah learning, Tuesday night learning with Rabbi Jonathan Feldman, with a year long series reconnecting Jews to Torah observance, Wednesday night one-on-one learning and "next level" classes with Rabbi Wildes, and Shabbat services Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Additionally, MJE has holiday parties, couples programming, networking events, sponsors trips to Israel, and finds individuals Shabbat hospitality. In 2008, MJE will be sponsoring a Birthright Israel trip to Israel for the first time.
[edit] Project Genesis
Project Genesis was founded in 1993 by Rabbi Yaakov Menken to reach college students and others via the Internet. It calls itself "the IT department of Jewish outreach", Project Genesis facilitates the efforts of less technologically-savvy rabbis and Jewish educators to reach a global audience. Project Genesis sponsors text-based classes, an "Ask the Rabbi" resource, a large and growing MP3 library, and a popular rabbinic group blog to present the positions of Orthodox Judaism in a different light.
[edit] Orthodox outreach by and to Jewish women
[edit] United States
One of the earliest pioneers of outreach to men and women is Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, the founder of the international Hineni movement in America. A Holocaust survivor, she has made it her life's mission to bring back Jews to Orthodox Judaism. She has written popular books and made tapes. Another notable pioneer of women's Orthodox outreach education is Rebbetzin Leah Kohn founder of the Jewish Renaissance Center (JRC) in New York. Rabbi Lawrence Keleman - a teacher at Neve Yerushalayim has been teaching classes and written books aimed at the Baal Teshuvah population. His Essays "Permission to Believe” and “Permission to Receive” provide well researched information on the case for believing in G-d and believing the Torah was give to Moses at Mount Sinai respectively.
[edit] Israel
Neve Yerushalayim, founded in 1970, is an Orthodox school for secular Jewish women seeking a college level introductory program. Neve Yerushalayim College has a campus in Jerusalem. Its founder and guiding Dean is Rabbi Dr. Dovid Refson and Mrs. Tzipporah Heller is an extremely popular teacher who has inspired thousands of women.
Machon Chana of Crown Heights (founded 1972), Bais Chana (formerly of Minnesota) and Machon Alte of Tzfas, are Lubavitch women's yeshivos that have taught thousands of Jewish women who are beginners in their knowledge of Judaism.
[edit] Orthodox Jewish day schools
Torah Umesorah: The National Society for Hebrew Day Schools was founded by Rabbi Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz. It is an American Orthodox organization which has opened hundreds of day schools and provides resources to many different Orthodox Jewish day schools. It has an outreach effort called Partners In Torah whereby volunteer Orthodox men and women learn on the phone for an hour a week with a non-Orthodox study-partner. A similar program is called Jnet. Torah Umesorah also sponsors the SEED Program whereby young Yeshiva students spend a few weeks during their summers teaching, this is similar to the Chabad Lubavitch "peace corps" which are Yeshiva-student pairs that visit remote Jewish communities over the summers to help develop Jewish communities by teaching.
[edit] Publishers of English outreach literature
English, Russian, French and other translations of classical rabbinic literature and modern Jewish works are crucial to the growth and popularity of the Ba'al teshuva Movement. Some of the most important publishers include:
- Kehot Publications, which is the publishing wing of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, has been publishing basic Jewish texts, and Chasidic works since 1941.
- Mesorah Publications, publishers of the ArtScroll series [1], including the Shottenstein English translation of the Talmud.
- Feldheim Publishers, which offers a mixture of classical texts and lighter literature.
- Merkos Publications, books on every subject [2]
- Herman Branover's SHAMIR publishes all kinds of Jewish books in Russian. A team of translators and editors have produced the Pentateuch with commentaries, the Code of Jewish Law, and writings of Maimonides and Yehuda Halevy, Machzorim etc. [3]
- Jason Aronson (sold to Rowman & Littlefield), which publishes texts from rabbis of all Jewish denominations.
- Verdier in France published classical Jewish texts.
- Targum Press (targum.com)
- Ktav http://www.ktav.com/
[edit] Orthodox rabbis in outreach
- The following lists are not meant to be definitive, they are just a sampling of prominent personalities mainly in Israel and America.
[edit] First generation
- Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1864–1935). Chief rabbi of the British Mandate of Palestine and also regarded symbolically by the latter State of Israel as its first chief rabbi as well. He was steeped in Kabbalah, Talmud, and philosophy. He was regarded as a guide to the Mizrachi Religious Zionist movement, and an advocate of urgent Jewish emigration (aliyah), to then Palestine before the Holocaust. He won much trust of the secular Jewish leadership in London, Europe, and Palestine, and argued that a warm and positive outlook to the secular pioneers (halutzim) would win loyalty and greater respect for Orthodox Judaism.
- Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994). The seventh Rebbe of Chabad Lubavitch hasidism. He established a vast international educational, outreach, and community-building movement. In over 40 years, he inspired about 5,000 young men and women to become rabbis and rebbitzins (a name for a rabbi's wife) as his personal emissaries all over the world, with the goal of exposing and attracting non-religious Jews towards Judaism, as well as opening schools, mikvehs, synagogues, yeshivahs, etc. This campaign has had notable success, as a large portion of Lubavitch hasidim today are baalei teshuvah or children of baal teshuva parents. After Schneerson's death in 1994 his hassidim continue his work and hundreds of new emissaries continue to leave for even the remotest places.
- Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980). The late Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn. Moulder of many Orthodox rabbis in America. Author of Pachad Yitzchok ("Fear [of] Isaac"). Arriving in New York in the 1930s, he attracted many young men and influenced them to study Talmud intensively in his "Chaim Berlin yeshiva". Many of them eventually became scholars and leaders of Orthodoxy active in education (chinuch) and outreach (kiruv). He developed a unique Jewish philosophy combining mysticism, ethics, Talmud, hasidic thought, and Jewish law. His daughter, Bruria Hutner David (b. 1936-), obtained a Ph.D. from Columbia University and became the dean of Bais Yakov of Jerusalem ("BJJ"), an influential seminary for Orthodox women. In the 1970s he moved to Jerusalem and established a new yeshiva called Pachad Yitzchok.
- Rabbi Avigdor Miller. Congregational rabbi, one of the first writers of books on Jewish philosophy for today's seeker, and former mashgiach ruchani ("spiritual supervisor") in Rabbi Hutner's Chaim Berlin yeshiva in Brooklyn. Renowned for his over 2,500 taped lectures disseminated amongst, and influencing, many Jews; religious and non-religious alike.
- Rabbi Henoch Lebowitz. Head of the Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim: Rabbinical Seminary of America with its graduates, branches and schools all over the United States. Unique in that his yeshiva combines a maximal focus on becoming a deep scholar, together with a strong focus on outreach and reaching non-observant Jews. There are currently fifteen affiliates, including outreach centers and yeshivos, across the US and Canada with two more in Israel.
[edit] Second generation
[edit] Haredi (non-Hasidic)
- Rabbi Nachman Bulman. Pioneer educator, orator, author, translator, and builder of Jewish communities in America and Israel and became a Dean of Ohr Somayach.
- Rabbi Nota Schiller. Co-founder of Ohr Somayach yeshiva.
- Rabbi Pinchas Stolper. Founder and builder of the Orthodox Union's NCSY youth outreach division.
- Rabbi Akiva Tatz. Himself a baal teshuvah, author of books explaining Judaism in-depth and in modern terminology, and popular lecturer.
- Rabbi Noah Weinberg. Dean and founder of Aish HaTorah yeshiva and its networks.
- Rabbi Mendel Weinbach. Co-founder of Ohr Somayach yeshiva.
[edit] Hasidic
Chabad-Lubavitch
- Rabbi Shlomo Cunin. Prominent leader of Chabad activities in California. Directed the first Chabad House.
- Rabbi Manis Friedman. Notable Chabad thinker and lecturer. Dean of an important women's seminary for newly-religious women.
- Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner. Pioneer and builder of the Melbourne Australian Jewish community through Jewish outreach activities.
- Rabbi Moshe J. Kotlarsky. Roving Chabad rabbi and noted speaker. Directs development of the global Chabad-Lubavitch emissary network.
[edit] Hasidic (non-Chabad)
- Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb. A baal teshuvah himself and a Bostoner Hasid, author and lectures at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem.
[edit] Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist
- Rabbi Dov Begon. Founder of Machon Meir in Jerusalem, Israel. Machon Meir is the only Jewish outreach yeshiva that specializes in teaching the Religious Zionist philosophy of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook.
- Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald. Founder of NJOP, National Jewish Outreach Program.
- Rabbi Shlomo Riskin. Founder of the outreach Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan, Chief Rabbi of Efrat,Israel, and Dean of Ohr Torah Stone Institutions, Israel.
[edit] Orthodox without a category
- The following belong to all or some of the above, or may have been part of all or some or the above, or became known as not belonging to only one denomination of Orthodox Judaism':
- Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. The "Singing Rabbi", composer and performer of many now-popular Jewish religious songs.
- Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. Translator of Torah literature into modern English, notably The Living Torah and Nach, and author of booklets and books used for both introductory and in-depth presentations of Judaism.
[edit] See also
- Reform Judaism outreach
- Conservative Judaism outreach
- Baal teshuva movement
- Conversion to Judaism
- Repentance in Judaism
[edit] External links
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- Full-time baal teshuva yeshivas
- Yeshivat Bat Ayin, Gush Ezion, Israel
- Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, Israel
- Machon Meir Jerusalem, Israel
- Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, Jerusalem, Israel
- Yeshiva Hadar HaTorah of Lubavitch, Brooklyn, New York
- Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim Rabbinical College of America, Morristown, NJ
- Ohr Tmimim Kfar Chabad, Israel
- Yeshiva Ohr Somayach of Monsey, Upstate New York
- Yeshiva Kol Yaakov of Monsey, Upstate New York
- Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv Far Rockaway, New York
- Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Yeshivat Darche Noam Jerusalem, Israel
- Yeshivat Hamivtar-Orot Lev (Ohr Torah Stone), Efrat, Israel
- James Striar School of General Jewish Studies of Yeshiva University, New York City.
- Lev Yisrael, Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel
- Marbeh Torah Bnei Brak, Israel (yeshivish-chareidi)
- Diaspora Yeshiva Jerusalem, Israel
- Machon Yaakov YeshivaHar Nof, Jerusalem, Israel
- Machon Shlomo YeshivaHar Nof, Jerusalem, Israel
- Part-time yeshivas
- Organizations
- Machon Meir
- Machon L'Torah - Detroit - R. Avraham Jacobovitz
- Shofar - R. Amnon Yitzhak
- Project Genesis - The IT Department for Jewish Outreach
- Chabad Lubavitch
- Aish HaTorah
- Ohr Somayach
- Neve Yerushalayim College for women
- Heritage House
- Jerusalem Fellowships
- Moodus
- Heritage retreats
- Pacific Jewish Centerin Venice Beach, California
- Jews for Judaism
- Outreach Judaism
- AJOP
- Philadelphia's Etz Chaim Center
- SEED Program
- Lidrosh Institute of Jewish Education
- The Jewish Learning Network
- Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE)
- Online resources
- Virtual Yeshiva Internet Yeshiva with live teaching from Rabbi's around the world
- Live Yeshiva Webcast – Live daily webcast with interactive chat straight to the Rabbi's laptop
- Aish.com
- Torah.org - Weekly Torah Classes and Archives, Introductory and Advanced
- eKiruv.com - Management Software and Resources for Jewish Outreach
- JewishAnswers.org - Ask the Rabbi Service and Referral to Local Resources
- TorahMedia.com - Torah MP3s Including Hundreds of Classes Given in an Outreach Setting
- Chabad.org
- AskMoses.com
- Got Torah? / Oorah Kiruv Rechokim
- InnerNet Magazine
- SimpleToRemember.com – Articles & MP3s From a Baal Teshuva Perspective
- Jew Speak – Baal Teshuva Blog
- Beyond Teshuva Blog
- Helping Baalei Teshuva Be Themselves
- Lidrosh Torah Audio - MP3 Audio Lectures
- sichosinenglish.org
- safed-kabbalah.com
- jewishaudio.org
- chassidus.com
- www.beverlyhillschabad
- meaningfullife.com
- kabbalahonline
- yiddishkeit.org
[edit] References
- ^ Fishkoff, Sue. "‘Praying without paying’ becoming a more popular option among shuls", Texas Jewish Post. Accessed September 22, 2007. "Many people credit Chabad-Lubavitch with spearheading the movement for free holiday services across the denominational spectrum."
