#yeshiva — Public Fediverse posts

"When I tell people I’m a nonobservant #Orthodox #Jew, there is usually a small pause, followed by a look that says: Pick one. I understand it. The phrase sounds like a hedge, or like someone claiming a title he hasn’t earned. But I don’t think it’s a contradiction.

It helps to start with where this came from, because it didn’t come from childhood. Until a few years ago, I wasn’t curious about any of it. I was #secular and, on some subjects, actively hostile to religion. What changed was #Oct7, 2023, and then a semester when I was honored to be associated with #Yeshiva University. I came away wanting to know more than I did, and I’ve been picking at that ever since.

I should be clear about the scale of it: I am not a learned man in the #Jewish sense of that word. If you quoted a passage at me, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t recognize it. What I do is modest and improvised."

https://jewishjournal.com/judaism/390840/can-one-be-a-non-observant-orthodox-jew/

I attended Chabad #dayschool as a child. I have my issues with them, for sure, but one of them is not the quality of my secular #education. When I moved to public school in 10th grade I was well-prepared, and I went on to attend the college of my choice.

These NY #yeshivot, however, are a different story. They're attempting to create here what they've successfully created in #Israel: an entire generation of adults unable to make any contribution to society whatsoever; unable to make a living anywhere outside the #haredi community; unable to speak the language of their country; unable to act as informed citizens of a #democracy; and ultimately, unable to raise children of their own who are not similarly handicapped.

Torah-observant #Jews needn't be so isolated from the greater community.

Good for #NewYork for insisting that NY children be given the opportunity to become educated, fully-participating members of society.

#JTA #yeshiva #Jewish #education

https://www.jta.org/2025/03/20/united-states/three-more-new-york-city-yeshivas-lose-status-and-funding-over-secular-education-standards

#introduction:
I live in #israel. Born in the #USA.
I am a former #Yeshiva student.

I work as a #translator of #Jewish #books.

I love #music, especially #Rock, #Pop, #Chassidic & #Classical.
I am a #writer of Poetry, Prose, and Songs, mostly in #Hebrew.
I am an avid #reader, specializing in #Science_fiction and in #Torah study.
I #vote #moderate #left in the Israeli #elections.

I have an account for Hebrew stuff (@[email protected]).