Great Hopes for the New Blog “Ba’al Tshuvas Anonymous”
As we tragically learned in the Boruch Lanner case, the Kiruv world is loathe to fix itself. It is, by nature, a totalitarian movement, consistent with an ‘ends justifies the means’ approach for achieving its goals. That is to say, convincing secular Jews, particularly young ones, to become strictly Orthodox. The more Orthodox, the better. And frequently, the more dysfunctional, the more Orthodox.
Only pressure from outside will effect change, and the fear of bad publicity so acutely present in the Orthodox world.
It is for this reason that I am thrilled with a new blog, Ba’al Tshuvas Anonymous, dedicated to shedding light on the problems faced by Ba’al Tshuvas, as well as the dishonesty employed by kiruv groups and professionals. They have received an endorsement by no less than the now defunct “Godol Hador,” the once leading critical eye of the Orthodox blog world. It appears, from his endorsement, that he recognizes the need of such a critical eye to specifically focus on the Ba’al Tshuva world.
But in order to truly fulfill this mandate, they need to understand that they can’t limit their cricism to the most radical blogs and obvious kiruv sites such as cross-currents and Yaakov Menken (though we are all tempted to take a shot at them from time to time), but must focus on the more powerful insitutions such as Aish HaTorah, and give specific examples, not just general ones.
I have myself taken liberty in outlining misdeeds, and suggested reforms, like here on the Un-Orthodox Jew’s website. But I certainly see a need to consistently shed light on the frequently and intentionally dishonest world of Orthodox Jewish kiruv.
Please make sure to name names and institutions, as well as the destructive socio-economic policies of contempt. There is plenty of chicanery to shed light on and force the frummies to explain their behavior.
Good luck, Rabosai. I have high hopes for your success.
Correction: The BTA referencing of the Godol Hador blogger was in fact, a spoof. My apologies to both the Godol Hador and the BTA blog for my misunderstanding!
4 comments
“They have received an endorsement by no less than the now defunct “Godol Hador,” the once leading critical eye of the Orthodox blog world.”
Noooooooooo! Hi David, and thanks for the endorsement. However- Godol did NOT endorse me. My blog on him was a parody, and perhaps was too much like him because it fooled a few folks.
However, he at the time had on his site a hashgacha that said the site wasn’t endorsed by him unless it bore the hashgacha.
Also, I tried to overdo it with the chabad-like references, but it perhaps misfired as well.
Last, I put at the bottom an acknowledgement that he didn’t write it, but it was by me just to boost my ratings. I’ll add a correction.
Thanks again for the plug though. Hope the site stands on its own even if GH doesn’t endorse it. Ask him, I wonder what he’d say.
It appears, from his endorsement, that he recognizes the need of such a critical eye to specifically focus on the Ba’al Tshuva world.
“focus on the more powerful insitutions such as Aish HaTorah, and give specific examples, not just general ones”
Well, aish brought us Schroeder and the bible codes, so I have plenty debunking that.
I’m not sure where I stand on aish as a whole. Would I like it to collapse and never be rebuilt? Or am I happy that they get Jews to marry Jews at a minimum? Not sure if the ends justify the means for such an institution.
For me personally, the ends certainly don’t, but there are far worse institutions out there, eg, scientology and the like.
B.T.A.,
The fact that there are worse institutions out there is not the issue. I am not demanding that you hate Aish to the point of calling for its destruction; I am demanding you make fun of them when they say something stupid or offer apollogetic gobbledegook. But don’t worry, I will do that as well.
My apology on the GH mishap. I will put an update up tomorrow.
“I am demanding you make fun of them when they say something stupid or offer apollogetic gobbledegook. But don’t worry, I will do that as well.”
LOL! Ok, good, it’s a full time job.
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