Posts from — September 2007

Unlike Rabbi Shafran, who absurdly attempted to minimize the concerns of ben niddahism I raised without identifying it explicitly (of course), and unlike a lot of the frum commentators who denied this was even a real concern, and unlike Steve Brizel and some others from Beyondbt who insist that “The Gedolim� have mostly nullified the impact of ben niddahism, Rabbi Josh Waxman, a YU rabbi, has addressed the issue of ben niddahism, which he concedes “is problematic for allowing baalei teshuva to marry.�

Unfortunately, when someone in the Orthodox world like Rabbi Waxman emerges who deals with such an issue honestly and openly, it is such a rare occasion that I think we should all stop whatever we are doing, stand up, and give a loud cheer of support.

Really, a foundation should be established to support and honor those few Orthodox rabbis who publicly treat such issues with intellectual honesty and candor, without the apologetics that insults our intelligence, or cynically exploiting the reality that many secular and liberal Jews are not educated in these matters. Perhaps a nominal cash incentive of $50 could be given away in such instances. It would probably cost no more than $500 annually, at least at the beginning, and if it were started under an existing foundation, the administrative costs would be nominal.

Some of you may remember me writing about the issue of Ben Niddahism on Jewschool, first here, but a bit here as well later.

Anyway, if you scan the comments, you will read some by certain frummies who insist that the haredim do no such thing. They do not have a stigma against BTs or their kids at all. Oh, no, Never. Not the Haredim. They are too filled with love. Very big love for all of Klal Yisroel, each and every (Orthodox) one.

And they don’t pay any attention to a non-halachic “stain� in one’s lineage. They would never!

YNET reports,

The child was denied admission to a Talmlud Torah school in Beit Shemesh because of what its principal called a “stain� in his genealogy.

“Tell the child’s dear father that although he himself is completely Ashkenazi, his wife’s father is Sephardic, and we therefore cannot accept his son into our institution. We have to maintain a certain standard,� the principal said.

The child’s mother made several attempts to change the principal’s mind, to no avail.

“I begged the principal. I explained that my child is truly Ashkenazi and looks exactly like his father. Our son also speaks Yiddish, but nothing helped,� the mother said. “They explained to a friend of ours that they didn’t want to ruin their Talmud Torah with ‘damaged goods’.�

The kids is 1/4 Sephardic, but to no avail. It’s still a lineage blight. Because being Sephardic is a real problem for Jews. A terrible sin was made to create a (1/4) Sephardi kid.

But of course, it’s not as bad a being descended from a Ben Niddah.

Don’t worry. The Haredim will let that one go as well. They are very chill and accepting people. With lots of respect for the whole “diverse backgrounds� thing.

Hat tip: Failed Messiah