Celebrate, Don't Denigrate, Diversity in Orthodoxy

zaq

Sun, Jul 10 2022, 11:07 pm

Yes, JA is the OU magazine. And while I am aware that there are people here who spit on the OU, that just proves the point, doesn't it?

Sometimes you have to speak up even if you know that you won't change anyone's mind. If you say something and it has no effect, at least you did your part. If you shut up, are you not part of the problem?

PinkFridge

Mon, Jul 11 2022, 7:40 am

finprof wrote:

Same difference. Honesty, I truly wish the frum world would embrace diversity in all its forms but I won't hold my breath.

I will apologize for not having read the article yet.
I think we do need to embrace/accept diversity but sorry, we can't do so in all its forms. As the saying goes, it's good to be open-minded but not so open-minded that your brains fall out.

PinkFridge

Mon, Jul 11 2022, 7:48 am

OK, I just read it.
Rabbi Bane too talks about limits to embracing diversity. It must be within the realm of halacha.
A few thoughts:
- Yes, it's good to have room to make lateral moves and one should respect one's children's choices.
- Yes, people have spoken about tepid Judaism. In previous generations kids felt like pioneers - the Pirchei leaders of the fifties, the JEP (girls too) leaders of the 70s and 80s, etc. and our kids don't seem to have as many opportunities to do something big when they're young.
- Within the last few months there was a Headlines on the subject with Rabbi Lopiansky and Rabbi Efrem Goldberg. Sorry I can't link it now. Rabbi Lopiansky had a great mashal about someone who was going to have a fine suit made. He'd look like a clown if the sleeves were this designer and the lapel that one and the pants made out of some other fine material. (Hope I'm remembering this correctly.) The point is, one needs to have one's own style to start with. Then he can get a tie from here, try out something there, etc.
- And of course, there's the famous vort about the encampment and flags in Bamidbar. We could only detail and emphasize each shevet's uniqueness and contributions once we were clearly all united around the Torah.