diaryofanotdboy

Who is a Baal Teshuva and what is the psychology behind one in 2022 Western Society? In Rebecca M. Ross's "Blowing the Head Off Of Outreach" which I highly recommend, she points to materials of how Kiruv professionals approach Kiruv. The first trait that a Campus Rabbi will look for:      "1.  Middos  – good character traits. Nice, normal students. Is this person nice, punctual, helpful? These are questions my source tells me are critical to ask before investing serious time."       "Nice, normal students. Is this person nice, punctual, helpful?" is essentially a less blunt way of saying, is this person pacified(not assertive), seeking approval, and receptive to shame and motivating negative emotions like guilt and shame. The second trait that a Campus Rabbi will look for:      "2. Intelligence. Torah’s philosophy is brilliant and true- and completely adverse to many ideas we have in the Western world. A student is required...

     In every culture around the world, the vast majority of people just live their lives and are able to go without thinking much about what else is out there. When things are comfortable there is no reason to look elsewhere. The Orthodox Jews are happy to be God's sheep. I resent being told whatever someone feels I need to hear in order to make me believe. While I was in such an environment the assumptions about life made me angry and frustrated. I am a strong individual who knows who I am and where I want to go. That kind of individual does not fit in line with what the Orthodox Jewish community values, which, is mainly obedience. I don’t like to be made to feel shamed, guilty,anxious when I could choose not to.       The Orthodox Jewish community has an underlying assumption of treating everyone as though they are superhuman. Bitul Torah(throwing away by not learning Torah) is yelled and screamed about with life or death importance which turns peop...