MOChassid

The rambling thoughts of a Modern Orthodox Chassid (whatever that means). Contact me at emansouth @ aol.com

Friday, December 29, 2006

Chareidi Bashing

DovBear recently linked to this important post by Rabbi Yakov Horowitz. To his credit, Dovbear has long been a supporter of Rabbi Horowitz and has linked to his artilces many times.

Unfortunately but predicitably, some of the commentors got all over Rabbi Horowitz, accusing him of fundraising on the backs of abuse victims. This charge is too idiotic to even waste my time replying to (and many of the commentors on DovBear do a fine job of defending Rabbi Horowitz).

Full disclosure: Rabbi Horowitz is my cousin. I have known him all his life and have the highest regard for him both professionally and personally.

The people giving Rabbi Horowitz grief are classic, pathologic chareidi haters. After months of appropriate bashing of the chareidi world for not taking the issue of abuse seriously, along comes a respected, progressive chareidi leader with a long track record of achievenments (who, by the way, is a sought after speaker on parenting issues in the MO world as well) who decides to address this issue head on (at great personal risk). So, do the bashers embrace him or his message? No, rather than give anyone with a long beard the benefit of the doubt (or the credit that he deserves for going out on a limb and taking action in a world where taking action can be very risky), they make preposterous allegations that he is doing this for the money.

They should ask themselves: Did he develop Project Y.E.S. for the money? Did he start a progressive yeshiva, Darchei Noam, for the money? Has he been writing articles that can be viewed as radical in the chareidi world for the money?

Instead of embracing and supporting one of the lights of the chareidi world, the chareidi haters jump all over him. Would they have reacted that way if he didn't wear the levush?

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6 Comments:

  • At 11:03 AM, Blogger and so it shall be... said…

    I know Rabbi Horowitz. is sincere, and probably the most qualified for the job he's undertaking.

    However, his website leaves one with the impression that his interest is to become a darling of the public speaking circuit by writing radical commentary on issues all the others are afraid to approach.

    Am I right? Maybe not. i truly hope not. But that's the impression one gets from his website.

     
  • At 11:22 AM, Blogger MoChassid said…

    no. you are not right. I don't think people appreciate how difficult it is for moderate chareidim to publicly speak their minds. Yakov Horowitz is one of the few that is willing to do so.

    He is one of the voices of reason in that community and should be embraced not attacked.

     
  • At 11:44 AM, Blogger and so it shall be... said…

    Hang on a sec. I'm not proclaiming fact or even my opinion of fact. Nor am I an apologist for idiots who bash first then ask questions.

    I am merely suggesting what impression I suspect people have when they visit the website.

    Sometimes, too polished is an unwise marketing move.

     
  • At 11:49 AM, Blogger MoChassid said…

    fair point

     
  • At 3:32 PM, Blogger Mommy said…

    As a parent in R' Horowitz's school, my spouse and I have been impressed with his initiatives that are unfortunately considered progressive in the yeshivish velt and we are generally happy with the school. That being said, still wonderin' is absolutely correct - R' Horowitz's website is a big turnoff - it looks as if it is straight out of a PR workshop. Additionally, the inclusion of Darchei Noam in the website is a point of contention for those parents who are not there for the handholding that R' Horowitz provides to a certain segment of the parent body.

     
  • At 11:25 AM, Blogger MoChassid said…

    Additionally, the inclusion of Darchei Noam in the website is a point of contention for those parents who are not there for the handholding that R' Horowitz provides to a certain segment of the parent body.

    Mommy: I'm not sure I follow

     

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