Re: New mikveh wars in Israel

"cindys" <cstein1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

"Don Levey" <Don_SCJM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:m3irmt88ms.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Cindy, I got that. I'm intentionally broadening/generalising my
question based upon yours.
-----------
I don't know the answer, but for what it's worth, here's one person's
thought: Alan Dershowitz in _Chutzpah_, discusses the peculiar phenomenon of
secular Jews donating large sums of money to Chabad. The reason I have a
Chabad house in my city is because 25 or so years ago, a group of wealthy
secular Jews donated thousands of dollars to bring shluchim to my city.
Dershowitz attributes this to guilt, on the basis of the [incorrect] belief
that our Litvish ancestors in Poland and Russia were just like the
Lubavitchers in terms of appearance, customs, etc. He claims that secular
Jews carry around a bunch of guilt at having abandoned what they
[incorrectly] perceive to have been the Judaism of their grandparents, and
they assuage that guilt by donating money to Chabad.

Guilt is a powerful thing, and it pulls people in two different directions.
On the one hand we have what you describe above. On the other is the
intolerance you sometimes see toward the more observant (not that it is
seldom there, but that sometimes there are other causes).

However, that explanation does not address the question of why Cs and Rs
donate to other O organizations. I guess I would need to ask: Which ones? I
would think that most people would be happy to donate to a camp for special
needs children, for e.g., regardless of affiliation, but what about a kiruv
organization? Do you or would you donate money to Aish HaTorah, Oorah, or
Ohr Somayach? Would you donate to a yeshiva?


Good question - in part, because I have an answer. :-)
I have, in the past, given to a number of organisations. Some have
been umbrellas, like CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies). Some have
been directly to organisations or special cases. Like the camp you
suggest, there are organisations that will provide kosher food for
people. Some are scholarships to day schools. If I can, I try to
find out about an organisation; I admit to being uncomfortable in
donating to a place which will take my money with one hand and attempt
to loudly delegitimise me with the other. Unfortunately, my
financial situation is not conducive to huge amounts of giving so
in raw dollar amounts I'm sure that the amount I give to strictly O
causes is low. I need to research the specific organisations you
mention, as I've only recently become even vaguely familiar with them.

And yes, I've given to Chabad. Why? Well, not guilt, at least not
consciously. It's because they don't ask. Not money, but affiliation.
They came to my son's Reform pre-school for shofar and matza-making
workshops. They meet with our youth groups and post-bnei-mitzvah
classes to discuss and instruct without saying "you're wrong" (or,
"you're not Jewish"). They have made a positive difference in the lives
of a number of friends. They helped support my sister during several
difficult times in her life (including when she and her family were
burned out of their home). Even though they do a number of things I
may not care for, they do these things too. I'll take the others if
I can still get these.


--
Don Levey If knowledge is power,
Framingham, MA and power corrupts, then...
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