Targum/Feldheim, 238 fascinating pages
One of the benefits of living in Israel is that many of the
authors of important contemporary Jewish works are readily
accessible and approachable. After studying their book, you
can just look up their phone number and call them to clarify
any questions that came up in your reading. You can even
arrange to meet them in person. Here in Jerusalem, your
neighbors, your doctor's secretary, the woman you chat with
at the grocery store, as well as dozens of highly acclaimed
Torah teachers and lecturers may all have written a
meaningful manuscript that furthers our acclaim to being the
"People of the Book."
And so it is that if you have had the chance to hear Rabbi
Dovid Kaplan speak in Israel or elsewhere in the Jewish
circuit, you can now avail yourself of the opportunity to
hear his words speaking to you from his newly released book,
The Kiruv Files.
Rabbi Elimelech Meisels has masterfully captured Rabbi Dovid
Kaplan's voice on paper. Reading this book is like being in
the audience of one of his lectures. While we are being
thoroughly entertained and laughing at ourselves and our
situation, Rabbi Kaplan succeeds in sneaking in some serious
points that arrive home all the more successfully because of
the humorous manner in which the details ae delivered.
Herein the authors offer thirteen chapters on topics of
importance not only to the professional involved in Kiruv
outreach, but of relevance to every Jew who cares about the
impression he makes on others, both in this world and the
next. Anyone involved in any interaction with human beings,
whether they are secular, religious or not even Jewish, will
benefit from reading this relevant book. The way we behave
and the concern we invest in our actions has a vital impact
on the way Torah is presented to everyone who sees us. The
stories shared by the authors offer great encouragement for
taking ourselves and our role as Jews seriously.
Humor definitely works wonders for breaking down the barriers
between Jews, and can often defuse the tension inherent in
some volatile religious/secular interchanges. And seeing
ourselves humorously gives us a glimpse of just how we can
appear to others "outside the community."
What more does the Jewish people need right now than help to
bridge the barriers that block communication between
different `factions' and groups of Jews that exist today?
What better way to combat ignorance than by offering a sound
and healthy book that exposes the stereotypes of `religious
Jews' for the falsity that they are?
Here is a readable expose of religious life and values that
could even be presented to non-religious family members,
since religious FFB Jews and baalei tshuva appear
within these pages as normal human beings made up of the same
emotional, intellectual and spiritual stuff as the next guy,
which is something the media tends to ignore in its attempts
to bash the chareidi world. Yeshivos for Beginners and the
Advanced are places where intellectual, rational thinking are
the norm, not the supposed bastions of the brainwashing of
which they are often accused.
Within the pages of this book we meet many interesting
characters whose humanity is apparent from the issues with
which they struggle. There is no one particular `type' of
person who does tshuva, and Rabbi Kaplan freely shares
the insights he has gleaned from years of meeting a great
variety of students. The Torah was given to every Jew and
there is a direct path of connection to Hashem for each one
of us. The question for everyone involved in outreach
teaching is finding that way of making our heritage
accessible to every Jew.
The recommendations Rabbi Kaplan offers will be of interest
to everyone, as it's simply refreshing guidance for how to be
a mensch.
For example, his chapter on parents is a must-read,
particularly pertinent to anyone with a strained
relationship, as well as those seeking ways to improve how
they keep the commandment of parental honor. In a
dysfunctional, unhealthy family, a child becoming observant
can just exacerbate the situation. In a family with
supportive, loving ties, parents and siblings can usually
handle the `surprise' of having their loved one turn
religious.
Trying some of Rabbi Kaplan's suggestions could definitely
help: instead of preaching when you visit home, roll up your
sleeves and start doing the dishes. After Mom recovers from
her shock, she may encourage you to go back to yeshiva and
learn some more... Or stand up when your parent walks into
the room. Try playing golf with Dad, if that's his favorite
pastime, even if you hate it. At the end of the day, he might
even say, "Hey, son, I respect you."
We also receive the sound advice to avoid sending our family
unsolicited books on Judaism. What baal tshuva hasn't
sent his/her family numerous items of profound spiritual
interest, all the latest from Targum and Mesorah, only to
discover that every [expensive] volume lies unopened? Rabbi
Kaplan compares the well- meaning baal tshuva's
intentions to the avid ancient Chinese history buff who
offers his family, The Influence of Reflective Taosim Upon
Early Pagodian Architecture as a gift. Only with humor
could we possibly understand how we must come across to our
family!
And most important, instead of writing a letter to Mom and
Dad berating them for denying you a Jewish education, try
thanking them for all the values they did instill in you,
including the ones that gave you the intellectual freedom and
courage to explore a new way of life. At the very least,
express your gratitude for how much they provided for your
physical needs throughout your life. Parents are always
thrilled to receive credit for doing something right, and
it's a wonderful way to develop our trait of hakoras
hatov.
After years of teaching in Yeshivas Ohr Somayach and other
outreach programs, Rabbi Kaplan's view is full of wise
observations that should be considered seriously by anyone
who wishes to help Jews approach and discover the Torah
lifestyle. He recommends a slow and steady pace of taking on
mitzva observance, as the sane and stable way,
illustrated aptly with real life examples of guys going too
far, too fast, who end up `freaking out' and taking off
almost as quickly as they dove in.
As a teacher of adult men in a yeshiva environment, several
of Rabbi Kaplan's insights are applicable only for males. For
example, Rabbi Kaplan has seen gemora study have an
incredible effect on his beginner students, and his
recommendations in this area are worthy of note. His
recollections of boys using interesting terminology isn't
just funny, it is encouraging because the beauty and depth of
Torah is being communicated to beginners. Their remarks
testify that they are grasping the essence of learning, even
as they express themeslves in their own way.
However, most women would not benefit from opening a
gemora as soon as they arrive in a seminary setting,
and Rabbi Kaplan isn't suggesting that they should. In any
case women are forbidden to study gemora.
The chapter on shidduchim clearly expresses the
importance of teachers and rabbeim taking an almost parental
position of responsibility for their students. One story in
particular illustrates how much a student must be considered
like a son, when Rabbi Kaplan did not do enough research into
a suggested shidduch for one of his students.
Baalei tshuva do not always have the benefit of
parental support and approval in this sensitive area of
finding a suitable spouse for life. He stresses that the
faculty of an institution involved in outreach must take on
the role of thoroughly checking out potential candidates for
their students in order to avoid much heartache.
There are some very fun chapters, like, "Those Ultra-
Orthodox," which dissects more of the stereotypes of how the
religious appear to the newly arrived fellow who is just
dabbling with the idea of "checking things out." What we say
or do at that critical junction can make all the difference
of whether or not someone will continue to pursue `dabbling'
until they actually make a commitment to really learn and
explore all that Judaism offers, stereotypes notwithstanding.
It is so easy for newcomers to be scared off, but as Rabbi
Kaplan shows us, with a little preparation, it can be just as
easy to make the right point that can turn someone's whole
perspective around and open them up to new horizons, whether
it's what to say about other religions, TV, smoking or "Men's
Lib."
I so much enjoyed reading this book that I wouldn't want
anyone to miss out on the experience. While you are busy
being entertained, laughing away at the numerous foibles and
follies described on every page, you are at the same time
being educated and elevated, as well as inspired to become a
better, more sensitive and involved Jew.
Outreach isn't something that's only for `professionals.' It
affects every one of us in each of our daily interactions,
with everyone with whom we cross paths.
