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Jun 5, 2012
Haredi Image And Public Relations
A Guest Post by
Dr. Harold Goldmeier
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Jonathan
Rosenblum obfuscates criticism of the
haredi community by claiming they just
have lousy public relations acumen (JPost,
May 24, 2012). Haredim, he claims, fail
to impress with their sizable charitable
organizations. The high value of their
learning and teaching Torah, and their
influence through prayer for Divine
intervention and spiritually uplifting the
Jewish people are given short shrift.
Overall, haredim are made to look like
they are indifferent to and detached from
their Jewish brethren, because they cannot
get their message out.
Let’s
stipulate haredim have a network of
charities that do good deeds, and their
commitment to Torah and prayer are unquestioned. But. the
world stands on three things: Torah and
Good Deeds are not the sole purview of the
haredi. Secular Jews and Jews of all
shades of religious practice do charitable
work and believe in Torah sometimes
without following the Law in the strictest
manner of the haredim. The third pillar
is Avoda: work. The claims against the
haredi are not cavils that haredim fight
their draft into the IDF and public
service programs; are grossly
underrepresented in the workforce; receive
too little secular education to make them
viable employees, researchers, and
professionals; receive special benefits
from the State; and more.
The
haredi community has an image problem due
to its reliance on the political system to
enforce its positions and beliefs. The
haredi minority parties have made unholy
alliances with other political parties to
legislate and capture government offices
in an uncompromising campaign for the
control of people’s lives. It seems to
the non-haredi community that reason and
sanity have given way to religious
delirium sometimes bursting into hysteria.
In
the tenacious web of politics and
religion, all good things get distorted
not by inadequate public relations, but by
the touch of money and the smell of power.
Mark Hanna once wrote: “There are two
things that are important in politics. The first is money, and I can’t remember
what the second one is.” It seems it is
all about money, and the rest is talk.
Dr. Harold Goldmeier
The writer is a
former business owner, Research and
Teaching Fellow at Harvard University
where he received his doctorate. He served
in the administrations of three U. S.
Governors, is Managing Director of a
business marketing and development
company, and consults on education and
community/business development matters.
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Although this is a good post and I agree with most of it, I must point out that most major commentators say that the "Avodah" part of the three pillars refer to Divine Service - the Temple worship way back when and prayer nowadays.
ReplyDeleteThe point must be emphasized: the Chareidim claim their prayers and learning maintain the State but honestly, how many of them have that kavannah? How many guys in Litvish or Chasidish yeshivos are sitting there saying to themselves "I've got to shteig harder! The State depends on me!" And if they really are doing it for the State then why do they assiduously avoid any prayer for its welfare, even a watered-down version? And frankly, if they are the true army of the State why are they the first to run when rockets start getting fired by the Arabs? Shouldn't they be deploying themselves to the front lines?
Garnel Ironheart
By the way, I don't think learners say or believe their learning protects the state, but that it protects the Jewish people.
DeleteAvoda means avodas Hashem - the service in the Beis HaMikdash, and prayer, not working for a living (not to minimize its importance, but that is not what the quote from Pirkei Avos ia referring to.)
ReplyDeleteWas going to say the same as the first two commenters: Avodah is the service of God, not paid or unpaid employment.
ReplyDeletewhile the common drash of the word "avoda" is obviously referring to tefilla, I felt there is space for someone to expain it as "ain mikra yotzei midei pshuto" there is room for the normal, simple, translation as well that being "work", especially because Pirkei Avos has so many other expressions supporting that.
ReplyDeleteThere's no need to say that, since working for a living to support your family is definitely already included in gemilus chasadim. Even if you're self sufficient without working, a job normally provides benefit to the community that would also be characterized as chesed. See Michtav M'Eliyahu, Kuntras HaChesed.
DeleteMuch of the great charity of the Charedim is solely to service the people that they force into poverty with their policies. Still charity, of course, but ....
ReplyDelete