By Yaakov Weinstein
A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with a college student. This student had just enjoyed an inspiring summer of learning and was going back to college with a new vision for religious activities and events to facilitate his continuing growth in learning. To insure the soundness of his plans, he spoke to a number of Jewish, Orthodox, people supposedly knowledgeable about halachic Judaism on campus. He related to me that one rabbi told him: be sure to serve alcohol that’s the way to attract the non-religious kids.
Disregarding the major issue that serving alcohol to minors is illegal (and the disdainful tone that of course non-religious students would be attracted by alcohol), this led us to a discussion of kiruv on campus. Specifically, should religious kids be doing kiruv while at college? In the following paragraphs I will try to relate my opinion on this thorny (and ill-defined) subject. However, before relating my opinion I would like to note that every student is different. I believe that what I write below is appropriate for the typical student but that there may be students who could and should deviate from my prescription. Also, I ask everyone to read the entire post before commenting.
So, should college students be doing kiruv on campus? In short, my answer is NO! A students’ primary (spiritual) focus while at college should be his or her own religious well being. This is especially true in light of what we have discussed previously concerning the challenges facing students on campus (link). Thus, I would strongly discourage students from running activities geared solely to attract the non-religious student to halachic Judaism or Hillel, and I strongly disagree that ‘doing kiruv’ is a proper justification for attending a college not run under religious Jewish auspices (there are other justifications as we have discussed) It should go without saying that I despise the suggestion of illegal activity in the name of kiruv.
Why not do kiruv?
No doubt many people reading this post know (or are) people who became frum while at college (I know many such people too). If so why not encourage students who are already religious to actively encourage this phenomenon? The reasons not to encourage such activities are on many levels:
1) chayecha kodem – ones own spiritual growth takes precedence over that of others. I do not mean to get into a halachic discussion of this concept but merely to point out that most students at college are not yet very strong in many Jewish subjects. These years are an especially important time for religious growth (as by this points students are hopefully mature enough to realize the importance of religion, generally do not have to worry about making a living and lack the resposibility of a spouse and kids) thus ones time should be spent on their own learning.
2) The opposite of the above is that when ‘doing kiruv’ one may come across questions they cannot answer. This can lead to doubts about religious Judaism and an eventual exit from the community. I feel this is especially important for those who have come recently to a halacha-based life and may have a ‘proselyizing spirit.’ Those who know the least should not be the ones teaching others.
3) Sometimes suggested kiruv activities may violate halacha. Joining three mechitza dancing on Simchas Torah (one section for mixed dancing) or joining any other halachiaclly questionable activity to show that frum students are cool too is just not a good idea.
What can students do?
The above applies to what I’ll call ‘active’ kiruv or attempting to bring export religious Judaism to others. However, there are many time when kiruv opportunities can come to a student. For example, a non-religious Jew may decide to check out the Orthodox minyan. In such a case kinship to a fellow Jew (not to mention simple rules of kindness) demand that more knowledgable students take the time to ‘show him/her the ropes,’ answer any questions the student may have and just be friendly. Another such opportunity is the ‘study-with-a-buddy’ programs. In such programs students learn Jewish texts together. Those with a stronger background (who tend to be Orthodox) are paired with students whose backgrounds are not as strong. Again in this situation I think it appropriate that a religious student utililze this opportunity to show a students of a weaker background the beauty of their shared religion (note that even this type of program can lead to uncomfortable religious situations, as discussed in my last post, and students should be aware of this beforehand). Notice that in the two cases cited those who are not religious have approached those who are. To make a sports analogy, the situation is on religious turf. The activities I would discourage (though they may take on the guise of a religious ritual) are those where the religious students disrupt their basic routine in order to seek non-religious kids to influence.
Finally, I would like to encourage all students to view their fellow Jews not as kiruv material but in the spirit of kinship. Judging the success of interaction with our non-religious brethren based on their eventual level of halachic fidelity is 1) demeaning, and 2) bound to be disappointing. Most non-religious students will not become religious because of you. Rather, the goals of a religious student should center on perfecting his or her own knowledge of Judaism and character traits. If religious students on campus were to establish a community that was passionate in their beliefs while being honest, friendly, understanding and respectful, there is little question in mind that others would strive to join this community.
Let me add one phrase of support for Ron Coleman’s observations here-I highly suggest that anyone interested in Chabad messianism
and to the degree to which it is a dominant feature of Chabad’s hashkafa simply read R D D Berger’s book on the subject.
Sorry that was supposed to be 1994. (It’s very important that we be clear that this only happened once.)
Yaakov-I think the alcohol is a short term attraction. Once a person has their own children and has settled into greater level of observance and hopefully middot, the attraction level seems to decrease (or at least that is my own opinion :).
But Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was niftar in 2004.
Belle:
The Current Rebbe is
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
notablankpage – we are trying to deal with facts currently ‘on the ground.’ There has not been any comment insulting Chabad, just noting what is going on… some of it is positive and some of it is not…
notablankpage:
Who is the current rebbe?
Amazing what some of you will say about Chabad. Just remember today is Yud Shevat. The yartzheit of the Previous Rebbe and the accepting the nesius of Chabad by the current rebbe.
While most of you will deny it, I am sure most of you have become observant by Chabad in some way, shape, or form. All of you should remember that if it were not for Chabad- no type of “Kiruv” would exist on College Campuses.
So just remember that if it were not for Chabad on Campus, many of you may not even know the Alef-Bet or have ever put Tefillin on for that first time.
And just remember it is Judaism’s “Official Policy” to have Ahavat Yisrael, but do we all live up to this in it’s fullest everyday.
By the way, Elie– Did you frequently attend a Chabad on Campus? Were you observant beforehand? Did Chabad first introduce you to Observant Judaism? I am just wondering. It sound like you did. But I am not sure.
Ron,
Is “coming to grips” the same thing as accepting as a valid viewpoint? I have come to grips.
Thank you Steve for your (continued) support… Michoel and Elie I suggest you read my previous posts on BeyondBT (here and here) concerning attending secular colleges as I don’t care to rehash any arguments here. But nobodys hashkafic opinion really matters since there ARE many Orthodox kids at these universities.
As for Chabad – the facts on the ground are not at all in line with any policy against drinking. Furthermore, a quick google search will show many Chabad houses and Hillels have sponsored hookah in the succah events. Check out the description of one such event here (second event):
http://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/day.asp?tdate=10/11/2006&mosadid=3784
It is wrong to monochromatically describe every Chabad house. Some are successful and some are not. One of the most ‘successful’ Chabad houses in the country is on a campus near where I live. It is well known that drinking is an integral part of the activities there.
Despite this ‘success’ I am 100% against such activities as a mode for kiruv. While there are some people who will be turned off by drinking as in SephardiLady’s story, most college students ARE attracted to it, which is why so many college activities use it as a means to gain attendance…
I think that Yaakov’s POV deserves strong consideration. The pamphlet that he and a friend wrote on the issue remains an important guide for all rabbanim,educators, parents, and most importantly, all students facing this choice. IMO, it is far too simplistic a solution to say that a secular college is no place for the average student.
although Chabad’s official policy might be no alcohol, there is a lot of leeway, and drinking is often overlooked and/or permitted in the house itself, or third party locations.
Ron, I went to a four-year college. I can tell you, unless this college, is YU or Maryland (maybe), or any one of the other handful colleges friendly to jewish life, they are no place for a frum yid. These hashkofos that are comfortable sending their kids to these schools, in my opinion are naive. The entire undergrad “college experience” is centered on drinking, girls, and many other social events. I am a firm believe that in todays world, you need a masters level degree at least. Thus one could easily go to a yeshiva and earn an undergrad degree and be on the same page as a regular undergrad student while maintaining there moral ground.
Michoel, there’s a broad range of hashkofos that include orthodox kids whose families are comfortable sending them to four-year, campus-based colleges and indeed would be quite uncomfortable having them do anything else. You have to come to grips with that, even though you and I would not make that choice for our children.
Chabad on Campus’ official policy is NO ALCOHOL in the CHABAD HOUSE. Amazing how Chabad is so successful on college campuses. They were the first group to every have such mesirus nefesh on a college campus.
I just want to tag onto your stance on alcohol with a story of my own. During college I was friendly with a young man who showed up to ***** on Purim. He was friendly with the shomer Shabbat kids on campus and I believe he was interested in doing more Jewish things, although I don’t believe he was interested in observance. To make a long story short, he was apaulled by the drinking, especially the drinking of the Rabbi(s) underage middle school and high school aged boys. He decided not to return for other events. (And this from a young man who lived in a frat house).
Yaakov has the right idea. Along the same lines:
On campus, a Jewish student encounters all kinds of people under various circumstances (classes, events, walking around, in a dorm…). If these all show the student in a good light, other Jewish students might occasionally pose questions to him/her about Judaism. Some questions might not be answerable off the cuff and will require further investigation (a quick wrong answer is worse than none at all). The answers may prompt the questioning students to explore Judaism further.
But all that’s not the same as active kiruv, which would generally require time, knowledge, or skills the student doesn’t have.
Never mind doing kiruv on campus, religious students should not be on campus at all. But if they are, the imperative is to make a kiddush H’, not to do kiruv.
When I was at Brandeis I spent a lot of time cooking shabbat dinners for whomever I could drag home for them. In many cases this was classmates who were not frum. However my goal was limited to providing people with a pleasant shabbat dinner experience. If they decided to become frum great, but I really was going for the low key approach. Give someone a nice experience and get across that the Orthodox students were nice and friendly people. That being said some of the people who came to my table did become more observant, I hope I can take a little of the credit for that.