when we say the term ahavas yisroel what do we mean? do we mean we should have a love for all jews or just a love for jews who are like ourselves? does it mean we should only love other jews just so we can mekarev them ?
after telling some left wing yeshivish friends of mine about the movie brothers from the jewish film festival which i reviewed in this blog in my may 14, 2011 post titled brothers, it made me mull over this issue. when i told these friends about this movie they promptly began to tell me about all of the wonderful kiruv that is being done in israel.. my friend totally missed the point of my movie synopsis. i think that kiruv is wonderful , but for all jews to have ahavas yisroel and mutual respect i do not think that all jews need to be frum yidden.. it should not be the only reason one has ahavas yisroel. then again, loving other jews just so one can mekarev them is still better than writing them off all together.
i think that one can have ahavas yisroel for those who are not exactly like oneself religiously because we jews are family . families aren't always the same religiously but we still love one another, still are a part of each others lives. i think this is the best way for people to look at jews who may not be where we are religiously. certainly this i how i would like a family member who is not on the same page religiously to view me.
4 comments:
I used to be really into the idea of kiruv 20 years ago. But now, unless someone asks me to teach them (which I'm happy to do), I don't feel like I have the right to interfere in happy, well adjusted people's lives. Who am I to tell them that they're living wrong? I don't even know that they are.
Basically, unsolicited kiruv seems like missionizing to me.
the problem with some of the kiruv these days is that its too much of a hard sell. i feel overwhelmed by it and im actually an observant jew.
i am more of the thought that if someone is interested i will answer them otherwise live and let live.
Great post, FF! I totally agree with you that Jews are like a big family. We don't have to like each other all the time to love each other.
thanks
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