There's a supposition made in my yahoo group that Modern Orthodox people are more friendly and accepting of those outside themselves than yeshivish folks.
Well, I don't know if you guys saw my recent post (a post or so ago), I davened at a yeshivah for ROSH HASHANAH and sooooooooooo many people came over to meet me and find out where I live and such. There was a modern shul I went to for about a year in my own neighborhood where I used to introduce myself to people and I still couldn't meet people. They would look at me like I was from outer space.
Also, I think a lot of it has to do with how you dress. People who wear skirts ABOVE their knees would never be accepted in a religious circle. I know a convert who told me she wears skirts above the knees and it's ok if she wears pantyhose. That would never fly in religious circles.
It's interesting that I am Modern Orthodox and I have no problem WHATSOEVER with the Yeshivish community and yet Modern people don't accept me because I don't have the right kind of job or make enough money. They tell me it's Jewish to to have money. Therefore, I shouldn't have been converted because I don't. Somehow though, they seem to accept teachers in the modern world, even though they don't make much.
I have been to a number of both types of communities and I would say the only answer is it depends.
ReplyDeleteI go to a MO shul that is extremely welcoming. There is a more Yeshivish shul in my town that isn't as welcoming at all.
When I went down to Olney MD, the shul there is very much a black pants, white shirt community but they were extremely welcoming. I have also been to some MO shuls that couldn't care less who this stranger is.
It really just depends haha
There are aspects of the MO world that seem to have unhealthy attitudes about money but they don't seem universal.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that among those that do have such attitudes the exception for teachers comes from the generally Jewish culture of learning and intellectualism.