Stereotypes of Orthodox Hide Differences Among Jews

To the editors:

The article "Orthodox Jews Violate Campus Policy With Posters" (News, Feb. 19) was both unbalanced and offensive. The story played on popular stereotypes of Orthodox Jews, stereotypes as common within the Jewish community as they are outside of it. In particular, the tone of the article suggested that Orthodox Jews and Chabad Jews in particular are intolerant of the level of observance of other Jews, and that they are ethnocentric and exclusive. The only statements to the contrary were buried in the last paragraph of the article.

To characterize Chabad and Orthodox Judaism in this way is to neglect the distinctions between the two and to misrepresent both. Orthodox Jews, broadly, are those Jews who strive to fulfill the commandments of the Torah and the Halacha (the cumulative rabbinical commentary on the Torah), such as keeping the Sabbath and strictly observing dietary restrictions. There are, however, many particular religious sects that do not fall easily under this category. Among these religious sects, there are many different modes of observance, styles of dress and interpretations of texts.

Taking dress, for example, the stereotype is of "characteristic" black hats and coats--but there are other modes of dress as well among religious sects, and even within the "black-hat-and-coat" variety, there is considerable variation. Chabad, which is part of the Lubavitch movement, is one such sect; one of its goals is to reach out to other, less religious Jews and teach them about their heritage and about the Halacha. They are not, as a rule, judgmental about other Jews. It's too bad you did not attempt to investigate Chabad further and try to understand some of the reasons that thousands of Jews the world over are joining its ranks.

The one thing the article did successfully convey was the amount of division and misinformation that exists even within the Jewish community about Chabad and religious Judaism more generally. I believe that many serious critiques of religious Judaism and religious Jewish beliefs are quite valid, and I highly respect the opinions of those quoted in the article. But the way their quotes were presented and the general tone of the article hinted at the viscerally negative reaction many Jews have toward Chabad. This reaction is the product of misinformation and prejudice and not a small amount of "ethnic self-hatred"--the feeling that we Jews are better off if we are less visible, less committed to our traditions and out of sight of the non-Jewish community.

It is understandable, however, that many Jews (including myself) feel this sense of self-hatred. Despite the claims of many Jews and non-Jews that there is very little anti-Semitism in America, Jews and religious Jews in particular are still subject to prejudice and misrepresentation on a daily basis. The persistence of negative attitudes toward religious Jews makes it very difficult for us Jews to take ourselves and our traditions seriously. JOEL B. POLLAK '99   Feb. 21, 1998