Wandering Jews and the Orthodox Community

“Wherever you go, there you are.” -Jon Kabat-Zinn

I’ve been thinking a lot about Orthodoxy, and I’ve been thinking a lot about community. I think Orthodoxy and community are inextricably intertwined and interdependent. Orthodoxy depends on its community, and the community relies on Orthodoxy to keep it alive. Which leads to what is (to me) an interesting dynamic - some choose to remain in Orthodoxy specifically because of the community benefits.

I had an out-of-Brooklyn experience this weekend, spending Shabbos at a family friend in Monsey. Besides for the beautiful scenery and close encounters with wildlife (and delicious food), I was struck by the plug-and-play nature of an Orthodox Jew in an Orthodox community. Plug a frum Jew into a shul of any flavor, and he or she will feel right at home. (And plug a frum Jew into a kiddush, and he or she will certainly know what to do.)

As different as we are from each other, we’re similar enough to find comfort in each other's presence. That’s something worth celebrating. And, for those who find themselves on the fence about being frum, this is a powerful argument for remaining in the fold.

Spending a Shabbos at a summer community, a chossid and his non-chossid guest went out Friday night for a “shpatzeer” (walk). “What a nice place!” the guest remarked. “What kind of people own houses here?” “Oh, all types!” his host smiled. “Satmar, Munkatch, Belz…”