Speak Up As An Orthodox Jew Who Believes in Common Decency

I am an Orthodox Jewish woman that tries to treat all people decently and show good manners to all, such as thanking people and holding the door for people.

Im an orthodox jewish woman who believes in common decency.

And I strive to respect all people.

Me too!

I'm an orthodox Jew and I strive to respect all human beings, no matter what race, religion or color. I emphasize this to my children on a constant basis and the most important thing to me is that they grow up showing decency and respect towards their fellow human beings. It kills me to read about the "rock throwers" and the "religious" people who are in the news for scandalous things they are a part of. It gives all of us a bad name but really, those people are not religious in any way. Our Torah commands us to love and respect all people, anyone who doesn't follow that isn't truly orthodox.

I am a Chasidic Orthodox Jew who respects and admires all people irregardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, income, social status, persuasion or level of education.

The Torah teaches me common decency, it has been in my family’s dna for thousands of years.

Even though I live in NYC I still smile and say hello to strangers on the street, happy to report that I have not been bitten thus far

me!

I'm an Orthodox Jew who strives to respect all people!

Also an Orthodox Jew who strives to be respectful and considerate to all. I also talk to my kids about treating all people with respect- it's so important!

I’m an orthodox Jew and I empathize to the best of my ability, judge favorably, and treat others as I would have them treat me (even when they don’t).

I am an Orthodox Jew who is comfortable with all sorts of Jews. I work for both a Conservative Shul (more then 12 years now) and the local Kollel (going on my 3rd year) I also taught at one of the Reform Temples for 2 years. My parents where amazing examples for me. My father was a Rabbi who also showed respect for all flavor of Jews and my mother was a teacher, and local Director, for the local Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning.

I am an orthodox jewish woman who loves people. I agree with the post above.

I'm an Orthodox Jewish woman who believes that a very basic Torah principle guides us to respect and be kind to all of our fellow human beings: We are *all* made b'tzelem Elokim, in G-d's image. That wasn't reserved only for Jews. To acknowledge the Divine in each person, respect and caring are basic.

Having friends across all streams of Judaism and outside the Jewish community, I've learned that my fellow Jews who practice differently deeply think about and treasure their Jewishness even when they express it in alternate ways, and that non-Jews are also often caring, G-d-fearing people. Instead of building walls, if we set a loving example in our daily lives, we might even find people attracted to try the way we live rather than seeing us as hostile enclave-dwellers, thus spreading the light of Torah–accomplishing our assigned task.

Unless a person shows me by attacking me or mine that he or she is an enemy whose goal is our destruction, my rights don't supersede any other person's, and I must act considerately and strive to avoid embarrassing my fellow human beings.

I’m an Orthodox Jew and I strive to treat everyone with respect. So does my hubby…he’s given up his seat to guys who didn’t want to sit next to women before, and he identifies as pretty much Chareidi/Chardal.

I am an orthodox Jewish woman in the business world. I respect others and they reciprocate. It pains me to read stories about extremists in the news because they are such a minute minority of who we are.

Rock throwing would never cross my mind. I might invite them over for some chicken soup and cholent. Maybe a slice cake? Would you like some tea too?

Ditto! I am an orthodox (dare I say ultra?) And derch eretz kadma l'torah. I do my best respect all!

I'm an orthodox Jewish woman who believes in common decency and strives to respect all human beings.

I'm an Orthodox Jew and I know that the vast majority of us strive to treat others with respect. I call on those that don't to think about the chillul hashem you are causing and to correct your ways.

Count me in.

I am Modern Orthodox and am decent and respectful.

I am a Frum Jew who will frankly not even answer this. To be honest to try and get us to admit to live by common decency shows that you really haven't bought into what the conservative family said to you. While there are obviously some people who don't live by this in our community the overwhelming majority do. How dare you state in your objectives over and over again that you are trying to inform people that frum Jews are just like other people (paraphrasing) and then feel the need to call us out like you are doing. Really perhaps you should try taking our side once in a while instead of basically being an apologist for those who look down on us every time one within our community fails to live up to our objectives.

Beautifully said!

thanks for your comment Yaakov Goldsmith. of course *I* know that the majority of orthodox jews believe in common decency and kindness but the ones making the news are, unfortunately, what most people know about Orthodox Jews. if you think about it, most non-orthodox jews and non-jews will never knowingly interact with an orthodox jew. so they are writing articles like this after seeing the headlines about the airplanes.
http://thedailybanter.com/2014/12/time-arrest-ultra-orthodox-jews-delay-flights-seating/

we are open to hearing suggestions – what else might you suggest we do to set the record straight and let the world know how many Orthodox Jews (despite the headlines) are actually good and decent people? thanks for your help!

What's the difference between being a Jew who is halakhically-observant like that family (shomer kashrut, shabbat, tefillah, taharat hamishpacha,etc.) and "Orthodox" anyways if you really think about it?

I respect everyone.

i don't think they kept taharas hamispacha and they drove to shul and ate out in restaurants. i'm not saying that to judge or take away from all that they were doing, but it was not the same exact observance that i was planning to accept upon myself if i became orthodox.

I'm an ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who believes in the inherent dignity of every human being. Our Torah teaches us that all human beings are created in the Divine image and this guides my behavior, speech and ideally thought processes in relation to other people.

I am an Orthodox Jew. Many people would label me as ultra-Orthodox; I prefer to say that I adhere, as best I can, to the teachings and commandments of the Torah. Of COURSE I believe in common decency. There is no room in Torah Judaism NOT to believe in common decency. Our Sages say that derech eretz, which includes common decency, is a prerequisite for understanding the Torah. It saddens me that there are some people who don't take this well-known principle seriously yet still consider themselves Torah Jews. I can't offer any apologies for them, except to say that we all have our animal-like drives and impulses, and not all are equally adept at managing them.

I am proud to be an Orthodox Jew! I try to love and respect all Jews no matter how “frum” they are and I do the same for those who are not Jewish. I try to be non judgemental and greet people with a smile.

I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman who respects all people as being made in the image of Hashem. True observance of Torah doesn’t allow me to behave any differently.

I am transitioning to being orthodox (it is a journey!) and I believe in respect and common courtesy for all.

I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman who believes in respect and understanding of all humankind

I’m an Orthodox Jew who works in a Progressive institution and has non-Orthodox, non-religious and non-Jewish friends. I believe in decency, respect and building bridges while respecting genuine differences.

Yes! I agree whole heartedly! I'm BT and my DH is FFB. It's a constant discussion in our house.

this discussion reminds me of my grandmother’s reaction when someone said that a particular frum person was a thief. “he’s not frum,” she would say. “he’s just a gonif who knows how to daven.”

at the same time, i agree with yaakov’s post. the vast majority of strictly observant jews, including the chassidim and the so-called ultra orthodox, are NOT the stone thrower who are just the people who ,make the news because they are so different from the norm. i caution the writer of the original post not to pay attention to her friends’ bad mouthing us. they obviously have no idea of the beauty of authentic torah observance.

Thanks, Allison!

You have a beautiful way with words.

With all do respect Mr. Goldsmith, it is because of people like Ms. Joesphs, that I was inspired to join this orthodox movement as a non observant Jew. While hearing her speak at our local JCC on the unfair portrayal of the orthodox Jews in the media, this message became clear to me. When one Jew is hurting or (causing the hurt), we, as the Jewish People, all hurt. There is no “our side” or “your side.” There is one side. The stronger we all are together, the better. If that means taking collective responsibility for the few individuals who misrepresent what we stand for, then so be it. I can’t quote a rabbi, but as a psychotherapist I can tell you; respect and credibility are more easily given, when someone can admit their flaws and/or mistakes. Ms. Josephs has and is doing tremendous work to bridge the gaps on both ends of the Jewish spectrum. I am grateful for people like her who are not afraid to cal out indecent behavior, no matter who the instigator is.

I am a Orthodox Jew who believes in giving derech eretz to all people regardless of their race, colour, religion, class etc. When those who look like Orthodox Jews acts in a way that is counter to the principle of derech eretz kadma l’torah, I am disgusted and in my opinion, they are not frum, they are simply pretending, they have lost their way.

Another Orthodox Jewish woman here who aspires to live her life with derech eretz., and hopefully have succeeded in getting that message through to my children. This article to me is the essence of what JITC is about, and you deserve a big yasher koach! Just this week I was out with a non-religious friend who's always been quick and eager to leap on any infraction committed by an Orthodox Jew. It's so unfortunate that the few "bad apples" in our basket can have such a negative impact on the vast majority of frum Jews who are decent people. It is capable of totally masking the amazing and tremendous chesed that comes from our people.

I become simultaneously sad and angry when I hear of or read about such atrocities being perpetuated by those wearing what my husband calls the "Jewniform." It's a horrific chillul Hashem (desecration of G-d's name) and pushes away Jews from Torah Judaism. The hypocrisy is inexcusable!

I, too, will fight the bad name these acts give us in a proactive manner, as you do. Thank you, Allison, for taking a stand for us to stop the lashon hara and all treat one another with love and respect. You know, like Hashem commanded us to do!

Me too!

Me too! But I do think sentiments similar to Yaakov Goldsmith and Amy Leserman should be taken into consideration. The title sounds defensive. Will elaborate when I get a chance.

I’m a Torah-observant (yeshivish? Chareidi? Chardal?) Jew and I try to treat everyone well. I go to a pretty liberal secular university with, unfortunately, a lot of covert anti-Semitism, and so I meet people whom I have difficulty respecting. But that doesn’t mean I don’t treat them with respect. I’ve always figured that the vast majority of humanity deserves respect and, at the least, basic decency and the best way to deal with those who don’t deserve it is to treat them as though they do. I’m even on very friendly terms with someone I know espouses anti-Semitic views (although I’m not sure how she reconciles that); I’m always saddened to hear about others who project their own personal problems and lack of Torah philosophical internalization onto people who have done nothing to deserve it.

Orthodoxy and Judaism has probably survived the extreme persecutions and obstacles to a religious lifestyle with extremism but I hope that our generation is one that practices it thoughtfully and passes that message on

thanks for your comment @mark. please understand that when choosing a title we need to take marketing and SEO into consideration. we were looking for a call to action to get people to read what this was about and be counted and we are looking to make this searchable on google.

Nicely put.

One of the things that drew me to Orthodoxy was the need for decency. Decency is independent of political correctness. We are on the front lines. We often forget that.

In our orthodox/Chasidic/Torah observant/Jewish home, striving for connection reigns supreme. In a Jewish context, we strive to connect with everyone (Jewish, non-Jewish, observant, non-observant, gay, straight, you get the picture …) at our Shabbos table. As a psychotherapist, I strive to help recreate connection in my clients' most important relationships — including their true self. My husband, a Breslover chasid, works to create connection between observant Jews and Muslims, helping them to focus on our commonalities rather than our differences. So sad that those who call us "Orthodox" folks "judgmental," are in fact often ridiculously judgmental themselves, basing their opinions on labels and outward appearances of their fellow Jew, rather than actually getting to know us. Sad.

As an Orthodox Jewish married woman, I too cringe when I see every frum Jew depicted in a not so nice light. Unfortunately, a few bad apples spoils the bunch. Just as we are suppose to catch our kids when they are doing something right, instead of focusing on the bad, the same goes for the secular world, but…As outwardly Orthodox Jews behave badly, and yes, there are far more that don’t, my experiences for the most part are few and far between, for example. If I hold the door open for someone with a carriage, they barely look at your face, let alone say thank you…of course I do it because it is mentchlikite, but what do the “other” see?? The craziness on the plane? You can’t sit next to a woman? If a man is so pious, so holy, higher a chartered plane…this sense of “we are better than anyone,” is what causes many of the issues. As Jews, we are held to a higher standard, and so we should be. The world expects crass behavior, rudeness, bad manners, etc from the “other,” but when we do it, we are judged. If you see a medical doctor in his white coat, a nurse, in her white uniform, or better yet, Buckingham Palaces’ Changing of the Guard…tell me, would expect to see them acting in an inappropriate way? Being rude, trying to get away with something cause look at me, I am special? I am proud to be an Orthodox Jew, I raised both my sons that, with tzit tzit showing and a kippah, you act accordingly to the Torah..and yes, if you are not a mentch, all the Torah you learn, is for naught.

I'm an orthodox Jew and an eruv(Sabbath boundary) inspector for a mostly non-Jewish neighborhood. I keep a ladder in my car to make repairs. Several weeks ago I noticed that someone had misdirected the street signs. I took my ladder and redirected the signs. Maybe it will keep someone from getting lost.

I am an Orthodox Jew who believes that every human was made in G-d’s image.
I would never throw rocks.
I listen respectfully to those who don’t agree with me, even when they say disrespectful things to (at) me.
Most (I strive for “All”) of the non-orthodox people who know me would say that I am kind
and respectful. I like to say “We can disagree without being Disagreeable”.

As an Orthodox Jew, I believe that Hashem created everyone. He is the Father of every human being, and the best way to show I love Him is to honor each and everyone of His children.

These hostile people are such a tiny fraction of the orthodox community, which is, for the most part, very loving and helpful. Some groups exclude others who are not of their sub-group from social interaction, but will stop everything and do anything to help any other Jew in trouble. There is so much anger and prejudice and ignorance about Orthodox Jews among the non-religious. Try actually making a friend in the community and you will be amazed.

I am a Modern Orthodox Jew who lives out of the NY area. I strive for Derech eretz in my interactions with Jews of all opinions and beliefs. I also strive for positive interactions with the community at large.

However, what I notice when I return to NY and the friends that I left behind when I relocated, is a very narrow definition of who deserves Derech Eretz. The use of pejorative terms shiksa, shvatze, korva, queer, and on and on is disturbing and embarrassing. The mindset that one can be less than forthright with someone because “they’re not religious” or “they’re a goy” is mind boggling (let alone neged halachah). This has led my husband and me to stop associating with some who have been friends for decades.

I normally don’t comment on websites, but I’ll come out of lurkerdom for this one. As an ultra-Orthodox Kollel wife living in Israel, I hereby declare the obvious – spitting on people, throwing rocks at them (unless they’re physically attacking you or some such), and preventing flights from functioning smoothly are not what God wants from us. (I don’t have a problem with a person politely trying to avoid sitting next to a person of the opposite gender – preferably by doing something to accomplish this ahead of time – but while calmly asking somebody if they would mind switching seats with you is fine, demanding a different seat and making things unpleasant for those around you is NOT.)

I am a Chassidic orthodox woman who believes everyone as a "tzelem elokim" (image of g-d) in them

Hi am an Orthodox Jew and I strive to respect everyone.

I’m Orthodox (what some people would call chareidi) and I respect human beings. I’d like people to know that nobody thinks rock-throwing is okay except the rock-throwers themselves (and some truly ill people). Holding up flights 🙁
I just want everyone to know that we are not dysfunctional and repressed, despite what nearly every novelist/documentary filmmaker/newspaper decides to portray us as.