Someone like You

B"H

According to my own experience: Many chassidic men are one of the greatest gossips I have ever met in my life. People love to say that women are chatterboxes and never stop talking but look at men !

Male Chassidim are interested in anything concerning their society: What does the Rebbe do ? What other groups do ?

Of course, the own Rebbe is the greatest and other Rebbes are second class !

How are the Rebbitzens of other groups ?

Of course, my own Rebbitzen is perfect; an Eshet Chayil, generous, smart and kind. Let alone her Chesed. Other Rebbitzens, of course, are less smart, stupid and not as pious as my Rebbitzen.

There is so much gossip around next to all those holiness and especially male Chassidim are getting excited.

A former Israeli Gur (Ger) woman has a private blog on the Internet. How she left the group and why. Not because she felt any hatred but just chose another (secular) lifestyle. She recently appeared on the Israeli TV channel 33 (Education Channel) and spoke about her life then and now. I did not see the report but was told that she came from the Gerrer community in Ashdod and now lives as a totally secular Jew in Tel Aviv.

Countless Israeli Haredim (incl. Chassidim) love her blog and her story. Not those from Gur, I suppose but others. It gives them an opportunity to point the finger at another group:

"Oh, look what's happening in Gur !"

Particularly in Gur, as the runaway writes about their secret Takanot such as sex and female behaviour.

There are plenty other "Off - The - Derech" blogs around. Most of them in the English speaking world. One Chassid asked me to send me more of those URLs because he is interested in cases like me. He knows all about religion and the beauty and holiness about Chassidut and is now looking for something "more" exciting.

"Like me ? I asked. Why me ? I have only been in society for about a year before I ran away".

The answer was that he is interested in any kind of such people and why they do it.

When I asked him if does not have enough cases in his own group, he denied that there are cases. "Well, a few but runaways are very rare".

Making it sound like "This only happens in other groups but not in my own one". :-)

I am trying to get hold of a video with the interview with the Ex - Gerrer lady because I am interested in one response. If the TV ever asked her this particular question.

For one reason, most "Off - The - Derech - People are being troubled by guilt feelings.

Can I be secular and what does G - d think about me ? How "light" religious should I be in order to keep my guilt as low as I can ?

I would love to know what the woman has to say about this.

Nevertheless, as soon as I get hold of a video, I will let you know !