opinions\ letters
My Orthodox Life:
A Response to
‘My Unorthodox Life’
T BY RABBI JOEL E. HOFFMAN regime entails studying
Tanach (Hebrew Bible), which
he reality series “My is full of moral and ethical
Unorthodox Life” is teachings, analyzing fine
the talk of the Jewish points of Jewish law and
world since its airing on Netflix engaging in deep-thinking on
on July 14. The show’s star concepts in Jewish philosophy.

Julia Haart, who left her Ultra- When I pray I speak to God,
Orthodox community in 2013 but when I study God “speaks”
at age 42, quickly advanced to me — which means I obtain
in the fashion industry and answers to ultimate questions,
is CEO of the modeling and every day I encounter a
agency Elite World Group. In teaching that is apropos for
the show, Haart constantly something current in my life.

(3) By eating only kosher
bashes Orthodox Judaism
with misrepresentations while food I concretize the value
trying to showcase that living of all life. This is because the
kosher slaughtering process is
a secular life is way better.

I am not writing to cast the most ethical way to end
judgment on Haart for her an animal’s life since it assures
life choices. Judaism forbids the quickest death with the
me from judging anyone but least amount of pain. Keeping
myself. Rather, what follows kosher is Judaism’s compromise
is a counter perspective to with vegetarianism.

(4) Throughout my day I try
Haart’s propaganda against
Judaism in general, and to live according to the Jewish
Orthodox Judaism in particular. maxim: “Think Good and It’ll Be
My Orthodox Life consists Good,” as well as the teachings:
See the good in every person;
of ...

(1) Immediately upon see the positive in every
waking up in the morning my situation; and view every
first words are “Modeh Ani challenge as an opportunity.

the hardest
Lifanecha ...” which thank God Perhaps
for giving me another day. Also, commandment to observe is
three times per day I engage in not speaking “Lashon Hara” —
formal prayer, and throughout which is not to say something
the day I say a blessing before about a person that I would not
and after eating or drinking. say if that person was present.

The first series of prayers Trying to live by these ideals
in the morning reminds me is the ultimate in personal
of dozens of gifts from God development.

(5) No essay about Judaism
such as a properly working
digestive system, eye sight, would be complete without
clothes and freedom. Praying discussing Shabbat. Every
and saying blessings helps me Friday night I enjoy akin to a
foster a sense of appreciation, Thanksgiving dinner with my
which is a key component for family, and for 25 hours I am
free from all appointments and
living a happy/joyous life.

(2) A staple of everyday refrain from using technology
Jewish life includes studying — so no using a cellphone,
Jewish texts. My daily study computer or car. Plus, all
the food I intend to eat on
Saturday is cooked before
Shabbat. Shabbat aligns a
person to spend one day per
week focusing on only the
important things in life: family,
camaraderie with other Jews,
praying and learning, while
getting mental and physical
rest. A Shabbat afternoon nap
is amazing! (Why did afternoon
naps stop after kindergarten?!)
If God ever said we no
longer had to keep Shabbat,
probably 99.99% of Jews who
traditionally keep Shabbat
would continue to do so.

Haart has rejected all the
above and says she gets
meaning from being “free,”
which for her manifests
in wearing sexy outfits and
eating oysters; and she also
purposely uses the biased
word “Fundamentalism” to
badger Orthodox Judaism.

Interestingly, Haart’s show
co-stars her three adult
children, of which two have
remained Orthodox and they
concurrently demonstrate
that one can be an observant
Jew even while working in
the fashion industry. (Haart
also has a teenage son who is
Orthodox, lives with his dad
and appears on the show.)
There are aspects of the
show which I like and I intend
to watch future seasons,
but my focus here is on My
Orthodox Life. As one can
hopefully see from this essay,
the more Jewish practices
in which a Jew engages, the
more meaning he or she will
add to their life. l
Joel E. Hoffman is ordained as a
rabbi but works as a math and
special education teacher.

Book Review Perpetuates Left-Wing Smears
Both the novel and its reviewer (“Bibi Netanyahu as Fiction,”
June 17) perpetuate the leftist smears that former Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is two-faced when addressing
domestic/foreign audiences, that he is Manichean and that he
disdains the galut.

It was former Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman
Yasser Arafat whose modus operandi was to lie in English as he
fomented an intifada in Arabic; it was Netanyahu who forged
a productive relationship with Putin despite his alignment with
the Ayatollah, and it was Netanyahu who burnished ties with
American Jewry despite persistent sabotage from groups such
as the ADL.

As a fellow graduate of Cheltenham High School, I find it
reprehensible that omitted from both the book of fiction and
its fictionalized review, was any citation of how his political/
moral character was impacted both by his father’s scholarship
at Dropsie College and his brother’s death at Entebbe.

ROBERT B. SKLAROFF | RYDAL
Criticism of Israeli Government Not Anti-Israel
Greater Philadelphia ZOA Executive Director Steve Feldman’s
op-ed (“Don’t Wait for War to Defend Israel,” June 17) asking us
to defend Israel is a perfect example of what Jews and Israel
do not need. It is full of innuendo, accusations, generalizations
and false statements, while at the same time professing to tell
the “abundantly clear” truth and decrying the spread of much
disinformation. So, let us not spread more disinformation.

We certainly need to be vigilant and active. Balanced
education initiatives concerning Middle East history are needed
across the country. This is a long-term process. But, know this:
The folks I know can find Israel on the map and fully support
its right to exit in peace. Yet they disapprove of what the Israeli
and U.S. governments have been doing. Being critical of the
actions of your own or other governments does not a priori
make one anti-anything other than these governments.

As we have learned in the U.S., people are easily driven
to hate, mistrust and a belief in falsehoods, to say nothing
of violence and brazen damage of person and property. To
advocate for Jews to “press” leaders at all government levels for
resolutions that blindly support Israel without acknowledging
both sides of the historical equation does everyone a disservice.

We do not need more of this rhetoric.

But, we do need to acknowledge the need for peace in the
Middle East, and the role of Middle East leaders on both sides
in making the peace possible. For many decades, now, neither
side has been helpful in this mission. l
FRANK L. FRIEDMAN | PHIL ADELPHIA
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