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#891803
yichusdik
Participant

Nisht, I don’t think I have. Newsflash. There is no regular frum, moderate frum, frum, ultra frum. Sorry to use such strong language, but I think that is all garbage, intended to put up walls between Jews when we are directed to extend a hand. Frum is frum, and it isn’t a narrow thing, it means observance of halocho, granted with different interpretations. I reject the divisions you imply utterly.

I know personally dozens of graduates of Ner Yisroel who identify hashkafically in way similar to R’ Lipman, and who are part and parcel of the yeshivish community. He has not divorced himself from his Alma Mater any more than they have.

His words in the article, If I read it correctly, were not directed at the Chardal. Not at anyone in Eretz Yisroel, actually. They were directed at kids who feel alienated, disenfranchised and uninspired by the institutions they learn in and by the methods that are being used to teach them. I don’t know if he is right. My point was not to reject him out of hand because you identify more with the people he and his community are being besieged by in Beit Shemesh.

Lastly, you and I have different understandings of the words “political activist”. Where I come from, that means someone, anyone, who steps beyond the usual voter apathy, who takes an issue of importance to his community or constituency, and uses the means, ways, and tools available to advocate for his constituency on that issue. It may mean raising money for a politician who he agrees with, it may mean using the media to put forward a message, it may mean going door to door before an election to get out the vote. It may mean identifying with a new party that he and his community feel will represent them well. All of these are political activism. None of these is against Torah. Frum Jews from Satmer to Bnei Akiva do it all the time. And the manhigim of the frum parties in the Knesset did and do it too, to pursue goals they saw as important as R’ Lipman sees his.

The differences you are trying to paint are entirely artificial.