Ahavas Yisroel !

For those of you who have not ever experienced religious troubles, confusion, & disbelief, do not understand what it is like for those who do, & even the one’s who have had issues now or in the past do not know how each and every individual Jew has had to handle religiosity. Every person was created differently in their thought process, sensitivities, reactions & how they utilize their “free will.” For instance just because someone has depression doesn’t mean the Dr gives everyone with that illness the same medication, because everyone responds to the same drugs differently, and needs other forms of “treatment.” So you must look at Jewish people the same way, every Jewish person will respond differently on how you try to “micarev” or talk frumkeit in to them. You can’t do the same thing for person A that you do for person B, nor can you look at them the same. Everyone has a different past. Everyone has been through things that may not be visible to the outside world. Even if you think you”know” the person inside and out.

So the next time you see someone not dressed appropriately, or not acting in a Frum fashion, or not keeping kosher, and so on and so forth. Don’t think the WORST of them. They may be on a different level of religion. They may have come very far from where they were. Don’t judge them harshly, Don’t give them mussar. Do Treat them nice, Please talk to them like human beings, Don’t stare and make them feel uncomfortable. Those things will only drive them away and ruin everything they had accomplished until now. Converting to Judaism, becoming religious, or coming back to religiosity is a very fragile state in a person’s life. All they want is acceptance, love, warmth, & learn Yiddishkeit in a pace they are comfortable with. So the next time you see someone you think is not doing things the “kosher” way, stop before looking and judging and speaking, your kind words & actions may make all the difference in the world.