18Forty Podcast Moshe Krakowski: Why Jews Leave Faith Behind [OTD 1/3]
19 snips
May 20, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Moshe Krakowski, a professor at Yeshiva University, delves into the complexities of why individuals leave Orthodox Jewish communities. He explores factors such as the emotional and intellectual challenges of faith transitions, the sociocultural context driving these decisions, and the importance of creating a vibrant, nourishing Jewish identity. Listeners will find insights into the motivations behind both leaving and staying within faith communities, as well as the significant role of education in shaping religious beliefs.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Misalignment as an Exit Sign
- Misalignment between personal, communal, and educational religious worlds disrupts normative Orthodox identity.
- Such misalignment acts as a destabilizing risk factor prompting individuals to consider leaving.
Leaving Isn’t Pathological
- Leaving Orthodoxy is often seen negatively, but leaving is not pathological.
- The real deviance is staying within the restrictive Orthodox norm, not leaving.
Worldviews as Complex Networks
- Religious worldview is a network of interdependent assumptions, not isolated beliefs.
- Changing one belief is insufficient; entire network shifts or persists intuitively.