8:00pm: Why Are Baalei Teshuva Mistreated?

This week’s edition of MyLife: Chassidus Applied with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Episode 180, will air tonight, Sunday, here on CrownHeights.info, beginning at 8:00pm. This week Rabbi Jacobson will address the topics: I’m Burned Out: What Can I Do to Experience an Inspiring Rosh Hashana? How to React to the Gender Identity Crisis? Why Are We Afraid of an Ayin Hora During Pregnancy? Why Are Baalei Teshuva Mistreated?

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The topics in this week’s 180th episode of the highly acclaimed popular MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, will include:

  • Chassidus Applied to Rosh Hashana 5778
  • Chof Tes Elul, Tzemech Tzedek’s 228th birthday
  • I can’t handle another Rosh Hashana
  • Different sexual orientations and identities
  • Discretion during pregnancy
  • Why are baalei teshuva mistreated and what can we do about it?
  • Follow-up:
    • Videos for kids (episode 179)
    • Building a philosophy on mistakes (episode 179)
    • Trusting your husband (episode 177)
    • Prayers from a non-Jewish origin (episode 178)
  • Chassidus Question: How can Hashem’s rule as king pre-existence?
  • MyLife Essays: “In Pursuit of the Pathway” by Gerald Rosenberg; “The Congruent Life;” “Overcoming Perfection” by Rivka Elkaim. These and other essays can be read online at meaningfullife.com/essays.

This hour-long dose of insights, broadcast live every Sunday night 8-9PM EST, is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.

In what has now become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high and great care has to be taken when speaking openly, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”

The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?

In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.

All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3s for listening on the go.

Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife.

4 Comments

  • S

    Who says they are? My parents are ba’aleTeshuvah and I’ve never seen them being mistreated

    I have friends who are ba’ale Teshuvah; some who daven in the same Shul as me, and I’ve never seen them being mistreated. On the contrary.

    Confused.

  • CR

    “Why Are Baalei Teshuva Mistreated?”

    Specifically, why is it that just about every one of my chaveirim from my yeshiva days ~25 years ago is divorced and unhappy? Every. Single. One!!! All of whom were matched by individuals in the “system;” CH and elsewhere, Lubavitch, yeshivish and “stam” chassidish. There is clearly something very wrong with how the BT cohort is being supported by the wider frum community with this rate of failure. Beyond that, there needs to be some serious accountability for this given the huge number of lives being wrecked.

  • Question for commenters and Rabbi Simon

    Why is that every time BT issue is mentioned by FFBs they bring up their “weird” ways and lack of tznius / knowledge?
    BTs is a problem for you, Crown Heights? I mean seriously? There are some fresh BTs who are like that, obviously, but what about the vast majority who live in CH for decades and are exemplary in their ways in every respect?
    Even when esteemed Rabbi defends BTs he does it patronizingly, like, OK, they are weird, but we have to love them anyway. What the heck, excuse me? What about all the FFBs? Are they example of tznius / knowledge?
    Complete lack of introspection.
    Disappointing.