
A number of days ago there was an essay on Matzav entitled "It's Time to Put Kiruv on Ice" where the writer urged people to stop donating to kiruv organizations. His basic premise was that in these tough financial times where yeshivos are closing and people can't afford to put food on their tables people need to prioritize tzedakos and the first one that should go are kiruv organizations because money should be staying in town. Now, while I agree that money should be staying in the communities this guys argument and reasoning is flawed, "Let’s be honest: the halachic basis for kiruv is questionable, and the success rate of kiruv is questionable as well." The halachic basis is questionable? Bringing people back to yahadus is questionable? Since Avraham avinu we have been bringing people closer to G-d but this guy questions the success rate and the "halachic basis" of kiruv. I don't think there is one frum person who does not know a baal tshuvah who's life, their family's life and even their community's life has not been positively affected by one of these kiruv organizations, whether it is NCSY, NJOP etc.
However, given the behavior of a few very high profile kiruv professionals of late, perhaps the writer is on to something. First there was the release of the sick tapes by Dovid Orlofsky and the subsequent apology that was not an apology because he has no regret and had he not been caught he would not have had any charatah for what he said. He has been making these crazy hateful statements to impressionable youth for years and has not once been held accountable for his actions, nor, sadly will he be. Then there was R' Amnon Yitzchak who felt it was his job to give malkus to a singer who performed in front of a mixed crowd. I recently made a siyum on Maakos and learned it pretty thoroughly and I do not recall this as one of the things that someone gets malkos for, but it might have been in a tosfos that I missed, it's a good excuse for chazarah, to find the place where it says someone singing Jewish Music to a mixed crowd deserves to get whipped. and as if this were not bad enough, a video surfaced showing him trying to manipulate Rav Shteinman into assering Jewish Music, perhaps he needs to give himself malkos for his mistreatment of the gedolim.
If this is what the kiruv movement has become I think that the Matzav writer has it right and these types of kiruv need to be put on ice and discontinued and cut off immediately. If this writer knew some of the baalei tshuva I know, I can guarantee you he would not be making this crazy suggestion, but he most likely only knows products of the likes of Rabbi Orlofsky or Amnon Yitzchok who have perverted the torah and the kiruv movement.





