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Off the derech (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ, pronounced: /ˈdɛrɛx/, meaning: "path"; OTD) is a Yeshiva-English expression used to describe the state of a Jew who has left an Orthodox way of life or community, and whose new lifestyle is secular, non-Jewish, or of a non-Orthodox form of Judaism, as part of a contemporary social phenomenon tied to the Digital, Postmodern and Post-postmodern eras. In its broadest sense it can also include those changing to a milder form of Orthodoxy.[2] Despite the term's pejorative and controversially dichotomic and definitive nature, it has become popular in use among Orthodox people, is found in mainstream literature,[3] and has also been reclaimed by some OTD individuals.[4]
Leaving Orthodox Judaism, especially the Haredi community, is largely reported to be a difficult experience emotionally, socially, and financially, often involving multiple risks and losses. The combined findings of a significant body of studies which have examined a wide and varied array of reasons given for leaving suggest that exiting is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon, its motivations of which can be defined in several ways: disaffiliation as immigration (aversion from and/or attraction to the differing living conditions of origin or destination, respectively), as apostasy (faith related), as liberation from a coercive group, and as standing for one’s identity. A common denominator between the narratives is an intensity in the individuals' desire to leave, underscored by their readiness to pay the high price involved.[5]
Aggregations of ex-Orthodox individuals may comprise a social movement, though there is no organized effort to convince people to leave, making it more a social phenomenon than a movement. Reports show the rates of attrition from Orthodox Judaism in the US and the UK to be at 33%-52%, and US data appears to show a decline when comparing those born between c. 1990-2002 with those born before 1990.[6] Similar trends in leaving religion exist in Islam, the LDS movement, Hinduism, Pentecostal Christianity, Roman Catholicism, and evangelical Christianity.[7]
The OTD phenomenon is of interest to Orthodox Jews, non-Orthodox Jews, members of the general public, and exiters themselves. This interest has generated many narratives expressed in the form of memoirs,[8] podcasts,[3] studies,[9] documentaries,[10] film[11] & TV,[12] and opinion pieces.[13] While initial memoirs and documentaries of exiters focused on those leaving Hasidic communities,[8][14] experiences of individuals from other Orthodox communities (Modern Orthodox, yeshivish, Haredi, etc.) differ in several significant ways. Though they do exist,[15][16] fewer representations of non-Hasidic Orthodox exiters make it to page or screen, explained by some scholars and journalists as pandering to the non-Jewish gaze which responds more to the shock of visibly-different people shedding religious attire.[17]
- ^ Algemeiner, The (31 March 2019). "The Yabloner Rebbe - Algemeiner.com". www.algemeiner.com. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Cappell, Ezra; Lang, Jessica (2020). Off the derech : leaving Orthodox Judaism. Albany: The State University of New York Press. p. XII. ISBN 9781438477244. Retrieved 7 May 2023. (Cited content is in the free excerpt).
- ^ a b “OTD: Leaving Religion.” 18Forty, https://18forty.org/otd-leaving-religion/.
- ^ Cappell, Ezra; Lang, Jessica (2020). Off the derech : leaving Orthodox Judaism. Albany: The State University of New York Press. pp. IX–XIV. ISBN 9781438477244. Retrieved 7 May 2023. (Cited content is in the free excerpt).
- ^ Velan, Baruch; Tawil, Yoel; Marciano, Avichay; Truzman, Tammar (June 2022). "Disaffiliation from Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Communities: Life Trajectories Shaped by the Axes of Rigidity–Fluidity and Alterity–Inclusion". Contemporary Jewry. 42 (2): 293–314. doi:10.1007/s12397-022-09452-z. PMC 9403967.
- ^ Cooperman, Alan; Smith, Gregory A. (October 17, 2013). "Eight facts about Orthodox Jews from the Pew Research survey". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Handbook of Leaving Religion", Handbook of Leaving Religion, Brill, 2019-10-07, ISBN 978-90-04-33147-1, retrieved 2024-03-10
- ^ a b Deen, Shulem (2015-03-24). All Who Go Do Not Return: A Memoir. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Graywolf Press. ISBN 978-1-55597-705-4.
- ^ Fader, Ayala (26 May 2020). Hidden Heretics. Princeton University Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-691-16990-3. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lelio, Sebastián (2018-04-27), Disobedience (Comedy, Drama), Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola, Braven Films, Element Pictures, Film4
- ^ Unorthodox (Drama), Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch, Studio Airlift, Real Film Berlin, 2020-03-26
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Fox, Mira (7 December 2022). "The top Jewish podcast changes the narrative on Jews who leave the Hasidic world". The Forward. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "One of Us (2017 film)", Wikipedia, 2024-01-06, retrieved 2024-03-10
- ^ Mirvis, Tova (2017-09-19). The Book of Separation: A Memoir. Boston: Harper Perennial. ISBN 978-0-544-52052-3.
- ^ "Disobedience (novel)", Wikipedia, 2024-02-04, retrieved 2024-03-10
- ^ Schwartz, Shira (January 25, 2022). "The Unorthodox Choice (@theTable: "Unorthodox Media")". Feminist Studies in Religion.