Off the derech

Sociologically, off the derech (literally, "off the path") is a term used by Orthodox Jews to describe someone who has intentionally stopped practicing frumkeit . The phrase is often applied to rebellious teenagers. Teenagers who are not yet off the derech but who display signs of rebelliousness from Orthodox norms, such as changes in dress or associating with off the derech friends are often referred to as "teens at risk". v t e

Off the derech ( OTD ), from Hebrew literally meaning: "off the path", is an expression Orthodox Jews use to describe someone who intentionally stops practicing the tenets of his or her branch of orthodoxy. The phrase is often applied to rebellious teenagers . Teenagers who are not yet off the derech but who display signs of rebellion from Orthodox norms, such as changes in dress or associating with off-the-derech friends, are often called "teens at risk". Numerous Haredi Jews never leave the community despite losing their faith, and they are often referred to as Reverse Marranos . The off-the-derech community has developed its own identity, with blogs and active Facebook groups.

The term applies to a broad range of ex-Orthodox Jews, including those who leave Hasidic communities, ultra-Orthodox or Haredi communities, and Modern Orthodox communities. At times, individuals who move from a stricter form of Orthodoxy to a "more lenient" form of Orthodoxy are considered "off the derech" by their original, more stringent communities. OTD is not a community or movement, but rather simply describes someone who leaves an Orthodox community to find a different path in life. Such new paths can be other forms of Judaism, other religions, or no religion at all. There are three broad groups of those who have left Orthodoxy. There are those deemed to be "kids at risk" – those people who behave badly, do drugs, engage in criminal activity, and do not keep halacha ; those who are well-adjusted and have stopped keeping halacha; and those who still keep halacha, but do not share the beliefs of their previous form of Orthodoxy.

Term for someone who has left an Orthodox Jewish community History Communities Population Denominations Orthodox Modern Haredi Hasidic Reform Conservative Karaite Reconstructionist Renewal Science Haymanot Humanistic Culture Languages Hebrew Biblical Mishnaic Medieval Modern Bukharian Ghardaïa Sign Jewish Koine Greek Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Aramaic Judeo-Berber Judeo-Gascon Judaeo-Georgian Judaeo-Iranian Judeo-Italian Judeo-Malayalam Judaeo-Spanish Judeo-Tat Knaanic Shassi Yeshivish Yevanic Yiddish Zarphatic Politics Category Portal v t e Off the derech ( , pronounced: / ˈ d ɛ r ɛ x / , 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 . 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, and has also been reclaimed by some OTD individuals. Leaving Orthodoxy, 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 which can be defined in several ways: disaffiliation as immigration , as apostasy , as liberation from a coercive group, and as standing for one’s identity , though 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. The OTD phenomenon is of interest to Orthodox Jews, non-Orthodox Jews, members of the general public, and the exiters themselves, bringing forth variable representations and narratives which are expressed in forms of memoirs, podcasts, studies, film & TV, and opinion pieces. Aggregations of ex-Orthodox individuals may comprise a social 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 in falloff when comparing those born between c. 1990-2002 with older people. Similar or bigger trends in leaving religion exist in Islam , the LDS movement , and evangelical Christianity . Off the derech : leaving Orthodox Judaism . (Cited content is in the free excerpt) .