Submitted by Chayyim Pesach (a.k.a. Gary) Silverman, Dec 28, 2006 09:37

The third side of the coin ...... Jews born Jews into assimilated families and later in their life choose to join the ranks of the Orthodox/Torah community in the USA, comprise another statistic which is not measured nor discussed much, if at all, in reports such as Mr. Halkin's.

Since 1967, when the Kiruv (Outreach) Movement began, many organizations, such as Shor Yoshuv Institute, Chabad-Lubatvitch, Shlomo Carlebach, and in later years, Young Israel, Orthodox Union, Lakewood Kollels, et. al., have developed programs that have attracted thousands of Jews, men and women, who but for these programs would probably not have had the information about Torah Judaism which enabled them to make a choice to become observant and Orthodox. This is the great untold story about the power of Torah and Jewish lifestlye education to spark a flame in individual Jewish souls that results in Torah observant families being founded where there may not been Jewish families at all, or Jews leading lives that continue the "spiritual holocaust" in America.

I am one of those who were "rescued" and then chose to build a Torah life. I married and we just celebrated the birth of our fourth grandchild. My wife is also a "Baal Teshuvah" (Master of Return).

My story is very interesting as is my wife, Sarah's. Anyone wishing to learn more about me or my wife and our experience can email me at-- chayyim@silverman.biz

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