Breslev Spirituality: Young Jewish Orthodox in Tel Aiv

Traditional orthodox and secular Jews side by side: comfortable and separate (Mamillah Street Jerusalem, September 2009) / © 2009

Once in a while, in the evenings mostly, on a busy street in Tel Aviv you will suddenly see a white van with speakers on top. When the van is moving they play a peculiar hip-hop music with a Klezmer flavor (old eastern European Jewish style music.) When traffic lights turn red or when there is a convenient place to stop two young men dressed in loose white pants and shirt hop out and dance on the street. The scene is a bit like what the hippies looked like in the 60's in Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco without the flowers and the Indian patterns. This is one form of communication from the breslev community in Tel Aviv (see also Breslev.) The Breslev community, followers of the Rabbi Nachman of Brezlov, have organized into loose groups and attract mostly young men from non-religious background. Their message is based on the writing of Rabbi Nachman from Breslev who preached lightness and happiness in being Jewish (late 1700's to early 1800's). At the time Jews in eastern Europe aspired to become great Torah masters. Rabbi Nachman believed in living Jewish life with a purpose based on spirituality not ability as a proficient Torah student or in practicing Judaism. This message appeals to many young Jews who do not have the background or knowledge to join traditional Jewish communities.

Because Judaism is a religion with centuries of accumulated knowledge sometimes the spiritual element is shoved aside. Rabbi Nachman represented a minority in traditional Jewish history. This minority in an effort of popularizing Jewish life used spiritual practice and belief instead of study. The idea of belief and spirituality above knowledge is similar to Christian, Muslim and eastern religions. Jews have pride in this difference, men needed to learn and practice daily routines to be true Jews. Going back to biblical times, religious leaders realized the need to have highly trained religious priests as one gour and followers who believe in the religion but do not practice as another group. The orthodox Jews do not see themselves as the knowledgeable practicing group. They see themselves as the only real Jews who simply continue in the tradition of their ancestors in eastern Europe going back 400 years. This idea is what Rabbi Nachman from Breslov tried to change, or actually develop in parallel with the traditional form of Jewish practice. But the belief in spiritual over practical has always stayed a very small minority, hidden from most people.

Watching the young Brezlev dancers makes some Tel Avivians feel strange. How can young Jews redefine or actually change the way we practice religion? Or maybe even the way we believe, spirituality has not been a part of our religion. Are these people adopting practices from Hindu or even Christian religion? Or are they just "lazy Jews" who do not want to spend time studying in a Yeshiva? Or who think that following Kosher laws and praying three times a day is not for them? I am sure that many actually welcome this change in how young Jews express their beliefs. Secular Jews specially in Tel Aviv have felt excluded from traditional Judaism. Maybe by adopting spirituality and belief we can practice without feeling outsiders in our own Jewish state. Brezlev followers are resurrecting two century old idea that may make sense to most Tel Avivians. We do have a tiny drop of spiritualism in this ocean of knowledge and practice. And this spiritualism comes with music and dancing and happiness. Maybe these few young dancers on the streets of Tel Aviv can change a little bit how we non-orthodox believe and practice as Jews. If you have stories of different type of religious practices in Judaism leave a comment.