The Spiritual Transformational Processes of Baalei Teshuvah

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The Spiritual Transformational Processes of
Baalei Teshuvah

• Roberta G. Sands and
• Rivka A. Danzig (dec.)

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Goals of Todays Presentation

• Present a model of spiritual transformational
  processes of Jewish adults who have become
  Orthodox
• Identify implications of this model for working
  with individuals with health challenges

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Prior Literature and Research on
Religious/Spiritual Change

• Research on religious conversion
• Psychosocial and spiritual development theories
• Spirituality and religion as meaning-making
  framework
• Literature on baalei teshuvah
• Prior research has not addressed processes of
  change among baalei teshuvah over time

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Definitions

• Spiritual transformation movements of the soul
  toward and away from the Divine Source of Being
  (Steinsaltz,1987)
• Processes of ST soul work
• Soul work involves active meaning-making
• Three elements
• Expanded knowledge of Torah
• Experience of Holiness (Qedushah)
• Perform commandments (mitzvot).
• The transformation processes are non-linear,
  recursive, and spiraling

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Qualitative Research Methods

• Data collection methods
• Individual interviews (N 48, half men, half
  women half observant 2-12 yrs, half 13)
• In-depth interviews
• Time lines
• Focus groups (N 2)
• Key informant interviews (N 10)
• Individual and focus group interviews were
  transcribed key informant interviews were
  summarized.

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Qualitative Methods of Analysis

• Review of transcribed interviews and focus group
  meetings, minutes of team discussions, and
  analytic memos
• Using a grounded theory approach (Glaser
  Strauss, 1967), inductively developed and revised
  analytic categories and framework for model
• Coding of transcripts
• Cross-checking of findings across methods
  (triangulation)

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Case Example 1

• Rochel 31 year-old single woman, observant 4.5
  years. Parents divorced when 8. Mother had
  significant mental illness. Lived with different
  parents in different cities. Continuity in Jewish
  affiliations. Traveled in Israel, where learned
  Hebrew, and Germany. Studied in seminary in
  Israel and became Orthodox on return to US.
  Continues to struggle with issues around feminism.

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Case Example 2

• Barbara 35 years old, married with children
  observant 18 years. Grew up in intact home
  attended Jewish day school. Active in Jewish
  youth groups. Started to become observant in
  high school continued during college. Law
  school high powered job. Married moved to
  Israel later returned to US. Gave up law to
  teach because law didnt jive with my soul.
  Gives classes and leads services for women.

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The Model of Spiritual Transformational Processes

1. Spiritual Eclipse of the Soul
2. Spiritual Imprints
3. Existential Vacuum
4. Spiritual Reactivity
5. Spiritual Immersion
6. Movement toward Qedushah
7. Living the Commitment (open-ended)

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Spiritual Eclipse of the Soul

• Definition muting, silencing, or blocking of
  spiritual needs by adverse or non-supportive
  experiences
• Result of lack of exposure to Jewish education or
  practice, disapproving attitudes by family and
  others, other experiences (e.g., child of
  Holocaust survivor, family conflict or abuse)
• I felt so cheated. That there was this whole
  part of who I was, or who I could be connected
  to, that was kept totally away from me. (Shira)

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II. Spiritual Imprints

• Definition Individuals or experiences that leave
  a strong impression on the individuals soul or
  spiritual development
• They may be from childhood or adulthood
• Examples grandparents, lighting Sabbath candles,
  youth group activities, contact with charismatic
  rabbis
• I was awestrucka watershed moment inmy
  relationship with Judaisma very powerful
  transformation for mehis impact on me was very,
  very deep. (Jeffrey)

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III. Existential Vacuum

• Definition A state of inner emptiness and the
  perception that life lacks meaning (Frankl, 1963)
• Characterized by feelings of loneliness, shame,
  chaos, and confusion and a sense that something
  is missing
• May be manifested by depression, restlessness,
  tension, ennui, spiritual emergencies (Grof
  Grof, 1990)
• Theres something missing.When you think of a
  wheel and a tire, you think of the spokes and the
  hubcap. Now whats the center of our life?
  (Danielle)
• Opens up space for the unfolding of spiritual
  reactivity ?

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IV. Spiritual Reactivity

• Definition Struggling, striving, and searching
  for meaning in response to existential vacuum
• Unfocused spiritual seeking within diverse
  spiritualities and Judaism
• Reactions rebellion, separation from
  family/friends, wandering
• We used to go up to the ashram. It wasnt so
  much about G-d wasnt about religion. It was
  about spiritualityhaving transcendental
  experiences, feeling my body floating or
  whatever. (Yehudis)
• I see a poster... that there was going to be a
  Bible study class.I had no interest in learning
  the Bible I just wanted to meet some girls. But
  I met this rabbi. (Steven)

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V. Spiritual Immersion

• Definition serious engagement in activities
  within Judaism that enable connection with G-d
• Characteristics
• Incremental study, gradually taking on mitzvot,
  and forming new relationships that link them with
  religious community.
• Idealization of new connections and community.
• Spiritual canyoneering ----------- gt

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Spiritual Canyoneering

• "I'm the kind of person that doesn't like to walk
  into cold water I like to jump.I jumped deeply
  into it before I really knew what it was all
  about or what I was going to experience. As a
  kid I would jump off large cliffs into quarries. 
  And it's kind of what I did going into being
  religious, too.  I didn't think about it too
  much. (Jeffrey) 

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VI. Movement toward Qedushah

• Definition a spiritual process in which one
  deepens ones relationship with God and
  intensifies ones commitment to the practice of
  Judaism
• Characteristics
• Engagement in a deliberate and directed
  transformational process
• Cascading learning process
• Continued, expanded spiritual seeking, learning,
  and observing
• BT high
• Spiritual struggles
• From straddling two worlds to making a
  commitment
• "You can't just do one mitzvah.  You start doing
  one. Because I wanted to learn to read from the
  Torah, I started to go to minyan, and I started
  putting on tefillin.  And then I started going to
  Shabbes services." (Barry)

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VII. Living the Commitment

• Definition observance becomes normative and
  pervades ones everyday life and
  spiritual/religious existence.
• Characteristics
• Observing mitzvot on daily basis
• Regular Torah study
• Engaging in acts of lovingkindness (chesed).
• Participating in community and leadership.

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Living the Commitment

• I'm trying very hard now to structure my week to
  go to as many women's shiurim (classes) as I
  can.That it keeps merevved up and in the right
  direction." (Shira)
• Davening is the most important part of the
  beginning of my day. (Amy)
• we wiped ourselves out as a family, with doing
  a lot of volunteering. But it felt so good. We
  had so much energy and enthusiasm, and we wanted
  to give, and we wanted to raise money for good
  causes, etcetera. (Yehudis)

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Discussion

• Gradual process, not leap into faith
• Prior eclipses and losses of meaning create need
  for new sources of meaning
• (Spiritual) transformation occurs in the context
  of relationships with spiritual models (Oman
  Thoresen, 2003)
• Heightened group identification and solidarity
  support the process
• Deepening of knowledge of ones religion
  religious values is inspiring

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Discussioncont.

• The need for knowledge slows the process down
• Social support, modeling, and community
  reinforcement spur the process on
• Doing reinforces what one has learned
• Chesed and community service appear at the
  highest level of spiritual transformation

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Implications for Health

• Spiritual transformation develops from an unmet
  need for a framework to structure meaning
• Need derives from prior losses or gaps (eclipse
  of soul)
• Need to construct a meaningful life (existential
  vacuum)
• Serious health issues of oneself or others can
  provoke a need for a new framework for meaning
• Critical elements for change
• Emotional support
• New knowledge
• Religious communities or social networks that
  draw people in and enhance and reinforce
  spiritual/religious values

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Research Team

• Roberta G. Sands, PhD, PI
• Rivka Ausubel Danzig, DSW, Co-PI
• Robyn Rapoport Spero, MA, Research Associate
• Samuel Z. Klausner, PhD, Research Consultant
  (volunteer)
• Interviewers from 3 metropolitan areas
• Transcribers from 2 metropolitan areas

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Acknowledgments

• We are grateful for the funding and support
  provided by The Spiritual Transformation
  Scientific Research Program, sponsored by the
  Metanexus Institute on Religion and Science, with
  the generous support of the John Templeton
  Foundation.
• We also thank Temima Azizollahoff Danzig for
  creating our logo.