(Miami, April 13, 2015)—Aderaba, a magazine published in Israel, has in a few short years had a major impact. Since its founding in 2008, Aderaba has significantly contributed to the community of Israeli ba’aley teshuvah (returnees, or people who become observant later in life). The monthly magazine tackles core issues in the ba’aley teshuvah community, with the objective of motivating returnees to embrace a significant role in Israeli society and within the haredi world.
Targum Shlishi is helping to support the monthly magazine. Subjects addressed in Aderaba‘s articles range widely. Examples of past article topics include the role of the rabbi within the community, social involvement, and the emerging role of women as spiritual leaders.
Aderaba is a unique publication in that it is concerned with core issues in the communities of the ba’aley teshuvah, haredim, and religiously observant. The magazine also covers issues of general interest, ranging from national affairs to the arts, and from culture to philosophy. “I believe that it is the creative ba’aley teshuvah that hold the key to unlock the amazing potential within the haredi community,” says Aryeh Rubin, director of Targum Shishi. “They are the ones who can work within the system to alter the relationship of their community to the wider Israeli society. They understand societal dynamics and can help guide haredi leadership to open its doors to advanced education and job training. They can also help the community deal with the types of shortcomings that, while found in all societies, are often swept under the rug by the haredi community rather than addressed. At the same time, secular Israel can learn much from the strengths of the haredi community, such as chesed (benevolent kindness), the free loan societies, their focus on caring for the sick, and general communal support.”
Aderaba is one of several initiatives and social projects under the umbrella of the Israeli organization Nettiot (Plantings), a network of communities of ba’aley teshuvah. In fact, Aderaba has played a significant role in the establishment of the Nettiot network and its success.
“Aderaba has actually reshaped the discourse in the ba’aley teshuvah world and beyond. It has given the most sensitive and complicated issues a room to be debated. Furthermore, it has led to significant action,” says Aharon Ariel Lavi, strategic planning director of Nettiot. “It is safe to assume that without Aderaba the Nettiot network would not have existed, and the same is true for its educational institutions, social businesses, and employment projects, all creating a new trend that is bound to have a significant impact on the haredi world and Israeli society, and building a bridge between them.”
About Nettiot
There are 200,000 Israelis who identify themselves as newly religious. Nettiot was created both to serve the needs and to harness the potential of the newly religious, who are able to bridge the worlds of the general Israeli public and the haredi societies. Nettiot aims to support the growing population of newly religious individuals in their aim to live a religious life while contributing to Israeli society. For more information, visit its website at www.nettiot.org.
About Targum Shlishi
Targum Shlishi is dedicated to providing a range of creative solutions to problems facing Jewry today. Premised on the conviction that dynamic change and adaptation have historically been crucial to a vibrant and relevant Judaism and to the survival of its people, Targum Shlishi’s initiatives are designed to stimulate the development of new ideas and innovative strategies that will enable Jewish life, its culture, and its traditions to continue to flourish. For more information on the foundation, visit its website at www.targumshlishi.org. Follow Aryeh Rubin, Targum Shlishi’s director, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aryeh5.
###