Right-Wing Modern Orthodoxy Marries Haredism

I'll be blunt: I'd say the right-wing Modern Orthodox (RWMO) do in fact belong in the Haredi camp, only minus fifteen years - v'ha-meivin yavin.

I'll concede the distinction between American and Israeli Haredim. Maybe the RWMO are 15 years behind the American Haredim, and the American Haredim 15 years behind the Israeli Haredim?

But seriously, the only real difference I see between the Americans and the Israelis is that the former have no choice but to get some college education, interact with non-Jews, etc. In other words, the very nature of their existence entails some leaven in the dough, as it were, some intellectual ferment. The Israelis, by contrast, get a completely free existence in Israel and wield substantial political power to boot.

So will the American and Israeli Haredim ever meet and find their rapprochement? Not if socio-political and economic conditions remain as they are.

However, this distinction between them is purely external and accidental. I'd say that in their essence, there is no difference between the Israeli and American Haredim. The difference is purely one of nature and nurture, and if you take a Haredi from one place to the other, either he or his children will assimilate very readily.

Compare how Turkish rabbis could serve in Holland. The Turkish rabbis lacked secular education and believed in Qabala, while the Dutch laity was the opposite. But both were ultimately from Spain, making them kindred spirits. Put a Dutch in Turkey or a Turk in Holland, and he'll quickly assimilate, or at least his children will.

I'd say the same of the Haredim in America and Israel.

And the RWMO are creeping ever closer to the American Haredim. If the Haredim reject the RWMO, it's only because they're such good inventors of a tradition (v'ha-meivin yavin), so good that they forget what they said 15 years ago.