A psychological study, based on extensive interview data, of Jewish adults who take on a devout lifestyle.
Spiritual transformation is the process of changing one's beliefs, values, attitudes, and everyday behaviors related to a transcendent experience or higher power. Jewish adults who adopt Orthodoxy provide a clear example of spiritual transformation within a religious context. With little prior exposure to traditional practice, these baalei teshuvah (literally, "masters of return" in Hebrew) turn away from their former way of life, take on strict religious obligations, and intensify their spiritual commitment. This book examines the process of adopting Orthodox Judaism and the extensive life changes that are required. Based on forty-eight individual interviews as well as focus groups and interviews with community outreach leaders, it uses psychological developmental theory and the concept of socialization to understand this journey. Roberta G. Sands examines the study participants' family backgrounds, initial explorations, decisions to make a commitment, spiritual struggles, and psychological and social integration. The process is at first exciting, as baalei teshuvah make new discoveries and learn new practices. Yet after commitment and immersion in an Orthodox community, they face challenges furthering their education, gaining cultural knowledge, and raising a family without parental role models. By showing how baalei teshuvah integrate their new understandings of Judaism into their identities, Sands provides fresh insight into a significant aspect of contemporary Orthodoxy.

motw/The Spiritual Transformation of - Roberta G Sands.epub

motw/The Spiritual Transformation of - Roberta G Sands.pdf

United States, United States of America

Albany, New York, 2019

producers:
Acrobat Distiller 11.0 (Windows)

Memory of the World Librarian: outernationale

Contents 8
List of Tables 10
Acknowledgments 12
Introduction: The Context of Spiritual Transformation 16
Terminology 19
Spirituality 19
Spiritual Transformation 21
Terms Related to Religious Change 23
Theoretical Underpinnings 25
Psychosocial Perspective 25
Sociological Perspective 27
Immigration, Assimilation, and Religious Intensification 28
The Baal Teshuvah Movement: Reactionary, Cult, or Revivalist? 33
The Research Study 36
The Social Context of this Study 41
The Question of Gender 42
Themes and Format of the Book 43
Summary 45
1. Beginnings 46
Research Participants’ Family Backgrounds 47
Earliest Memories 50
Earliest Memories of Thinking about God 50
Earliest Memories of Thinking about Spirituality 53
Earliest Memories of Thinking about Religion 56
Personal-Familial Challenges 60
Inspiring Experiences 64
Summary 69
2. Searching, Finding, and Making a Commitment 72
The Process of Change of Baalei Teshuvah 75
Random Exploration 76
Random Exploration of Other Spiritualities 77
Random Exploration of Judaism 79
Existential Vacuum 82
Spiritual Shock 85
Active Exploration of Judaism 90
Transitioning 95
Reversals 98
Commitment 99
The Place of Teshuvah in the Process 102
Diverse Pathways 103
Summary 105
3. Developmental Trajectories 108
Development Stages at Time of Commitment 108
Late Adolescent Committers 109
Emerging Adulthood Committers: Twenties 111
Early Adulthood Committers: Thirties 113
Middle Adulthood Committers: Forties+ 115
Evaluation 116
Developmental Stages at Time of Interview 116
Quantitative Findings on Erikson’s Stages 119
Summary 122
4. Challenges of Novices: Learning and Adapting 124
Spiritual Guidance 126
Language Literacy 129
Learning 133
Davening 138
The Holiness of Shabbat 144
Summary 147
5. Marriage, Parenting, and Relations with the Family of Origin 150
Marriage 150
Being Married 157
Parenting 161
Relations with Family of Origin 168
Summary 175
6. Spiritual and Religious Struggles 178
Struggles over Feminist Ideology 179
Struggles over Infertility, Illness and Death 189
Infertility and Birth Complications 189
Illness and Death 191
Maintaining Belief 194
Struggles over Personal and Familial Issues 198
Struggles over Religious Requirements in the Face of a Lingering Attraction to the Secular World 200
Summary 203
7. Psychological and Social Integration 206
Psychological Integration 206
Separation-individuation 207
Blending Who One Was with Who One Is 209
Being Oneself While Conforming to Community Norms 212
Integrating Religion and Work 215
Dealing with Losses 218
Consolidation 219
Social Integration 221
Initial Reactions: Amazed, in Awe, and Intimidated 223
Preferences for Other Baalei Teshuvah 226
De-idealization 229
Changes in Social Integration over Time 231
Passing 232
How Well Integrated Are They? 234
Summary 237
8. Incorporating Spirituality into Everyday Life 238
Thoughts about Spirituality and Religion 239
Thoughts about God 241
Relationship with God 242
Talking to God 244
The Hand of God 247
Gratitude 250
Healing 253
Spiritual Aspirations and Growth 255
Summary 257
9. The Spiritual-Religious Transformation and Its Consequences 260
The Changes 261
Challenges and Costs 265
Benefits 268
Why Do They Become Frum? 269
Gender 271
Toward a Theory on the Process of Spiritual Transformation 272
In Conclusion 275
Appendix A. Individual Interview Questions 276
Individual Interview Questions 276
Introductory Questions: Earliest Remembrances 276
Development of Spiritual Timeline 276
Questions Based on Spiritual Timeline 276
Relationships 277
Religious Life 277
Community Involvement 277
Life Events 278
Spirituality And Meaning 278
Identity 278
Current Associations (Social Integration) 278
Current Spiritual Orientation 278
Concluding Questions 279
Appendix B. Focus Group Questions 280
Focus Group Questions 280
Questions for Focus Group #1 280
Questions for Focus Group #2 281
Appendix C. Key Informant Questions 284
Key Informant Questions 284
Notes 286
References 292
Index 304

"Spiritual transformation is the process of changing one's beliefs, values, attitudes, and everyday behaviors related to a transcendent experience or higher power. Jewish adults who adopt Orthodoxy provide a clear example of spiritual transformation within a religious context. With little prior exposure to traditional practice, these baalei teshuvah (literally, "masters of return" in Hebrew) turn away from their former way of life, take on strict religious obligations, and intensify their spiritual commitment. This book examines the process of adopting Orthodox Judaism and the extensive life changes that are required. Based on forty-eight individual interviews as well as focus groups, it uses psychological development theory and the concept of socialization to understand this journey. Robert G. Sands examines the study participants' family backgrounds, initial explorations, decisions to make a commitment, spiritual struggles, and psychological and social integration. The process is at first exciting, as baalei teshuvah make new discoveries and learn new practices. Yet after commitment and immersion in an Orthodox community, they face challenges furthering their education, gaining cultural knowledge, and raising a family without parental role models. By showing how baalei teshuvah integrate their new understandings of Judaism into their identities, Sands provides fresh insight into a significant aspect of contemporary Orthodoxy"-- Provided by publisher

2025-10-27