Overview terms and definitions Page 1 of 5

You qualify to fill this out if:

1)You were raised in an observant home (Observed at least Shabbat and kosher according to Orthodox Judaism) OR became observant on your own
                  AND
2) You stopped being observant either permanently or temporarily:

1. * How would you classify your upbringing?
Traditional
Secular
Modern Orthodox
Halachik
Yeshivish/Black
Chassidic
2. * How would you classifiy your elementary school?
Secular
Modern Orthodox
Black
3. * How would you classifiy your high school?
Secular
Modern Orthodox
Black
Chassidic
4. * Did you attend yeshiva after high school?
Yes
No
5. If yes, how many years did you attend?
6. How would you classifiy the Yeshiva?
Modern Orthodox
Black
Chassidic
7. Did you attend YU?
Yes
No
8. * At what age did you stop being observant?
9. * What was the first mitzvah you broke?
10. * At the time, did you feel bad about breaking the mitzvah?
Yes
No
Not Sure
11. For how long have you not been or were you not observant (keep shabbat and kosher)?
12. * Are you observant now?
Yes
No
13. If you had to attribute your NOT being observant to one thing, what would it be (in a sentence)?
14. * If you are single, do you see yourself being observant when/if you marry?
Yes
No
15. * If you are married, did your marriage lead you to become more observant than you had been?
Yes
No
16. * Overall, how would you rate the following?
Relationship with parents growing up: Good Bad Fair Non-existent

Relationship with teachers: Good Bad Fair Non-existent

Orthodox Jewish school experience: Good Bad Fair Non-existent

Orthodox Jew communal experience: Good Bad Fair Non-existent
17. Did/do you have a Rav?
Growing up
Currently
Neither
Both
18. Please identify which of the following you think are the three most ultimate values in life:
Happiness
Freedom
Truth
Goodness
Love
Family
Growth
Other

Your Family terms and definitions Page 2 of 5

1. * How would you classify your parents’ observance level?
Mother
Secular
Traditional
Modern
Halachik
Black
Chassidic
Father
Secular
Traditional
Modern
Halachik
Black
Chassidic


2. If they were different in observance levels, was that a source of tension between them?
Yes
No
3. Growing up, were you exposed to the following (please check):
TV
Secular Music
Secular Books
Socializing with non-Jews
Socializing with non-frum Jews
Socializing with opposite sex
4. * Did it bother you that you were not exposed to more?
Yes
No
5. * Did you feel that observance was imposed on you?
Yes
No
6. Did your family know then or at any point that you were not observant?
Yes
No
7. How did they react when they found out?
Understanding and supportive
Dissapointed but accepting
Angry and rejecting
8. How many siblings do you have?
9. How many of your siblings are observant?
10. Are they ...
Modern Orthodox
Black
Chassidic

Your Beliefs terms and definitions Page 3 of 5

1. * How would you define being observant?
Observing Shabbat and Kashrut
Being Halachik
Other

Do you believe that:

2. * GOD gave the Torah?
Yes
No
Not Sure
3. * Talmudic Rabbis had the authority to apply the Torah/make rules?
Yes
No
Not Sure
4. Rabbis today have the authority to make rules or apply the Torah?
Yes
No
Not Sure
5. Orthodox Judaism expresses what God wants?
Yes
No
Not Sure
6. If so, which of the following belief systems and/or groups best represent(s) what God wants from man:
Traditional
Modern Orthodox
Halchick/Orthodox
Yeshivish/Black
Chassidic
Any of the above
7. God wants every Jew to Orthodox?
Yes
No
Not Sure
8. If so, which branch of orthodoxy do you think he wants Jews to be?
Modern Orthodox
Halachik
Yeshivish/Black
Chassidic
9. Jewish women should cover their hair?
Yes
No
Depends
10. If so, is that because:
God wants them to
Other (please explain)

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Please respond by making a selection that best represents your feelings about the following statements about Orthodox Judaism:

11. It can be practiced today properly:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
12. It is practiced properly today:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
13. It will make you a better person:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
14. It will make you more spiritual:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
15. It brings freedom:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
16. It is multicultural and inclusive:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
17. It is humanitarian in approach:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
18. It promotes happiness and fulfillment:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
19. It allows you to be whatever kind of person you want to be:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
20. It allows you to choose any kind of profession (barring illegal ones):
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
21. I believe you can be involved in the secular world and remain truly Orthodox:
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
22. * Were you able to question these issues in class?
Yes
No
Sometimes
23. * Do you feel you were answered satisfactorily?
Yes
No
Sometimes
24. * Were you able to ask your parents about these and other questions or issues about orthodoxy?
Yes
No
Sometimes
25. If not, do you feel that these questions were appropriate/fully answered for you anyway?
Yes
No
Sometimes

Your Education terms and definitions Page 4 of 5

If you had to guess, to what extent would you say you have experienced the following in your Jewish education?

1. Poor mentors:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
2. Teachers who were not well educated:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
3. Teachers who were dishonest:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
4. Teachers who were hypocritcal:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
5. Teachers who chided you too often or were overly dogmatic regarding observance:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
6. Teachers who for any reason could not or did not/could not relate to you:
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
7. Teachers who stifled your creative thinking:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
8. Teachers who stifled your analytical thinking:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
9. Teachers who could not answer your questions:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
10. Favoritism in the classroom based on observance level or yichus:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
11. Do you believe these relationships/experiences contributed in any way to your move away from observance?:
Yes
No
12. Please comment on the above:

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Your Communal Experience terms and definitions Page 5 of 5

Have you ever been turned off by any of the following in the orthodox community?

1. People who were smug, displayed an attitude of superiority:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
2. People who were intolerant of difference or non-observance:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
3. People who were hypocritical:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
4. People who berated or marginalized other observant communities:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
5. People who were racist:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
6. People who committed Chilul Hashem:
None
A few
Many
About half
More than half
Most
7. Do you believe these relationships/experiences contributed to your move away from observance?
Yes
No
8. Please comment on the above:

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