Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
I’ve been asked over the years how a self-described Orthodox Jew raised in the Boston area, steeped in the lessons of the Rav (R. Joseph Soloveitchik, tz’l), and whose affiliations have been 100% mainstream Orthodox can be a proud card-carrying member of the transdenominational Union for Traditional Judaism?
To be honest, my wonderment is almost the reverse – why haven’t more members of the Orthodox community over the past four decades affiliated with the UTJ?
My first exposure to the UTJ was 20+ years ago, when the organization was headquartered in Mt. Vernon, NY. I attended a yom iyun and was introduced to presentations on kashruth (specifically, the processing of dyes in food and beverages and how one cherry flavor could be kosher and another treif), the development of halakha, and textual learning of an episode in the Chumash and how that text compares and contrasts with ancient codes that existed during the time the Torah was given.
When the program concluded, I was on both an intellectual and spiritual high. I had never experienced religious learning that so seamlessly synthesized history, textual analysis, religious codes and an intense respect of the past with a welcoming of present-day issues and understandings.
In the intervening decades, I have learned Torah from some of the most incredible minds, from Rav David Weiss Halivni to Hakham Isaac Sassoon to Rabbis David Novak, Alan Yuter, Ron Price, Richie Wolpoe, Reuven Kimelman and many more. I’ve also appreciated the UTJ’s consistently fearless approach to in being among the first to host events around the major concerns of sexual predation in religious communities; challenges and disparagements confronting mature singles in Orthodox communities; and seeking halachic solutions that adhere to traditional Jewish law while opening a more welcoming pathway for those in the openly gay community. In all these discussions, opinions are diverse, but the tone is always respectful.
So perhaps the question I opened up with should be reframed: How could a self-described Orthodox Jew … NOT be a proud card-carrying member of the Union for Traditional Judaism?
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In the professional world, Mitch Morrison is an award-winning journalist with a ceaseless curiosity that has crossed over into the Jewish World.
Raised in Brookline, MA, and guided by the philosophical approach of Rav Joseph Soloveitchik, zt’l, Mitch has spent much of his adult life volunteering on the education boards of Jewish Day Schools, Orthodox synagogues and today continues his volunteer activities with Partners in Torah, and helps pen opinion pieces for multiple rabbis.
Upon graduating from Maimonides Day School, Mitch enrolled at Boston University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in journalism with magna cum laude honors. From there, he studied at Yeshivat Hamivtar in Efrat, learning under both Rabbis Shlomo Riskin and Chaim Brovender.
Since the late 1980s, Mitch has worked at newspapers and business magazines, and is currently a vice president for a business trade media, where he writes and speaks about retailing trends and interfaces with many top retail executives.
Mitch joined the UTJ in the early 1990s, drawn by the organization’s synthesis of fidelity to halakhah with academic and historical scholarship.
“The UTJ brings a Torah approach that is three-dimensional,” Mitch says. “It recognizes that Torah and halakhah do not reside in some far-off island, unaware or consciously ignorant of society’s flaws and fortunes. The beauty of Torah is that it’s built for humankind and, when lived and applied properly, underwrites an extraordinary morality that elevates everyone it touches.”
Over 20+ years with the UTJ, Mitch edited its Hagahelet newsletter and has helped organize events, including on halakhic conversion, sexual molestation in the halakhic community, and challenges confronting adult singles.
Mitch and his wife, Leslie, are the proud parents of two children and reside in Passaic, NJ.