by Mitch Morrison
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.
UTJ Viewpoints Contributor Mitch Morrison’s letter to the Jewish Link Editor responds to prior letters discussing the challenges for divorced and widowed women in the observant Jewish community.
I am neither a rabbi nor a scholar. But I do get nervous when someone offers absolutes to heartfelt questions that warrant thoughtful consideration and a deep review of the sources. …
The issue of a woman’s hair covering is more complex than just splitting hairs. …
So, for divorced and widowed women, our Halacha on this issue and others cited in the January 26 letter is not monolithic. My hope is you’ll find a rav who can guide you with compassion and appreciation to your situation. And that whatever you ultimately decide, you will be supported.
Read Mitch’s letter at https://jewishlink.news/letters/42316-not-splitting-hairs. The original letter to the editor “Don’t Forget the Divorced and Widowed” is available here. A prior response to this letter, “Revisiting the Divorced and Widowed” is available here.
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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.