Unfriendliness to Less Observant Jews

Question

Dear Rabbi,
Is there any Halacha that forbids strictly religious Jews from socializing or even returning greetings (such as “hello” or “good Shabbos”) to less observant Jews? Well, many people who live in our community apparently believe there is.
My wife and I are Orthodox Jews, just not in the same way as most of the Orthodox Jews of our community. We don’t appear outwardly religious. I am not a full-time kippah wearer and I never wear black hats. My wife wears short sleeves and pants and shorts a lot of the time and doesn’t cover her hair. Both of us wear T-shirts and jeans most of the time.
We are members of a shul that has a low mechitza and where most people drive there on Shabbos and are fully accepted, although we walk there. We keep kosher, but we don’t follow strictness like Cholov Yisroel, for example. We enjoy a lot of secular entertainment. Most of our close friends are non-religious Jews.
The street we live on has mostly those who are supposedly more religious than we are. We try to be friendly with them. We consider them our fellow Jews, even though they are different. And they ostracize us over these differences. They return greetings like “hello” and “good Shabbos” with silence and sometimes dirty looks as if we invaded their personal space. The only time any of them make conversation with us is when they are angry about something, such as when our 2-year-old wanders into one of their yards. One time when that happened, I told the guy “you are my fellow Jew. You should be nice to me.” He just walked away with a mean look.
I once took a shiur when I was growing up in which the rabbi said it is a mitzvah to say hello to another. And if someone says hello to you and you do not return the greeting, it is as if you have robbed that person. The rabbi said this as if it applies to everyone you greet or who greets you, no strings attached. I was highly influenced by what I learned.
I am wondering what you think as a rabbi. I know you might tell me that I should just become like all my neighbors and the problem will be solved. But that’s not who we are, and if we ever became that way, it would all be for show and would not be in our hearts.
My question is, are there Jews who are so religious that they consider it permitted and maybe even required to play deaf to a fellow Jew’s greetings or any attempts to socialize? And is there any basis for such behavior in Torah law?

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Answers

  1. I cannot think of one reason why I would tell you that you should just become like your neighbors to solve the problem. Firstly, it would not solve the problem at all, it would simply cover up the problem of people not interacting properly. Secondly, it would not be an answer to your question.

    I am so, so sorry that you seem to be being treated with such disdain. A basic tenet of Judaism is to greet each person with a smile and to care for each Jew. It is a Mishnah in Pirkei Avos, 1:15. The fact that you and your family may not be as religious as the other Jewish families in your road does not preclude the obligation to treat each person with respect and to be friendly to them. More than that, in general, the only way to expose someone to the majesty of the Torah and a Torah lifestyle is by showing them its beauty, warmth and depth. Which, it sounds according to your description, your neighbors are not doing.

    If you feel a great desire to be proactive about the situation perhaps you might want to speak with the Rabbi of the Shul that your neighbors belong to and to ask him to speak with them. But, in my humble opinion, I think that the best approach is the “water dripping onto stone” approach. That you always greet your neighbors with a smile and a sincere “Shalom”. That, despite their seeming unfriendliness, you do your your best not to get involved in quarrels with them. That way, “drip by drip” you can begin to have some kind of a positive impact on them so that, in time, they learn how to appreciate having such thoughtful and welcoming neighbors.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team

  2. Thanks for your answer. We have not talked to the rabbi of our shul because he is young and new to the community and doesn’t know anyone aside from his congregants. What I was wondering is, is it alright if we write a letter to the editor of a community magazine. There are several magazines that circulate around our community, and we feel like writing about our experiences and letting the community know how we feel.

  3. If the letter is written respectfully – not confrontational nor antagonistic – simply expressing your dismay at how you and your family have been treated then it might be a good idea. However, not knowing the neighborhood dynamics and the various communities that surround your neighborhood it is impossible to conjecture whether it will have a positive effect on your neighbors or, chalilah, the opposite.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team