The Spiritual
Transformational Processes
of Baalei Teshuvah
Roberta G. Sands and
Rivka A. Danzig (dec.)
Goals of Today’s Presentation


Present a model of spiritual
transformational processes of Jewish
adults who have become Orthodox
Identify implications of this model for
working with individuals with health
challenges
Prior Literature and Research on
Religious/Spiritual Change





Research on religious conversion
Psychosocial and spiritual development
theories
Spirituality and religion as meaning-making
framework
Literature on baalei teshuvah
Prior research has not addressed processes
of change among baalei teshuvah over time
Definitions





Spiritual transformation: movements of the
soul toward and away from the “Divine
Source of Being” (Steinsaltz,1987)
Processes of ST: “soul work”
Soul work involves active meaning-making
Three elements
•
•
•
Expanded knowledge of Torah
Experience of Holiness (Qedushah)
Perform commandments (mitzvot).
The transformation processes are nonlinear, recursive, and spiraling
Qualitative Research Methods

Data collection methods
• Individual interviews (N = 48, half men, half
women; half observant 2-12 yrs, half 13+)
• In-depth interviews
• Time lines
• Focus groups (N = 2)
• Key informant interviews (N = 10)

Individual and focus group interviews were
transcribed; key informant interviews were
summarized.
Qualitative Methods of Analysis




Review of transcribed interviews and focus
group meetings, minutes of team discussions,
and analytic memos
Using a grounded theory approach (Glaser &
Strauss, 1967), inductively developed and
revised analytic categories and framework for
model
Coding of transcripts
Cross-checking of findings across methods
(triangulation)
Case Example 1
Rochel: 31 year-old single woman, observant 4.5
years. Parents divorced when 8. Mother had
significant mental illness. Lived with different
parents in different cities. Continuity in Jewish
affiliations. Traveled in Israel, where learned
Hebrew, and Germany. Studied in seminary in
Israel and became Orthodox on return to US.
Continues to struggle with issues around
feminism.
Case Example 2
Barbara: 35 years old, married with children;
observant 18 years. Grew up in intact home;
attended Jewish day school. Active in
Jewish youth groups. Started to become
observant in high school; continued during
college. Law school + high powered job.
Married & moved to Israel; later returned to
US. Gave up law to teach because law
“didn’t jive with my soul.” Gives classes and
leads services for women.
The Model of Spiritual Transformational
Processes
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Spiritual Eclipse of the Soul
Spiritual Imprints
Existential Vacuum
Spiritual Reactivity
Spiritual Immersion
Movement toward Qedushah
Living the Commitment (open-ended)
I.
Spiritual Eclipse of
the Soul

Definition: muting, silencing, or blocking of spiritual
needs by adverse or non-supportive experiences

Result of lack of exposure to Jewish education or
practice, disapproving attitudes by family and others, &
other experiences (e.g., child of Holocaust survivor,
family conflict or abuse)
“I felt so cheated. That there was this whole part of who I was,
or who I could be connected to, that was kept totally away from
me.” (Shira)
II. Spiritual Imprints

Definition: Individuals or experiences that leave a
strong impression on the individual’s soul or spiritual
development
•
•
They may be from childhood or adulthood
Examples: grandparents, lighting Sabbath candles, youth
group activities, contact with charismatic rabbis
“I was awestruck…a watershed moment in…my relationship with
Judaism…a very powerful transformation for me…his impact… on
me was very, very deep.” (Jeffrey)
III. Existential Vacuum

Definition: A state of inner emptiness and the perception
that life lacks meaning (Frankl, 1963)

Characterized by feelings of loneliness, shame, chaos,
and confusion and a sense that “something is missing”

May be manifested by depression, restlessness, tension,
ennui, & “spiritual emergencies” (Grof & Grof, 1990)
“There’s something missing….When you think of a wheel and a
tire, you think of the spokes and the hubcap. Now what’s the
center of our life?” (Danielle)
Opens up space for the unfolding of spiritual reactivity 
IV. Spiritual Reactivity



Definition: Struggling, striving, and searching for meaning in
response to existential vacuum
Unfocused spiritual seeking within diverse spiritualities and
Judaism
Reactions: rebellion, separation from family/friends, wandering
“We used to go up to the ashram…. It wasn’t so much about G-d; wasn’t
about religion. It was about spirituality…having transcendental
experiences, feeling my body floating or whatever.” (Yehudis)
“I see a poster... that there was going to be a Bible study class….I had no
interest in learning the Bible; I just wanted to meet some girls. But I met
this rabbi.” (Steven)
V. Spiritual Immersion

Definition: serious engagement in activities within
Judaism that enable connection with G-d

Characteristics:
•
•
•
Incremental study, gradually taking on mitzvot, and
forming new relationships that link them with
religious community.
Idealization of new connections and community.
“Spiritual canyoneering” ----------- >
Spiritual Canyoneering
"I'm the kind of person that
doesn't like to walk into
cold water; I like to jump….I
jumped deeply into it before
I really knew what it was all
about or what I was going
to experience…. As a kid I
would jump off large cliffs
into quarries. And it's kind
of what I did going into
being religious, too. I didn't
think about it too much.”
(Jeffrey)
VI. Movement toward Qedushah


Definition: a spiritual process in which one deepens one’s
relationship with God and intensifies one’s commitment to
the practice of Judaism
Characteristics:
•
•
•
Engagement in a deliberate and directed transformational process
•
•
•
Cascading learning process
Continued, expanded spiritual seeking, learning, and observing
“BT high”
Spiritual struggles
From straddling two worlds to making a commitment
"You can't just do one mitzvah. You start doing one. Because I
wanted to learn to read from the Torah, I started to go to minyan,
and I started putting on tefillin. And then I started going to
Shabbes services." (Barry)
VII. Living the Commitment


Definition: observance becomes
normative and pervades one’s everyday
life and spiritual/religious existence.
Characteristics
• Observing mitzvot on daily basis
• Regular Torah study
• Engaging in acts of lovingkindness (chesed).
• Participating in community and leadership.
Living the Commitment
“I'm trying very hard now to structure
my week to go to as many women's
shiurim (classes) as I can….That it
keeps me…revved up and in the right
direction." (Shira)
“Davening is… the most important part
of the beginning of my day.” (Amy)
“… we wiped ourselves out as a family,
with doing a lot of volunteering. But it
felt so good…. We had so much energy
and enthusiasm, and we wanted to
give, and we wanted to raise money for
good causes, etcetera.” (Yehudis)
Discussion





Gradual process, not leap into faith
Prior eclipses and losses of meaning create need
for new sources of meaning
(Spiritual) transformation occurs in the context of
relationships with “spiritual models” (Oman &
Thoresen, 2003)
Heightened group identification and solidarity
support the process
Deepening of knowledge of one’s religion &
religious values is inspiring
Discussion—cont.




The need for knowledge slows the process
down
Social support, modeling, and community
reinforcement spur the process on
“Doing” reinforces what one has learned
Chesed and community service appear at
the highest level of spiritual transformation
Implications for Health

Spiritual transformation develops from an unmet
need for a framework to structure meaning
•
•


Need derives from prior losses or gaps (eclipse of soul)
Need to construct a meaningful life (existential vacuum)
Serious health issues of oneself or others can
provoke a need for a new framework for meaning
Critical elements for change:
•
•
•
Emotional support
New knowledge
Religious communities or social networks that draw people
in and enhance and reinforce spiritual/religious values
Research Team
Roberta G. Sands, PhD, PI
Rivka Ausubel Danzig, DSW, Co-PI
Robyn Rapoport Spero, MA, Research
Associate
Samuel Z. Klausner, PhD, Research
Consultant (volunteer)
Interviewers from 3 metropolitan areas
Transcribers from 2 metropolitan areas
Acknowledgments
We are grateful for the funding and
support provided by The Spiritual
Transformation Scientific Research
Program, sponsored by the
Metanexus Institute on Religion
and Science, with the generous
support of the John Templeton
Foundation.
We also thank Temima Azizollahoff
Danzig for creating our logo.