On The Road With A Guitar And A Shtreimel

The young Belzer yungerman from Manchester thought he knew all about kiruv tactics. Eight years ago he was newly married had just moved to Monsey and spent Shabbosim with his older brother who had a constant stream of baalei teshuvah at his table.

“You have a good rapport with these guys” he encouraged Aryeh. “You should get into it.”

And so sharp-witted sociable Aryeh began to plow through the seforim diligently — Shaar HaYichud Chovos HaLevavos — he wanted to be prepared to debate G-d’s existence. When he felt he had the philosophy down pat he was ready for the showdown. He called Partners In Torah and asked to be matched with an intellectual. Within ten minutes he proved to his new phone chavrusa from Dallas the truth of G-d’s existence and the veracity of Torah — but something in the equation didn’t add up. Aryeh debated his phone-pal every week for two years but the Texan on the other end of the line still had no interest in keeping halachah.

Then something happened that would turn Aryeh Royde’s kiruv philosophy upside down.