A Message from Our Editor
Written by Penina Taylor
Some time ago I gave a talk on the difference between knowledge and belief. In the talk I explained how in English, the word “knowledge” is understood to be stronger than the word “belief.” If I say that I know it’s 3:00 p.m., that’s a much stronger statement than if I say I believe that it’s 3:00 p.m.
And yet, the truth is that belief is much stronger than knowledge. A belief is something you hold to be true regardless of evidence to the contrary. Knowledge is an understanding of something acquired through experience or education, the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Still sounds like knowledge is stronger, right? Except knowledge does not always affect behavior, but belief always does.
Think about it – there are hundreds of millions of smokers in the world. And a very high percentage of them know that smoking is bad for you. And yet, they smoke. How many things do I do even though I know that they are not good for me or – even worse – that I know are wrong? But the things that I believe are wrong, I do not do.
One can know facts without it affecting their behavior. But how many people do things because of what they believe even though there are no facts to support those beliefs?
How many people have given their lives for what they believe? How many Jews have been slaughtered because they refused to renounce their beliefs? How many Jews died during the Inquisition because they refused to convert?
How many Christians have died at the hands of extremists?
How many radical Muslims have blown themselves up because of their beliefs?
During World War II, how many Japanese pilots killed themselves because they believed their cause to be right?
People will do all sorts of things for what they believe, even when what they know to be fact doesn’t affect their behavior.
What you believe about yourself determines where you will go in life, and what you believe about what you do determines how successful you will be.
I’ve been told that UNORTHOBOXED can’t succeed – based on the facts. But it’s not the facts that determine success, it’s the beliefs. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned during the past four months it is that we’ve got a whole lot of people who believe in us. From our incredible contributors to our amazing readers – there’s a lot of belief there. And I believe in us, because I believe in you, and I believe that there are so many Jews out there – men and women – who don’t fit in the standard Orthodox “boxes” and sometimes wonder if there’s really a place for them in Judaism. Well, we are here to give them that place, to give them a voice, and to say – you don’t have to fit in a box to have a relationship with God or to be a practicing Jew – and there are as many ways to do that as there are Jews.
Speaking of beliefs, I didn’t think it was possible, but I believe that our December issue may just be our best issue yet, and we’ve got all kinds of amazing things planned – so stay tuned! Our cover story this month is an interview with Orly Wahba, the creator of Life Vest Inside and author of Kindness Boomerang – if you read nothing else this month, you must read this, as I guarantee it will change your life! And because we love this concept so much, we’re going to be giving away a Kindness Package which includes a copy of her book, plus a deck of Acts of Kindness cards and a deck of Catching Kindness cards. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you don’t miss any of the details.
