Hello, Janet. My guess is that the premise of your study, as stated, will not bear any accurate results. While I understand the assumptions/observations that you have made and wish to pursue, the term "Orthodox Jew" no longer has any well defined meaning.
Anybody can call themselves an "Orthodox Jew" with a straight face - and you'll be hard pressed to convince them otherwise. A limited number of people, however, will call themselves a "Torah Jew". So, perhaps this group might be a more definitive focus group for your study. Without elaborating on this further, then, may I propose an alternative thesis statement for your study (based on my limited knowledge, anyway)? How about: "Why are there no Public Libraries in Me'ah Shearim?" In the interim, here are some ideas for your consideration 1) The "Public Library" of the Torah Jew is called a "Beis Midrash". There are differences between the two venues, especially in their purposes. Women are not excluded from Torah study as many claim. Their venues and purposes are simply different. A reputable seminary will provide more details. 2) Since the Torah is all encompasing, there is no real reason for a a Torah Jew to pursue knowledge outside of a Beis Medrash. While it is a valid issue, the lack of tznius in today's public libraries, is really besides-the-point and almost apologetic. Unfortunately, many certifcation granting organizations do not readily accept Talmudic thought or sources. So, a visit to a Public Library for case material might be necessary. The Internet is the ultimate Public Library of today. 3) Consider researching what Torah Judaism has to say about the Septuagint. On the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, we mourn the translation of the Jewish Scriptures into Greek. I think this would bring out some interesting commentary for your study. Hope this helps, Good Luck, Cheers, Avi Avi Shoub E-libraries Israel Authorized VTLS Marketing Agent Authorized WebClarity Reseller Freelance Technical Writer (02) 999-7543 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.e-libraries.co.il Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the AJL =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
