18Forty Podcast Mark Wildes: Is Modern Orthodox Outreach the Way Forward? [Denominations 3/4]
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Jan 27, 2026 Rabbi Mark Wildes, founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience and ordained at Yeshiva University, leads Modern Orthodox outreach and Jewish education for young professionals. He discusses who does outreach and why, the challenge of sustaining newcomers after programs, making Shabbat inviting for many, and how small communities help integrate people into lasting Jewish life.
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Kiruv Is A Specific Educational Mission
- Kiruv is distinct from general adult education and aims to introduce foundational Judaism for long-term sustainable practice.
- Rabbi Mark N. Wildes emphasizes that outreach teaches the teacher's own lived Yiddishkeit, not a neutral curriculum.
The Real Question Is: Where Do They Go Next?
- Most full-time professional outreach workers come from classical yeshiva backgrounds rather than modern Orthodoxy.
- Wildes says the critical difference is not training but the post-outreach communal destination for converts.
NCSY's Peer-Led Summer Model
- Wildes recounts NCSY's strengths: non-professional staff and organic peer influence among teens.
- He credits NCSY with seamless integration of participants into Orthodox life due to its authentic peer-led model.
