off the derech

Meaning

• no longer following the Orthodox religious path
• having left or substantially reduced observance after an Orthodox upbringing

Alternate spellings

off-the-derech, OTD

Usage and context

A sensitive community label, often used for someone raised Orthodox who no longer observes that way. It can oversimplify a person's identity and should be used carefully.

Example in Yeshivish

He went off the derech in his late teens.

Plain-English example

He stopped living an Orthodox observant life in his late teens.