Thursday, February 4, 2010

R Bulka's observations on conversion crisis


CJnews

The Canadian Jewish News was right, and right on, in calling for unity (Jan. 14) in the face of the latest conversion crisis. Two articles on this matter also appeared, one by Rabbi Marc D. Angel in that same issue, and a followup rebuttal by Rabbi Reuven Tradburks on Jan. 21. In their disagreement, there was an obvious agreement that unity is vital. The question at hand is how best to achieve it.

I know both these distinguished rabbis and am singularly aware of their passionate commitment to the long-range welfare of our community – here, in Israel and everywhere else. So what I share with you herein is in no way to be construed as criticism of these rabbis. It’s more a personal reflection on the issue as it has developed and on the background of what once was.[...]

3 comments :

  1. Rabbi Bulka is right.

    He's been in the trenches for decades- it really is a case of 'been there, done that'.

    There is a profound difference between revolution and evolution.

    Revolution seeks to remove and overturn what precedes it, seeking to replace or centralize a power base- usually and conveniently headed up by the revolutionaries themselves.

    Evolution seeks to keep the best of what is and shedding only what is broken or not working. The 'Evolutionists' do not seek power or aggrandizement for themselves. They seek only to improve what is.

    EJF, et al, are revolutionaries. They seek power onl;y fopr themselves, patering and bullying those who won't fall into line. They are not and never have been interested in improving anything. They just want power and money.

    Think Stalin and his 'people's paradise' because that is exactly what these revolutionaries want.

    Kashrus is one example of this- and the kosher consumer pays the price. Another example are mosdos- that there is another mosad every daled amos only results in higher tuition and fewer instances of community wide efforts and programs. It's an example of 'My mosad or the highway'.

    Nice. How 'ehrlich'.

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  2. Growing Up: I don't necessarily disagree with your points on kashrut and mosdot, but I don't think you can even put those concepts in the same universe as the EJF & co. This is not personal adoption of chumrah or even communal social shunning of legitimate mekilim: this is completely abrogating open unambiguous halachot for naked political ambition. This is evil, plain and simple, and in a more intellectually honest world would immediately render the individuals involved persona non grata as much as if they had been seen in a McDonalds eating a bacon cheeseburger.

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  3. R' Shochet,mainstream Chabad Rabbi in London suggests: stop all conversions!

    http://thejc.com/judaism/judaism-features/26766/why-orthodox-rabbis-must-stop-conversions

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