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Member since:: 12/31/2006

Last Logged In:: 08/17/2009

Comments (7)

Posted in: Satmars for Obama's Middle East policy

07/09/09 01:44 PM

“Life is Judaism’s most precious commodity; its preservation and the prevention of bloodshed are its more central tenet. When life is in jeopardy all commandments that guide Jewish life must be set aside in order to preserve human life. My heart therefore aches over the endless loss of innocent life just to hold on to lands inhabited by one’s enemies." So they have become pacifists? Or maybe they sympathize with the ten spies who recommended to Moshe not to jeopardize life to secure their due territory? Or perhaps deplore Joshua, not only as a minority spy but as one who actually made sure that the blood flowed freely in Jericho. Despite the slaughter that the residents of Satu Mare experienced after deportation in the 1940's they seem to have quickly forgotten that a secure refuge from attack, whether Kiryas Joel or Bene Brak, is what enables preservation of the lives they claim to hold in ultimate regard. rich the furrydoc

Posted in: Conservatives soften on intermarriage

07/09/09 01:29 PM

I'm not sure if the various arms are delusional, too risk averse for their own good or simply procrastinators who put off tasks that may evoke either justified or unjustified criticism but they have to deal with the intermarrieds among them. To have an issue of their magazine devoted to people who have come to Conservative Judaism out of attraction to ideology while ignoring the high prevalence of their patrons who come to Conservative Judaism out of attraction to their spouse evades their reality. It also diminishes the editorial credibility of what their editors opt to publish. Not only do they have to deal with the intermarrieds but they also have to deal with a dysfunctional family of branches like Men's Clubs, Women's League, Cantors, Rabbis, Educators, educational institutions and summer camps, et al, all with sometimes parochial agendas that diverge from a movement highly dependent on centrality of positions. Wishing the new USCJ Executive Director a sincere Bracha v'Hatzlacha as he tries to tame and streamline this bureacracy. rich the furrydoc

Posted in: Hebrew schools: Market solutions needed

07/08/09 05:32 PM

Consumerism in Judaism lags far behind the notion of shopping in other parts of our culture. In the last generation, committement of the Jewish public to synagogues, Federations, social organizations and even schools has declined disproportionately to the reduction in the American Jewish population. While the leaders of these organizations often see membership or participation as their entitlement for carrying the banner of Judaism into the next generation, those sitting on the sidelines often function more in the consumer mode. Joining a synagogue may cost $2000. What do I get for it and is that the best way to spend that sum? JCC or YMCA? Depends whether my interest is swimming or Jewish adult Ed classes. The Jewish public has shifted from patrons of Jewish organizations to purchasers of Jewish goods and services. The leadership, which is often inbred to the point of emerging recessive genes bringing forth thinking out of the mainstream of the public they need to serve, seems to have a lot of trouble understanding this transition of Jewish culture and accomodating their organizations to it. rich the furrydoc

Posted in: Conservative group hit with more demands

03/17/09 05:45 PM

They just announced a new executive directory who, before he even parks his tush into the swivel chair in front of his computer or buys his first airline ticket to learn the lay of the land, people in authority are kvetching and threatening. Certainly there is a lot that needs to be fixed. Those inside the tent know that and those who have left USCJ congregations to seek their fulfilmnet someplace else have already expressed that by voting with their feet. As one who has left, with macher swoops helping to direct me onto the exit ramp, it is very disconcerting that individual congregational presidents have the authority to direct their congregations to disaffiliate. That is what macher swoops are all about. Whether inside the tent or outside, disenfranchising people from expressing their views, or making the expression futile, helped deplete the USCJ over a generation. These presidents seem to want to accelerate that same outrage even more. rich the furrydoc

Posted in: Atlanta layoffs

03/16/09 12:56 PM

This would be an interesting story to explore more thoroughly beyond a telegraphic agency summary. Presumably the Atlanta Jews were less able to support their central agency though no mention of how the depletion came about in such a grand scale. How dependent are Federations on a few big donors as compared to widespread small contributions? How dependent are they on donations of stock or endowments which have contracted in value or income? Did any of the economic leaders or senior staff go out and mend fences with those who sit on Federation sidelines from adverse prior experience? There may be a lot to be learned about how organized Judaism operates and where its vulnerabilities lie. rich the furrydoc

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