JEW VS. JEW

One thing that is very sad - and a terrible waste of energy - is the Jew vs. Jew rivalry.  (By the way, the book, with that title was a wonderful book - by Samuel Freedman - very interesting, well written - important subject.) 

Having practiced and studied in 3 of the major 4 branches of Judaism I can say that all three branches have important aspects that are WONDERFUL and all three branches have some drawbacks - believe me - it's as simple as that.

I was shocked when I was in the Orthodox world at the HORRIBLE things some Orthodox people said about Reform Jews and Reform Judaism and also Conservative Judaism.  It was nasty and ugly and showed extreme ignorance and one might well say stupidity.  But then I was equally shocked when I was with Liberal Jews to hear the ridiculous things some of them said about Orthodoxy.  It also showed a great deal of ignorance and, in both cases, simplistic narrow-mindedness - and hatefulness - which is truly ugly.  It was shameful on both sides and made me sick in both cases. 

The fact is that the various branches of Judaism are not going to go away any time soon - and anyone who thinks they are is deluding himself. 

Most Reform Jews are NOT going to suddenly give up being Liberal Jews and become Orthodox.  IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.  We say: Give it UP.  Get REAL.  I have little patience with that kind of thinking.  (Though we don't blame anyone for TRYING - and EDUCATING - and INFORMING - and demonstrating by example - all that is to the GOOD - for sure!...)

And, similarly, Liberal Jews who look down their noses at the Orthodox don't have a CLUE as to what makes Orthodoxy so special and wonderful - and ESSENTIAL to Judaism - they don't have a CLUE... 

It's PATHETIC on BOTH COUNTS! 

Our aim with this website and with this program is to promote traditional Jewish practices that are valued and appreciated and respected by all the major branches of Judaism.  We will leave the controversial stuff out. 

But we can't help but mention, that Orthodox Jews really could stand to understand more about Reform and Conservative Judaism and what's excellent in them and the role they play in the world FOR Jews - and Liberal and Non-affiliated Jews could really stand to know and understand more about Orthodoxy and what makes it unique and special - and CENTRAL to Judaism.  Believe me, the Jewish world would be better for it in all cases!

Thank you for NOT TELLING US HOW YOU "HATE" - don't understand - don't appreciate - don't have a CLUE about - ONE BRANCH OR THE OTHER. 

Instead - go learn something about that branch.  You might change your mind once you KNOW something.  I did.  That's how I came to APPRECIATE Orthodox Judaism - by getting into it in order to know more about it - and I discovered that it wasn't stupid at all, as I had THOUGHT - it was WONDERFUL - even if I didn't agree with - or appreciate - every aspect of it.  That's what can happen when you open your mind and open yourself to new experiences.  It really can change how you think!

And that's what we'd like to help you to do. 

By the way - a wonderful story.  I was taking a great Talmud class that just so happened, met in a Reform Synagogue in Greenwich Village (NY.)  The teacher was more traditional but he was happy to teach all kinds of Jews about Talmud.  At one point people in the class grew curious as to how an Orthodox person might view certain ideas put forth in the Talmud.  It fell to me - the one who knew the Orthodox world  best - to find someone to answer these questions. 

I made several phone calls to various Orthodox synagogues and organizations and found several people willing to talk about Talmud but none of them willing to set foot into a Reform Synagogue! - until I got to Rabbi Naftali - a Lubavitcher/Chabad Rabbi - born and raised in Crown Heights - the center of Lubavitch/Chabad Judaism.  He said he would be HAPPY to come talk with us about Talmud.  And so he did - and it was a DELIGHT for all.  We learned a tremendous amount from Rabbi Naftali - and SURPRISE! - Rabbi Naftali learned something he wasn't EXPECTING to learn from Reform Jews - which was, how genuinely serious the group was about its study of Talmud! 

So - goes to show - Jew vs. Jew - and "holier than thou" - and other devaluations of Jews from different denominations - are the dumbest waste of energy imagineable! 

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