Reformers in Cincinnati funding Yeshivos in דער ליטא

Hirshel

History has shown that our brothers the so-called "misnagdim" are very astute to follow trends. After catching on to the trend that is popular at the time, they soon claim ownership. Our era is an era of extremes, we nebech have the OTD phenomenon with kids falling from all kinds of house and groups, and at the same time we have the height of zealotry; zalonim and aronim try to catch up to the others, Rav Shteinman party and Rav Auerbach's party are out to show who is more kanoi,who has more chumrahs. The misnagdim realized that the youth likes extremes so they are jumping to the forefront, as if they invented Kanoas and chumrahs. So far both parties are still licking the bones they get from the Zionist Government, but they act as if they are kanoim on issues like that the Rav of Boston is de-legitimized because he did not go along with the קנאות flavor of the day.  Yesterday I saw this siddur of an original old time Litvak. He learned in Salaboka, like Mussar Slabodka, still saw Reb Yisroel Salanter and wrote alot to Reb Yitzchok Elchonan, someone he knew personally. He arrived to Cincinnati early and became a popular orator, saying that at least the 3-4 hours that he darshens the crowd sits and doesn't desecrate the Shabbos...He befriended Reverend Issac Weisz, the president and rabbi of the Reform Movement, who is cursed as Yemach shemoi by every frum Jew. But shockingly, the holy yeshivos in the Lita were collecting money from his congregation! and Weisz himself helped all the Roshei yeshivos! for a while he was even mad at their chutzpah to attack him and yet to come for him for money, but he still went with them to the wealthy to help them collect money! I don't think that this fact is mentioned anywhere in the Artscroll /Hamodia universe Now I see why the Lita had so much Shekotzim: Koach Hapoel B'Nif'al.....

I hope my point is clear...

how giving an aliya to a leading Reform Rabbi changed his life and now may make him completely frum

Burt Siegel now puts on Tefillin while davening with a minyan every day and learns Torah with a young chavrusah

It was only 5 weeks ago that we discussed Rick Jacob's attending the Kinus HaShluchim. We discussed what good it would do, and whether or not it would empower Reform Jews now that they are given credibility by Chabad's leadership. Whether Reform was a dying breed and Chabad's overtures to its President would only bring them closer to authentic Yiddishkeit. While the jury is still out on the Jacobs case the jury may not have such a hard time when it comes to Siegel. Simcha Bunim Siegel, that is! They may see quite clearly that Rabbi Krasnjanski's kiruv has paid dividends. That המאור שבו מחזירו למוטב, no matter how many years he studied at HUC, or how long he's preached at some Liberal Temple. And that he may just be mekarev his whole congregation as a result of the learning and davening that he does at Rabbi K's Chabad House/Kolel!.

So Rick Jacobs, URJ President, was a guest at the Kinus HaShluchim Banquet last night. Now they have what to speak about at the AI convention later this month.

Lubavitch sees it as a major "כיבוש"

The keepers of the faith see all their issues with Lubavitch as being vindicated now. They were right all along; Lubavitch is "outside the pale." I guess they'd be right if this Hungary, circa 1869. But Chabad didn't order a table at the URJ's annual convention, it was the other way around, as far as I can see. But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they were wrong for inviting him. Maybe it sends out the wrong message. Maybe they never asked a Rov. Or maybe it's the Hungarian in me talking  - we're very allergic to Reform, you know - and doubting positive action. The jury's out on this one. But then again, if you do NOTHING nobody will EVER criticize you. Nothing positive or constructive, that is. Like this next news blurb:

In other, more important news, The Sanzer Rebbe visited the Vizhnitzer (Mendel) Rebbe. Hands were shaken, wine was poured into silver goblets, and mounds of grapes, both red and green, were served. The Rebbetzin's yummiest lemon meringue pie was served on her finest bone china. A few anecdotes about deceased grandfathers and maybe even grandmothers were exchanged, and parting words were said, with eyes rolling in ecstasy. According to some people this is how REAL Jewish leaders should be spending their time, not trying to affect actual change in Judaism. This is what Rebbes should be doing with their time.