From
The
Rabbi
Rabbi Jerry Seidler, Temple Sinai


Divrei Rabbi Jerry
Rabbi Jerry Seidler
TempleSinai

Healthy Jewish Inter-Movement Relations: Good For Unity And Diversity(And Much More)

Our Temple has made great strides in modeling Jewish harmony. Our congregation has been a leader and shining light on healthy Jewish inter-movement relations. The Gesher Religious School was set up to commence an effort in Buffalo towards an integrated, multi-movement community Jewish religious school. The partnership with Conservative Beth El and the inclusion of children from Reform Congregation Havurah has been positive educationally, Jewishly and in strengthening intra-Jewish relationships. Whether we actually expand the school this year to include children from another Conservative synagogue, and perhaps from a Reform one, the point is that Temple Sinai’s congregational leadership is working hard to nurture Jewish community here when demographic and social pressures may tend to obstruct the endeavor.

We also have long collaborated with Reform congregations in joint holiday services and through the Institute of Liberal Jewish Studies. Just last month, we hosted and co-sponsored an Israel advocacy program with Hadassah, the Jewish Community Center, the American Jewish Committee, and Reform and Conservative congregations. We actively publicized an event on Ethiopian Jewry held at an Orthodox synagogue.

It saddens me that parts of our Jewish world refuse to see that Ahavat Yisrael, the value of intra-Jewish love, includes loving respect of other movements and joint action which would only invigorate Jews and Judaism. I do not understand how Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, a former Chief Rabbi of Israel no less, taught this past Yom Hashoah that Reform Judaism caused the Holocaust. Or why so few dared to challenge his underlying premise: that liberal Judaism (Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal, etc.) is an inherently illegitimate Judaism.

Columbia University Professor Jonathan Schorsch, whose father had been the titular leader of Conservative Judaism, published an op-ed piece in the Jerusalem Post recently expressing his frustration over Orthodox hatred and intolerance towards liberal and secular Jews. Rabbi Avi Shafran, of the Orthodox Agudath Israel, responded that the Orthodox do not hate heterodox Jews, but did agree that non-Orthodox Judaism was not Judaism, that non-Orthodox Jews should stop pretending that it is, and that they should stop leading people astray down the path of such heresy.

On Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, an Israeli Reform rabbi was invited – and then not allowed due to Orthodox protests -- to chant the Eil Malei Rachamim memorial prayer at a local ceremony in Israel. It did not seem to matter that Rabbi Micky Boyden was himself a father of an Israeli soldier who was killed in combat. His ordination, his Judaism, and even his sacrifice were not kosher enough in the eyes of some.

Of course, there are far too many examples of liberal or secular Jews mocking the Orthodox and the Chassidim for their beliefs and lifestyles. Hatefulness and prejudice cross movement boundaries.

My friends, Reconstructionist Judaism is all about empowering Jews to build a vivid and meaningful Jewish life in a diverse Jewish community. The key to our success is our ability to foster Jewish unity while maintaining and strengthening our Reconstructionist Jewish spiritual home. I salute our leadership at Temple Sinai in this regard, and am dedicated to working both for Jewish unity and for growing our unique, separate Temple as a beacon of progressive Jewish life. We are bringing holiness into our world at Temple Sinai.

Reconstructionist Judaism Makes the Heart Joyful, Sharpens the Mind, Brings Peace to the World. A Teaching from Rabbi Jerry

Blessings,
 Rabbi Jerry
Rabbi Jerry H. Seidler
Temple Sinai
50 Alberta Drive
Amherst ,  NY 14221
(716) 834-0708
www.jrf.org/templesinai


 Updated: Thursday, May 03, 2007
Return to Main Page