RE: Jewish music performance series/take1

[Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl...>]

Bob,

I never said that.  The only point I was trying to make is that although 
some people expect individual Conservative and Reform Jews to 
automatically, by definition, be more liberal in accepting converts, they 
may find individual Orthodox Jews more ready to accept converts than they 
imagine.   I think that Reform will accept anything (too readily as far as 
everyone is concerned, and Reform leadership agrees), so they are not 
relevant.  I have found that that on a personal and emotional level, 
traditional and conservative Jews _may_ not always be as accepting in their 
hearts, because their connection to Judaism is more emotional, cultural, 
ethnic, or racial rather than theological.  Formally and institutionally, I 
believe everyone is accepting of converts.  But I was referring to some 
individuals' personal levels.

"Frum from birth" Jews know very well that the Conservative and Reform Jews 
are Jewish, but they just think that they are better Jews.

Orthodox and Conservative conversions are both without a doubt "halakhic", 
but they just stress different things.


I don't think that we are disagreeing on anything.


Reyzl



----------
From:  robert wiener [SMTP:wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com]
Sent:  Sunday, September 26, 1999 8:41 PM
To:  World music from a Jewish slant
Subject:  Re: Jewish music performance series/take1

Reyzl,

I know of no "holding" in Conservative or Reform Judaism that converts
are "not quite legitimate Jews."  Nor is that my experience in
practice in such non-Orthodox synagogues as Ansche Chesed (Manhattan),
B'nai Jeshurun (Manhattan), Town & Village (Manhattan), and CSAIR
(Bronx).  All four have many active members who were not born Jewish,
many of whom are "of color".  In all four places, we all make Jewish
liturgical music together without distinction of background.

There may be individuals in these (and other) places who do not
welcome "others" into their self-defined (religious, ethnic,
socio-economic, political...) group.  But that is not representative
of the general feelings in these synagogues or of their rabbis.

In fact, I have met Jews who identify themselves Orthodox who do not
recognize me as being Jewish (perhaps because I didn't go through an
Orthodox conversion -- I was just born Jewish).  And my wife reports
of those who identify themselves as "frum from birth" (FFB) and reject
anyone who is not as a spousal prospect.  I hope that is not
representative of Orthodox Judaism in general.

Bob

P.S. I wonder if your use of the term "halakhic" conversion excludes
Conservative conversions.  Is it your position that Conservative
Judaism is not halakhic Judaism?  That is certainly not how it
identifies itself.  (See Rabbi Joel Roth's "The Halakhic Process: A
Systemic Analysis".)

As to Reform Judaism, it seems to be moving to more traditional
practices itself.


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