The huge demonstration in Israel and America against the
Conservative and Reform certainly left an impact on all
Orthodox Jews. The united call from all of our Torah giants
to protest against any recognition of their heretic groups
impressed on all of us the great danger inherent in these
groups.
It is therefore paradoxical that I must mention again
attempts by so-called Orthodox groups to cooperate with the
Conservative, Reform and other heretical groups in various
ways which give them credibility. The now defunct Synagogue
Council of America and the still existing New York Board of
Rabbis were the showcase of cooperation between Orthodox,
Conservative and Reform. They were prohibited by all our
gedolim in 1954-1955. One of the main "heterim"
of the so-called orthodox participants who disregarded the
prohibition of the gedolim and took part in these
organizations was and is that these organizations deal only
with non-religious issues which are common to all Jews, but I
showed ("Clarifying the Nature of Orthodox Judaism,"
Yated, parshas Vayeiro) that this claim is a total
farce.
A new interdenominational rabbinic group was formed in
Washington, D.C. last month which includes "orthodox"
conservative, reform and reconstructionist rabbis. Even
though the group, which calls itself North American Board of
Rabbis (NABOR), was opposed by the secretary of the
"orthodox" Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) (and by
conservative and reform spokesmen as well), still no action
has been taken by the RCA to prohibit its members from
joining NABOR. In fact, the president of NABOR is a member of
the RCA.
Apparently, the RCA's criticism of NABOR was political and
not a matter of religious ideology. This is also evident from
the fact that the RCA continues to allow its members to join
the banned New York Board of Rabbis. NABOR, which is being
well-funded by some high-powered individuals, is continuing
with no major protests from the orthodox establishment to
discredit any so-called "orthodox" member of this
organization. The publicity this slick organization is
releasing continues to cause confusion. These two examples
are only the tip of the iceberg of the ongoing cooperation by
so-called Orthodox groups with the Reform and
Conservative.
In a related matter, the Mercaz Harabbonim -- Chicago
Orthodox Rabbinate must be commended for its ongoing efforts
to fight any de facto recognition of the conservative
and reform. The Mercaz launched a non compromising campaign
several years ago against allowing the conservative to use
the orthodox mikveh for any of their "conversion
ceremonies."
Several groups are attempting to establish a so-called
mechitza minyan in a suburban Chicago conservative
temple, in spite of the fact that HaRav Moshe Feinstein in
Igros Moshe Orach Chaim (III,25 and IV,91) prohibits
it. Another very respected Orthodox organization also
advertised a presentation of theirs in that same temple. Our
yasher koach to the Mercaz Harabbonim of Chicago which
is trying to stop all "orthodox" activities in that
temple.
The month of Nisan is the month of geula and we must
be strong in our conviction to oppose any cooperation and
recognition of the Reform and Conservative before we can be
zoche to true redemption.
