Comments on: Thank You, Professor http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/ A Journal of Jewish Thought and Opinion Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:50:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Yaakov Menken http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141452 Yaakov Menken Fri, 04 May 2007 04:39:47 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141452 Yes, Eytan, it's not new, and it's not new for Prof. Hauptmann. Nine years ago she was <a href="http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0698/menken1.html" rel="nofollow">calling you intolerant</a> for daring to follow your own standards of Kashrus in someone else's home. In that case as well, she "contorted" Jewish texts (as you put it) until they said what she wanted them to, although that was precisely the opposite of what the texts actually said. One can only imagine how Saul Lieberman, who was once Professor of Talmud at JTS, would respond upon learning that today's professor is recognized not for the ability to elucidate difficult passages and transmit faithfully the words of our Sages -- but for the ability to creatively reinterpret Talmudic passages so as to lift from the pages an endorsement of current Conservative Jewish thought, much as a magician lifts a rabbit from a hat. Yes, Eytan, it’s not new, and it’s not new for Prof. Hauptmann. Nine years ago she was calling you intolerant for daring to follow your own standards of Kashrus in someone else’s home. In that case as well, she “contorted” Jewish texts (as you put it) until they said what she wanted them to, although that was precisely the opposite of what the texts actually said.

One can only imagine how Saul Lieberman, who was once Professor of Talmud at JTS, would respond upon learning that today’s professor is recognized not for the ability to elucidate difficult passages and transmit faithfully the words of our Sages — but for the ability to creatively reinterpret Talmudic passages so as to lift from the pages an endorsement of current Conservative Jewish thought, much as a magician lifts a rabbit from a hat.

]]> By: Larry Lennhoff http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141346 Larry Lennhoff Fri, 04 May 2007 01:49:04 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141346 Most of those few Orthodox Jews I know who will attend non-Orthodox services at all behave exactly as Chaplain Axelrod proposes - they daven b'yachid or at hashkama minyanim before attending the service. Would you have preferred if the recommendation had been to simply refuse to attend Orthodox services? Most of those few Orthodox Jews I know who will attend non-Orthodox services at all behave exactly as Chaplain Axelrod proposes - they daven b’yachid or at hashkama minyanim before attending the service. Would you have preferred if the recommendation had been to simply refuse to attend Orthodox services?

]]> By: Bob Miller http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141266 Bob Miller Thu, 03 May 2007 23:49:50 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141266 Years ago, I heard a Conservative clergyman deride a Reform clergyman who was advertising his availability to do interfaith marriages. The former said of the latter, "He'd marry a pig and a dog if there was any money in it". Now the Conservative movement is evolving to an even lower level in that it would impose (not merely allow) the abominations described in the Forward on principle (not merely for cash). Years ago, I heard a Conservative clergyman deride a Reform clergyman who was advertising his availability to do interfaith marriages. The former said of the latter, “He’d marry a pig and a dog if there was any money in it”. Now the Conservative movement is evolving to an even lower level in that it would impose (not merely allow) the abominations described in the Forward on principle (not merely for cash).

]]> By: DMZ http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141207 DMZ Thu, 03 May 2007 22:52:24 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2007/05/03/thank-you-professor/#comment-141207 When did we stop ordaining non-practicing homosexuals? I can't see a halachic basis for doing so. When did we stop ordaining non-practicing homosexuals? I can’t see a halachic basis for doing so.

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