URGENT Message from 3 Rabbis
The following letter was sent out by the following three conservative Rabbis: Rabbi Felipe Goodman, Rabbi Adam Watstein and Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel.
Dear Friends:
This past week during his radio program Rabbi Yitzchak Wyne of Young Israel Aish Ha Torah in Las Vegas stood idly by and laughed as the co-host of the show and past president of his congregation, Peter Dubowski, called the Conservative Movement a breeding ground for Jews for Jesus. Rabbi Wyne sat in silence as Mr. Dubowski informed his radio audience that Conservative Jews are, by and large, ignorant and devoid of spirituality because they have removed God from their congregations. (Please click here to access the audio clip.) As Conservative Jews, and for the sake of Klal Yisrael, we cannot allow this type of divisive speech to flourish. This is an example of baseless hatred disguised under the cloak of leadership in the Jewish community. At a time when Israel is being attacked from all sides and when anti-Semitism is rampant in the world, these two individuals chose to attack other Jews with lies and misinformation in order to advance their own agenda. Leadership in the Jewish community belongs to those capable of rising above differences in order to advance the ideals of God, Torah and Israel, which can make both our community and the world a better place. At such a crucial time in the history of the Jewish People, Rabbi Wyne and Mr. Dubowski chose to devote their efforts to dividing our people instead of bringing us together.
It is time to speak out about what this type of irresponsible “leadership” can do to our community. If we want to build a community where God will dwell among us there is no place for venomous and reckless speech. If you know anyone who is a member of Young Israel Aish Torah please ask them if they agree with their Rabbi. While Rabbi Wyne did not speak these words himself the Talmud teaches us Shtikah K’hoda’ah Dami! – Silence is equal to agreement!
June 11th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I’m so offended by Peter Dubowsky’s statements about Conservative Judaism and Rabbi Wyne’s “agreement by silence.” I’ve posted the letter to my Facebook page.
- Sidra
June 11th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
You think this is bad? He has said worse things before. Here’s what I found on a different blog.
Subject: Rabbi Wyne said “knock her up” as way to “get the girl of your dreams” on Valentine’s day radio show
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On February 14, 2010 this same Yitz Wyne, the Young Israel rabbi in Las Vegas, NV said on his radio program on KDWN in Las Vegas “if you want to get the girl of your dreams … KNOCK HER UP!” on a heavily advertised radio program. Does this “instill into Jewish youth an understanding of high ethical and spiritual values of Judaism” ?? (section 2.1 of the Young Israel Constitution). Is this the way an Orthodox “Young Israel” rabbi speaks on the radio for everyone, including goyim, to hear!?! What a terrible Chillul Hashem!!
The 5/9/10 Rabbi Show on KDWN underscores the blasphemy and distortion of the Talmud by Wyne and his sidekick Peter. First of all, he does not give the source of the story (Jerusalem Talmud, Pe’ah 1:1), second he gets the story wrong and uses it to belittle and mock Rabbi Tarfon and his mother. An essential part of the story he fails to mention is that the reason the shoe could not be fixed was because it was Shabbos which Rabbi Tarfon’s mother would never violate or allow him to violate. For his stooge, a former president of YILV, to refer to Rabbi Tarfon in such derogatory fashion ( calling Rabbi Tarfon a “schmuck” ) and then to laugh about it shows they consider the Torah and Gemara a joke and demean it on the radio.
June 11th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
As an American I am all for free speech. But with the privelege of freedom and of free speech, comes the responsibility not to intentionally incite and divide, especially in these times. Shame on Mr Dubowsky and on Rabbi Wyne. I do not neither of these men personally nor do I care to.
June 20th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
if this is what you think the worst thing Wyne has said on his show, you have to have your priorities straight – this is the same so-called Rabbi who said “if you want to get the girl of your dreams you should knock her up” and made fun of the holy rabbis of the Talmud – I am a Hasidic Rabbi but I always try my best to act respectfully toward clergy from Conservative and Reform temples – I respectfully disagree with them on many issues and agree with them on some issues over many Orthodox clergy people – however, any Conservative Rabbi I have ever met is a million times more of a rabbi than Wyne – he is just an oisvorf (I am no tzaddik myself, but I try to be careful about what I say on TV and radio – i admit i have made mistakes too, but this guy has nothing)
July 6th, 2010 at 8:17 am
As a former friend of the Dubowsky’s, I am saddened to think that I sat at their Shabbat table and broke bread with them. Was Peter just as disgusted back then that his wife had invited conservative Jews to their home?