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Steinhardt's arrogance and stupidity are both unfortunate and only too typical of the mindset of many non-Orthodox organizations and their members. They are not out to preserve Judaism but to preserve *their* version of Judaism, which has already been shown to be an abject failure. We in the Orthodox community demean ourselves by pandering to g'virim like that in hopes of getting their money. It is a fool's bargain.
- B. B. -0/5-/2003 |
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Humor and parady are fine but too much of a good thing is not a good thing. The Nazis in Eastern Europe thought it great fun to burn and pull out the beards of observant chassidic Jews before they killed them. Great fun? Maybe to the Nazis. And to mock the very people who carry on the centuries of Jewish tradition I find offensive no matter how much you donate to worthy causes.
-0/5-/2003 |
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One comment on the list is, "At least he has the kindness to fund that which he mocks." How sad to see that as an opinion ~ who wants money from a 'smuck' such as that? I'd rather starve!
- M. E. -0/5-/2003 |
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For him to publicly poke fun and make a mockery of a group of people is wrong. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking we are greater. As an Orthodox person raised in an Agudah enviroment I can say there is plenty of disrepect in the Yeshiva world and intolerance of other groups. The authors elitist attitude is equally hypocritical.
- E. S. -0/5-/2003 |
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I am reading this on Friday morning. Not a good way to end the work week. Michael Steinhardt's wealth is a paper fortress. Richard Joel and the "guffawers" should reconsider (or consider considering for the first time) the fruit of Hillel's "mission".
-0/5-/2003 |
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In addition to the obviousness of the previous comments regarding the speaker's extremely poor taste I am surprised that Yeshiva University has not taken a stand or spoken out against such derision of our brothers who are keeping our sacred traditions sacred. Has YU sold itself out for a paltry few millions that this indiscriminate self-hater of Jews might donate? If YU thinks it is going on the straight path of H-shem does it need people to support it who do not feel any remorse of producing a public CHILLUL H-SHEM?
- C. T. -0/5-/2003 |
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I'm offended at the mocking of G-d. I found no sign of respect from this atheist, but a forum for his foolish cleverness. Straight out of Proverbs.
If he were not wealthy, he wouldn't have had the forum. Who acquiesced to his participation?
- N. R. -0/5-/2003 |
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What in the world has a Polish nobleman's head covering of the 17th century has to do with Yiddishkeit or even passing on our Jewish identity to the younger generations?
- M. M. -0/5-/2003 |
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I find this type of mockery appalling. Isn't enough that the rest of the world fights us and denigrates us? Do we have to stoop down to their level?
-0/5-/2003 |
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I find it odd that the article speaks of the clothing and customs described as "classical" Judaism, when it is only "classical" Judaism for those of Eastern European ancestry. The Mizrahi, Sephardi and others who are also observant of Jewish law, have different manner of dress and customs that are viewed as equal fodder for scorn, derision and jest among the Chasids. This form of infighting amongst our own is very repugnant, there are ways you can poke fun at yourself (a hallmark of Jewish humor) without expressing self-hate. And if a Jew finds some customs embarrassing to identify with, such as the customs and traditions of Jews whose ancestry was from other lands and developed different rituals and customs than they are familiar with, then education/knowledge, would help eliminate that. Education is held in high esteem by Jews no matter where their customs developed or what they are.
-0/5-/2003 |
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Come on, where is your Jewish sense of humour?
-0/5-/2003 |
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I so appreciate your posting these two stories together because the hope and joy of the second story allows us to buffer the hurt of the first.
I have borne witness to similar incidents by Jews against Jews as described in the "Hillel story" and it is so very disheatening. It begs us to question the ethics of our fundraising policies, and, in particular, what we do in the name of such luminaries as Hillel.
And what of those members of the audience titillated by the speaker? Would the reaction have been the same (G-d forbid) if a non-Jew had mocked Jews in this way? Such an overt display/response against Jews by non-Jews would be unquestionably anti-Semitic. Such a display/response by Jews ourselves is so evidently a manifestation of self-hatred.
The speaker at the Hillel event is as needful of Torah education as we all are. Let's hope that some of the blessings he stated actually made their way into his consciousness. He seems to be missing so much richness in his life.
-0/5-/2003 |
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Well, money and good taste generally don't coincide.
-0/5-/2003 |
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I too am an atheist like Mr. Steihart, but, unlike that good gentleman, I also remember another time and place when the Orthodox were mocked and abused before being murdered in their hundreds of thousands.
I also remember that Mr. Steinhart, secular or not, would in that time and place have been ridiculed in much the same way before he too was put on a cattle truck, destination oblivion.
We Jews have no business fighting like this among ourselves. We have far, far too many enemies for such crass stupidity.
-0/5-/2003 |
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Parody, yes, but what feelings -- bigotry and hate? It's not the parody that is wrong, but the feelings expressed by someone who would assert that an entire class of Jews doesn't care about others. And that's nowhere close to home -- except in himself.
- A. M. -0/5-/2003 |
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Parody is a legitimate way of expressing feelings and ideas, and, as at Purim, the trickster can embarrass us by getting too close to home.
- P. W. -0/5-/2003 |
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A sad expression of self-shame. It's too bad that many of those who want to maintain Jewish continuity have such low self-esteem and are embarrassed enough about who they are to make a mockery of those who have striven to the same goals. At least he has the kindness to fund that which he mocks.
-0/5-/2003 |
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What is worse is I have heard similar, albeit more discrete, heckling in Orthodox shuls.
-0/5-/2003 |
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