The Reform and the Conservative movements are dying. The Pope is not a demon. The Orthodox aren’t ready for female rabbis. Homosexuals aren’t welcome?
Um, did I embellish the points I took away from this profile of Yeshiva University chancellor Rabbi Norman Lamm, “Non-Orthodox Judaism disappearing”? I don’t think so. What do you think?
And by the way, GULP! Whether or not his statements are true, I can’t help but feel that they are solidly divisive. Do we need more divisions between Jews? More Jew-on-Jew hate?
In other news, readers posted some interesting reactions to this piece on Jewschool’s post “Orthodox, FTW?”.
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 
Well my wife’s cousin, a member of a Conservative congregation, already forwarded to me a statement from the Rabbinical Assembly, the Conservative “ministerium”, challenging Rabbi Lamm’s comments. Hostorically, “Triumphantilism” in American religion has often backfired in the faces of its adherents. And what if Rabbi Lamm is right? What does it mean? At the end of the day Jews must learn to get along with one another and their non-Jewish neighbours as well.
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Frankly I don’t know what Norman Lamm is doing on a panel is a Sufi and a Christian (don’t know which kind)C’mon man…. sounds like he’s trying to be Shlomo Carlebach. Orthodox Rabbis should act orthodox which means among other things not engaging in stupid and meaningless interviews with the Jerusalem Post. Norman,get back to your gemorah and stop pontificating.
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Emotions aside, I think R’ Lamm was just stating the facts of what Orthodoxy is and what it doesn’t apologize for being. I don’t know what was offensive about his statements, except maybe the headline, which was a bit antagonistic. And he definitely did not indicate that gays are unwelcome in shul, I felt he was pretty clear on that. However, the Orthodox sect is never going to support gay lifestyles or ordain gay rabbis, like many Conservative groups do. I see nothing wrong with standing up for what you believe in. These laws originate from the Torah, not Rabbi Lamm.-L
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There's an interesting article in jpost.com entitled “Setting the record straight on Rabbi Lamm”. Apprently R' Lamm was misquoted. The complete quote is “With a heavy heart, we will soon say Kaddish on the Reform and Conservative movements.”. This is actually more consistent with his historic position on these matters… See: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243259515589&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
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Anonymous, you are almost as speedy as my Google Alerts. I haven’t had the chance to look at the article yet but when I do, I’m sure I’ll have something to say about it.
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