Dear All
Tomorrow, Wednesday night, Feb. 3 at 20:00, Rabbi Riskin will be giving a talk in Hebrew on the subject of Jewish Christian Dialogue - Is it permissible and if so - why now?
The talk will take place at the Rav Tachliti in the Rimon.
Rabbi Riskin will answer questions in English after the talk.
Deena Angstreich
B"H
I am sure that Shlomo Riskin will have enough excuses saying that it is permissible ! The entire country is against his "creeping around with missionary Christians" but Riskin doesn't to see it.
What is it ? Is he attracted by Christianity or does he simple want their money ?
The national religious Chief Rabbi of Efrat (near Jerusalem), Shlomo Riskin, has been favouring Christian missionary organizations such as the Evangelical "Believers" for many years. Apparently those Christians provide Riskin with large sums of money. In December 2009, he even called the false Christian Meshiach "Rabbi Joshua".
The entire country is against? How do you know that? Have you spoken to every one of us?
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be one of his few fans. Are you a Messianic ?
Neither a fan nor an opponent. Nor a Messianic. My first impulse was to be offended by the question, but I decided that it would be better to ask you to think about your assumptions. Why do you think that a person would have to be a fan of someone to question if it's true that "the whole country is against" him? And why would you think that anyone who doesn't go along with the whole country might be a Messianic? Are you so sure of the universality of the opposition to him, that someone who doesn't share in it should be suspected of being a Messianic?
ReplyDeleteI went to the lecture last night. I went because I saw it on Esser Agoroth (http://esseragaroth.blogspot.com/2010/01/shlomo-riskin-to-speak-on-jewish.html) before I saw it on yours. He was encouraging people to go and ask questions. I'm in favor of questions (I prefer polite questions to the sort he seemed to be encouraging, but I still prefer a rude question to a silent glare). You might notice that I started this conversation with one.
Well about a hundred (I of course did not count) people showed up. The question and answer session didn't take place afterwards, but there didn't seem to be any angry people in the room, or if there were, they hid it well. When R' Riskin finished talking, most people applauded.
Now maybe aside from myself and the three people there who I knew personally, everyone else in the room was a Messianic. But I doubt it, they're usually pretty easy to spot, and they're unlikely to have gotten a shul to let them hold a lecture there. And maybe every single person in the country aside from the hundred or so of us in the room is opposed. But go out and find out for yourself. Or at least tell us how you reached that conclusion. How many people did you discuss this with?
I think it's more likely that most of the country doesn't even know who R' Riskin is, and of those who do, most haven't even heard about this. I wouldn't have heard about it if I didn't read blogs like yours and Esser Agoroth or haredi news sites.
B"H
ReplyDeleteSoneone sent me the Riskin announcement from "Efrat Chat" and there it says that the discussion is taking place today (Wednesday) !!!
After "Jewish Israel" published the Riskin video (I think it was formerly published on a Christian website), even Yediot Acharonot, Walla and haredi sites jumped onto the subject. It is not only Riskin's wheelings and dealings with the Christians but also concerning the Indian "Jews" - the so - called "Bnei Menashe".
A Rabbi considering himself "Orthodox" should never make such remarks as "Rabbi J.". Riskin has been known in the past for his acceptance of money and certain remarks. Even among the Jews abroad.
In fact, there are people who believe him but, as it says in one of the comments, he should be thrown out of his position. At least by the Rabbanut because he is wisting Christianity and Judaism together.
All the facts can be read on the "Jewish Israel" anti - missionary site !!!
B"H
ReplyDeleteJust found the link on Esser Agaroth:
Obviously Riskin is doing a whole explanation tour these days
http://esseragaroth.blogspot.com/2010/01/shlomo-riskin-to-speak-on-jewish.html
I hardly know anyone any more who hasn't received help in some form or the other by the missionarys.
ReplyDeleteThey only have to sit and wait until someone is threatened with eviction from an unpaid home or something like that.
So I dare say not the mayority of the country - may G-d forgive us and change us to the uncorrupt again - is against the missionarys and their money but - hopefully - at least a faithful rest.
Well R' Riskin was quite adamant that he was not combining Judaism and Christianity, but if there's a site that knows more about his activities than he does, or if he's lying about them, please post the link.
ReplyDeleteI'm also delighted that you have the courage to denounce a rabbi, or to call for a rabbi to be thrown out of his position, because I'm sure that in your ongoing exploration of the orthodox world, you will meet a number of people (I hope it is a small number) for who should be subject to similar reactions, and they aren't all going to be from the Modern end of the spectrum. I have no doubt that you will speak up against them with the same resolve.
B"H
ReplyDeleteJEWISH ISRAEL has several things on Riskin:
http://www.jewishisrael.com/page/rabbi-riskin-takenin-or
http://jewishisrael.ning.com/video/rabbi-riskin-discusses-jesus
http://jewishisrael.ning.com/profiles/blogs/statement-from-rabbi-shlomo
Unfortunately you are right and there actually are many Rabbis who should have taken away their Smicha.
In the past, I wrote about the money Rabbi Israel Lau received. About Shlomo Aviner and the women or about a German Rabbi from my former community taking money for conversions. About the latter, I complained to the Rabbanut.