Reply To: Jewish Brotherhood

I can’t help but bring Shlomo Carlebach zt”l into the mix here. Shlomo greeted not only every Jew, but every human being with a kiss and a hug and unconditional love. There were those who questioned his methods, but there is no doubt that he saved a tremendous amount of souls by getting down into the gutter with them and wresting them from ashrams and drugs dens. I don’t believe the Rebbe was condoning the behavior of Conservative or Reform Jews; I think he was just saying that we must maintain a spirit of achdus regardless of our differences. It’s almost like the saying, “blood is thicker than water.” Remember: There was no differentiation between religious and secular Jews in the ovens of Auschwitz.