Neville Chaimberlin
“There are times when we’re supposed to have simcha, and then there are times like leil slichos.”
The 18th century called they want their machlokes back .
“You others aren’t seeing the forest through the trees. :”
that line surprised me , since you have it exactly backwards. I thought you did see the forest when yo u said “A scarier trend that isn’t getting as much attention is people not making it to Slichos altogether”
Selichos just doesnt talk to people anymore . Having a shmuz before hand is one innovation to get people inspired, Carlebach style is another while not my cup of tea the question is would you rather “people not making it to Slichos altogether” OR get together and (earnestly) sing hasheveinu. You can say you prefer the former, And I get that. just realize that is what you are saying .
I recall a very similar conversation years ago when tisha ba’v programs became popular. Joseph (not our joseph, but another one) said “how can you skip kinnos printed in the pamphlet, dont you know these were all written by chazal, and are yaharog veal yaavor to skip any of them, whats this innovation of speeches instead of mumbling all of them as was always the minhag”
These programs are now ubiquitous and (as far as I know) uncontroversial .
Granted these “carlebach selcihos” arent quite the same , but the idea of innovation is