Joseph
Member
cantoresq, By Rav S.R. Hirsch supporting Hungarian Orthodoxy’s position, does not demonstrate any “implication” (your words) that his approach in Germany failed. It merely demonstrates that he felt it important to extend this principle across Orthodoxy worldwide. Additionally, you are fond of (correctly) repeating that there is no truth in numbers (i.e. being numerically larger doesn’t demonstrate being right), so even if most of German Orthodoxy didn’t follow Rav Hirsch in seceding (I don’t know the veracity of this), it would not demonstrate the correctness of his position.
Regarding the Status Quo Ante, they were merely an agglomeration of varied interests, and not any coherent or even organized group. Many Chasidic Kehilas, Debrecin included, were Status Quo. As time passed some of them formally joined organized Orthodoxy in Hungary.
As far as the Neolog, they’ve all but disappeared (something that DOES demonstrate their falseness.) They still have a large temple in Budapest, that may seat thousands, but I’d wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t have a minyan on Shabbos.
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Joseph, where did I once mention anything about the “correctness” of R. Hirsch austritt? I mentioned the success of it. It is clear that R. Hirsch intended for every religiously observant Jew in Germany to join the separatist community. That the majority did not, speaks to the success of that endeavor, not whether it was a good idea. As far as the status quo, indeed they were not as organized as Neologs or the Orthodox. then again, that was their point. They did not want to be part of a larger organization. I didn’t know that Debrecen was a status quo kehilla. And you are wrong the Neologs have not disappeared. The Seminary never shut down and supplied rabbis to the Soviet Bloc during the communist regimes. When I was last in Budapest, the Dohany drew a crowd of several hundred worshippers on a Shabbat morning; about half of them tourists or foreigners, the rest locals. The Kazincy does about as well.