“Conservative and Reform are not Judaism.”
Very interesting comment.
First, let me say that I am Orthodox, and FFB.
Second, keep in mind that Hitler did not differentiate between Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Neolog, or any other kind of Jew. They all died side by side in Auschwitz.
Third, the HIAS, and NYANA, which are part of the Federation, mostly financed by Secular Jews, financed most of the newcomers who came here after WWII, and as far as I know, none of the Orthodox objected to getting Reform or Conservative money to start a new life. The HIAS also financed Jewish life in the Eastern Block Communist countries, and the Federation still supports Jewish life in the former satellite countries. If you don’t respect Reform and Conservative Judaism, at the very least, you owe the Hakoras Hatov, because your own ancestors were probably helped financially by them.
Remember, that there are plenty of GOYIM who hate all of us. We don’t need any Jew hating another Jew.
We also have a Kiruv Industry, that costs us many millions of dollars. The idea behind it is that there is always the Pintele Yid in every Jew. If that applies to someone who keeps nothing, shouldn’t it also apply to Conservative and Reform Jews who keep something according to their movement. I have heard of many cases where the children of Secular or non-religious Jews turned Orthodox. By the way, there are also cases of Orthodox parents having children who go off the derech. Do you think if Chas V’Sholom that happened to you, you would throw away your child? I know of one very prominent Rabbi, whose daughter married a Puerto Rican non-Jew, but she eventually got divorced and turned frum again. Should he have said she is not Jewish and throw her away?
Nobody knows what life holds for us, so let’s leave judgement where it belongs, to Hashem.
You misread his comment. He said the movements are not Judaism, not that the people are not Jews. 95