EJF continues their program of proselytizing intermarried couples
The Eternal Jewish Family is presenting a seminar to educate intermarried couples who are seriously contemplating or seeking a universally accepted conversion. The theme of the seminar is When a Family Commits to Join the Jewish Family. It will be held at the Marriott Baltimore Hunt Valley Inn in Baltimore, Maryland, December 29-30th, 2008.It is critical that when the commitment to become a full-fledged member of the Jewish people is made, the conversion meets all of the requirements of halacha. Then the union will be recognized by all rabbinic authorities across the globe. Couples, their children and their children'ss children will have the confidence to rely on this Universally Accepted Conversion.
The two-day seminar is similar to the successful seminars for intermarried couples held in Oxnard California, Phoenix, Arizona, and Montreal, Canada. Similar seminars were also held in Israel. Those who wish to attend should be currently seeking a universally accepted conversion, or have sought conversion which has been problematic.
Couples must be referred by the rabbi that they are working with and in most cases the rabbi himself joins the couple at the seminar. The seminar will educate couples on what it means to embark on such a serious and life-changing journey. Couples must be in the early stages of seeking a universally accepted conversion to attend.
The halachic conversion is vital for a family to be fully integrated into the Jewish lifestyle and community. Couples who do not obtain a universally accepted conversion may have problems being accepted into Jewish communities. This includes being unable to register their children in Jewish day schools.
Baltimore Seminar
December 2008
Marriott Baltimore,
Hunt Valley Inn
Seminar Brochure
The latest in our series of seminars for intermarried couples considering a universally accepted conversion will take place at the Marriott Baltimore Hunt Valley Inn in Baltimore on December 29-30, 2008. The two-day seminar comes on the heels of the successful seminars for intermarried couples in Oxnard, California, Phoenix Arizona, and Montreal Canada.
The theme of the educational seminar in Baltimore is “When a Family Commits to Join the Jewish Family.” It is designed for intermarried couples who have either decided to explore a universally accepted conversion or are in the very early stages of the process.
I hope the couples who participate in this joint ( i am sure the food is great, thank you Tom Kaplan) would be inform that r’ Tropper will nullify the conversion if the woman one day goes out of the house wearing pants or without head covering.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jewcy.com/tags/leib_tropper
EJF brings you the New Universally Accepted Conversion!
ReplyDeleteRecognized in all participating localities!
I was hoping that the menu would be included in the brochure.
ReplyDeleteThe Oxnard retreat featured the cuisine of Chef Todd Allen whose specialties include:
Fig and red wine braised brisket,
Preserved lemon and cumin roasted organic free-range chicken with butternut squash, peppers and black chickpea tagine, Wood grilled king salmon, chestnut honey glazed yams and Escarole and frisée salad with roasted autumn squash, celery root & toasted pumpkin seed dressing.
Also an appetizer of Chorizo lamb sausage and black olive piadina flat bread with watercress, sun gold tomato salad and zahtar dressing? That sounds really good.
Dessert is what really does it for me. Chef Todd Allen's specialties are Gâteau d' Ariel,a flourless chocolate cake or Orange almond flan.
All of these delicacies were served with a full range of Herzog wines (mevushal I hope!).
I wonder who is cooking for this retreat? If anyone can get a copy of the menu, I would be grateful.
Solomon's Glatt Kosher meats are suddenly available at REALLY good prices (I just paid $4.99/lb for roast, $3.69 lb for lamb shoulder and $1.99 lb. for Denver ribs, my favorite), I would be grateful for some menu ideas.
The Israelis Rabbis complain that because of the financial situation many mishpachos are starving but r’ Tropper has so much money to feed and entertain in five stars hotel couples who probably do not care much being about Jewish or not.
ReplyDeleteTropper can save some money on the very expensive kosher food and feed the gentiles non kosher food and that saved money can be used to feed hungry Jewish Children In Israel.
Jewish mishpachos are starving in the US also. Tomche Shabbos and Bikur Holims cannot begin to meet the needs that have arisen from the current financial crisis.
ReplyDeleteWho could even COUNT how many Jewish families could be fed with Tom Kaplans millions in tzeddaka?
And then there is the crisis of Jewish education. While R'Tropper is spending millions on proselytizing Gentiles, the majority of Shomer Shabbat Jewish children cannot afford to attend a Jewish day school!!
(In my community, a recent survey showed that 80% of Orthodox affiliated families sent their children to public schools! With average day school tuition at 12k per child, its no wonder.).
Jersey Girl and Hungry Jewish Child,
ReplyDeleteIf you want to fed well by Tropper you need to marry a gentile or at least date one. Then not only you will be provided with best kosher food everywhere you will also be flown around to conferences and retreats. He will pay for your Jewish books, will buy you tephilin, tzizis, will give yoy allowance for kosher food, will provide you with beis din and will help financially with Jewish wedding, he will also slip in a Bloomingdale's gift card (ok, I made up the last one).
A friend said “If you married overweight, plain looking Jewish girl and you are struggling, no one care. But if you marry a gorgeous Blond girl or beautiful Asian girl who are not Jewish you will have Tropper and EJF dancing around you providing everything”
ah, La Dolce Vita
The conversions are universally excepted except by a few minor authorities like the Badatz Eidat Hachareidit.
ReplyDeleteKulp, Even if it were only one major set of authorities like the Eida Hachareidis that didn't recognize it (which is not just the case), you would see these questionable conversions rejected by others as they are (at best) possible gentiles.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why the ejf does not have retreats and seminars in the Caribbean or on cruises, Many of them are kosher ready.
ReplyDeleteWhen they do have I am going to ask a co-worker of mine who is not jewish to say that she is my girlfriend and she is interested in " (almost) universaly accepted conversion". So we can both go on the trip.
EJF - Proselytization Seminar/ Baltimore II
ReplyDeleteIn the English language HAMODIAH:
18 TEVES | Community | JANUARY 14, 2009
Page C28
BALTIMORE NEWS
Photo with the caption reading as follows:
"Distinguished Torah lecturers at EJF Seminar in Baltimore (L-R): Rabbi David Jacobs, Executive Director of Eternal Jewish Family; Rabbi Yonason Rosenblum, columnist, author and lecturer; Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel, noted lecturer on Jewish Philosophy; Rabbi Leib Tropper, Chairman of the Rabbinic Committee of Eternal Jewish Family; Rabbi Daniel Assor, commander [sic] in the Israeli Army and lecturer on "Discovering Jewish Roots," and Rabbi Doron Kornbluth, author of Why Marry Jewish."
Now it is fascinating to note that nothing is told to the very CHAREDI and CHASIDIC readership of the HAMODIAH about what exactly took place in Baltimore. No hint that it was a controversial event that was organized to lecture and entertain with some hot-shot Jewish lecturers and writers to Jews hitched to gentiles in order to convince the gentiles in the audience to convert to Judaism under EJF auspices.
Most readers would assume that this was just another innocent run-of-the-mill kiruv even, but what readers are not told, is that this was a "kiruv" event for gentiles, and the ones they were trying to "mekarev" ("reach out to") were the gentiles and not the Jews. Pure deception and stealth tactics to gain credibility and respcet at all costs, when it's far from a done deal at a time when EJF is actually crumbling:
1) The Modern Orthodox in America and their rabbinical arm, the RCA have set up a rival to the EJF and its network of Batei Din known as "GPS" Geirus Policies and Standards Newtwork.
2) The Israeli Lithuanian Haredi organization VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR headed by Rav Nochum Eisenstein under the guidance of Rav Eliashiv, that had once worked with Rabbi Tropper and EJF has now distanced itself from EJF and has made few public announcements and declarations together with EJF, indicating a serious schiss and difference of views between Rabbi Tropper and Rav Eisenstein.
3) EJF and Rabbi Tropper have been bitterly excoriated and rebuked and ordered to stop their proselytizations to gentiles by the Bais Din (BADATS) of the Eidah HaChareidis in Jerusalem, as officially published on this blog. See Bedatz Letter regarding EJF signed by Gaavad (February 14, 2008) (click here to see original); Bedatz letter regarding conversion (November 18, 2007) (click here to see original) and the official translation; and Rav Moshe Sternbuch - Kiruv for non-Jews (August 10, 2007) (click here for the original) and an official translation).
But, nevertheless, on its own website, EJF invites readers to a fuller account of how they spent their time trying to lure gentiles into becoming Jews, with first a short blurb at its "News Blog: Seminar in Baltimore for Couples Enroute to a Universally Accepted Conversion On December 29-30, EJF hosted an interactive seminar for intermarried couples committed to universally accepted conversion. Participants throughout... Continue Reading..." and indeed when one clicks and continues reading a fuller description of what happened comes up:
"Seminar in Baltimore for Couples Enroute to a Universally Accepted Conversion
On December 29-30, Eternal Jewish Family hosted an interactive seminar for intermarried couples committed to universally accepted conversion. Participants throughout North America, who were referred by their rabbis, convened at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn near Baltimore, Maryland. The conference provided the couples with guidance from well known Jewish educators and inspiration from other families who embarked on similar journeys.
The speakers included Rabbi Leib Tropper, chairman of the Rabbinic Committee of EJF, and noted rabbis, authors and lecturers Rabbi Doron Kornbluth, Rabbi Yonason Rosenblum, Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel, and Rabbi Daniel Assor.
Topics covered the awesome responsibility and great reward of living a Torah life, the benefits of a same-faith home for children’s identity, the importance of commitment to continued growth through learning, and a discussion regarding the impact of universally accepted conversions. The Rabbanim stressed that Jewish conversion is a personal choice of the non-Jewish spouse, and by definition, one must come to Judaism as the result of a sincere yearning to become a member of the Jewish people. They emphasized that the conversion is only one ingredient in building a true Torah home that involves all members of the family unit.
Following the conference, each couple returned to their hometown knowing that EJF’s resources can assist them if they decide to pursue universal acceptance within all Jewish communities."
All of which was not told to the CHAREDI and CHASIDIC readership of the HAMODIAH, because, guess why, they may have been revolted and disgusted by all this fawning to welcome gentiles to become Jews that runs counter to the way Orthodoxy has delat with converts -- the correct and Halachic approach being to make it difficult for them and to rejct them and not to conduct mass public events to do the opposite of Jewish Law and Jewish Tardition (all in the name of reachinhg out to gentiles as Chrsitians would reach out to proselytize to Jews r"l) all quite alarming.
~~~~~
The above EJF post on its site deserves closer scrutiny. Comments start with "RaP":
"On December 29-30, Eternal Jewish Family hosted"
RaP: They didn't just "host" it at their own great expense as usual, but they promoted it for months ahead of time and worked hard to get the mixed-faith Jews and gentiles to attend.
"an interactive seminar"
RaP: What's an "intercative seminar"? Expensive lecturers that were flown out and tried to lure gentiles into Judaism is not "interactive" -- it's forbidden according to Jewish law.
Rabbis are not supposed to preach to gentiles to get them to become Jewish. But of course, Rabbi Tropper and his partner Dr. Tom Kaplan think it should now be the norm based on false scholarship that never allowed such things in the first place.
"for intermarried couples committed to universally accepted conversion."
RaP: This is a contradiction in terms. The very starting point is controversial in Jewish Law. If they are intermarried then it is highly questionable if they should be brought to seminars and lured to convert when Orthodox Judaism teaches that this should not be done.
"Participants throughout North America, who were referred by their rabbis, convened at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn near Baltimore, Maryland."
RaP: As usual it must have been an all-expenses paid weekend care of the rich man on the scene at EJF, Dr. Tom Kaplan who loves this kind of stuff and with Rabbi Tropper they have managed to ensnare many unsuspecting rabbis into these schemes thinking that they are only promoting super Kosher conversions, when in fact they are helping EJF to reach out to many gentiles and proselytize right under the rabbis very noses.
"The conference provided the couples with guidance from well known Jewish educators and inspiration from other families who embarked on similar journeys."
RaP: Is this what "Jewish educators" have to do, educate gentiles hitched to Jews? How is this different to what Reform rabbis do? When so many millions of Jews still need to be taught first? What kind of priorities are these? These are couples basically living in sin as far as the Torah is concerned, that warns about not marrying gentiles, and these people are hosted and toasted?
How about hosting and toasting people who do not keep the Shabbat and break other Judaic laws and make them see the truth that they can be persuaded to become more aware and observant, as true Kiruv rabbis do, and not this phony-baloney reaching out to potentially BILLIONS of gentiles as EJF has advertised it plans to do.
"The speakers included Rabbi Leib Tropper, chairman of the Rabbinic Committee of EJF, and noted rabbis, authors and lecturers Rabbi Doron Kornbluth, Rabbi Yonason Rosenblum, Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel, and Rabbi Daniel Assor."
RaP: This is the only part that they sent in about this meetup to the HAMODIAH, why?
"Topics covered the awesome responsibility and great reward of living a Torah life, the benefits of a same-faith home for children’s identity, the importance of commitment to continued growth through learning, and a discussion regarding the impact of universally accepted conversions."
RaP: So much hyperbole and nonsense spouted and effort to convince gentiles of the beauty of Judaism! If this is not pure proselytization, then what is?
"The Rabbanim stressed that Jewish conversion is a personal choice of the non-Jewish spouse, and by definition, one must come to Judaism as the result of a sincere yearning to become a member of the Jewish people. They emphasized that the conversion is only one ingredient in building a true Torah home that involves all members of the family unit."
RaP: This last paragraph is pure super-charged reaching out to gentiles that has always been forbidden and is very dangerous to the Jewish people. These people are better being left alone and told to go their own way.
Jewry does not need them!
These intermarried Jews have cast their lot one way, and they now want to have their cake and eat it as well. They must pay for their blunders. They chose to marry gentiles, and why do Rabbi Tropper and Dr. Tom Kaplan have to come to their rescue and bring them into even greater turmoil, probable rejection as a grand exercise in futlity?
"Following the conference, each couple returned to their hometown"
RaP: One should hope so!
"knowing that EJF’s resources can assist them if they decide to pursue universal acceptance within all Jewish communities."
RaP: They have been misinformed. EJF is not the alpha and omega of Judaism. That is just a reflection of Rabbi Tropper's megalomania and false messianic complex. EJF is a drop in the ocean, there are many other voices and currents that those gentiles and the Jews hitched to them will inevitably bump into and it will not be as easy or as promising as EJF may spout here in its own self-praise PR hype.
Finally, what's up with this Baltimore business? Why is that city more open to host EJF events? Since Rabbi Tropper and EJF are based out of Monsey, NY, a large center of Torah Judaism, let them bring all their "couples" there and let's see what reception they get and how people there react to local-renegade Rabbi Tropper and his cockmamy EJF hare-brained "convert-the-billions-with Kaplan's millions" crooked and wild-eyed scheme.