That was the conference with the outstanding menu (duck confit, baby lamb chops, Viennese table, California wines ), the Israeli rock band Melava Malka and the Five Star accommodations.
This was one of those times when I was a Gentile so that my husband and I could have had a weekend vacation on EJF. We haven't even had a pizza out in more than ten years being one of the "Average Joeys" thrilled just to pay the bills each month.
Rabbi E, you're Rosenblum's neighbor in Har Nof. Why don't you fill him in on the real story with EJF? Plus, he's a talmid of Rav Aaron Feldman, who has seen through EJF.
The family in the photo was sent to EJF by rabbi Zarchi of San Francisco. They are are not connected to Tropper anymore and probably want nothing to do with him.
I am not sure if they got a normal convertion or just got turned off from yiddiskeit by Tropper/Roni. One can hope that they realize that Judaism is not Tropper frumkeit and there is Judaism where "Deracheihah Darchei Noam VeChol Netivoteha Shalom"
Tropper, could you share with us why they left you ? was it because she neglected to cover her hair ? wearing pants ? wanting to go to college? or was it the plasma TV ?
Jonathan Rosenblum is a gifted writer and entertaining lecturer, he is also a baal teshuva who strongly disagrees other Jews with hashkafa left to his own ( especialy Modern Orthodox something he shares with TroppeRoni). I am always amazed to see his articles in Jewish Action (a Modern Orthodox publication). His latest controversial gem was an article in the Jerusalem Post where he whitewashed the existence of child abuse in RBS.
I am sure he makes good living appearing in EJF confrences and writing positively about them.
Having known R' Rosenblum for a number of years - he is clearly idealistic and honest. While his job is defending the establishlment he also has no difficulty in criticizing it.
I don't know whether he makes a good living from EJF conferences. However I have absolutely no doubt that if he had any question about their validity he would not participate.
Jump from left to right: \ when it sutits you you say that R tis mekil regarding three months of havchanah( which is a lie: he is makpid in havchanah); when it suits you bring an exmple of someone who DID NOT INTEND TO ACCEPT BASIC KABBLAT HAMITZVOT AS PROOF that he is not "derachecha darchey noam". Why do you think btw, that 3 months of havchanah (that your rabbi in flatbush does not ask if it needs, as he accepts driving on shbbat if it needs) to be more important than not covering the hair?
Jump here and there: RT ONLY covnerts if the fellow will keep shabbat and kashrut and basic mikvah laws [...]
On tyhe other hand Rt is successful in converting people who are genuinely interestd with "drachecha darchey noam"! THE REASON YOU AND THE OTHER HATERS OF THIS BLOG ARE INFATUATED WITH HIMIS VECAUSE HE SUCCEEDS IN DRACHEHA DARCHEY NOAM! in converting many couples who are sincere!
To hear you talking about darchai noam (pleasant ways of yidishkeit) is like listening to Leib Pinter talking about honesty in the mortgage business or Madoff talking about honesty in the investment business or Playboy bunny talking about tznius. You will have more luck talking about shlom bayis.
you are the last to talk about "darchey noam"; you are mevazeh in the worse forms a person like Rav sheinberg. Whateer you have against the man, you are a vile disgusting person to write the way you write in that filthy kfira blog about Rav sheinberg. you belong there! with all the despicable shmutz people there.
Jewish Families Making Inroads Through EJF’s Anti-Assimilation Program
Eternal Jewish family International (EJF) is collaborating with the world’s most dynamic kiruv organizations in order to integrate a direct anti-intermarriage and assimilation message into their programming.
The initiative, aimed to stem the tide of rampant intermarriage, in Jewish communities worldwide, went into full gear in July at the Nefesh Yehudi Student Seminar in Southern Israel.
Rav Leib Tropper spoke to a group of nearly 250 students, many of whom made instant commitments to seek a Jewish partner for marriage.
“It is imperative that when they hear the many messages about Torah and Yiddishkeit they also hear clear-cut reasons why they should marry Jewish,” said Rabbi Tropper.
A number of similar seminars are planed (sic) in Israel and elsewhere in the coming weeks. At the end of August, EJF will partner with Arachim in seminars planned for men, women and families. The program is made possible due to generosity of Tom Kaplan.
“We are now in a position to make a major dent in the galloping rate of intermarriage,” explained Rabbi Tropper. “It is a matter of reaching tens of thousands of vulnerable young Jews with the important missive of why it is incumbent upon them to marry Jewish. To my surprise, they are listening.”
EJF is launching a major anti-assimilation initiative in Odessa. When Rabbi Shlomo Baksht, a native of Israel, arrived in Odessa in 1993, it was, as he puts it, “a spiritual wilderness.”
In the 16 years since, Rabbi Baksht has presided over an unprecedented renaissance of Jewish life in the Ukrainian seaport city. Rabbi Baksht calls it “nothing short of a miracle.”
This includes a growing number of intermarried couples seeking to complete a process that will lead to a universally accepted conversion.
With the strong infrastructure of shulls, yeshivas, mikvaot, and restaurants, these couples will be able to live as fully committed Torah Jews.
More than 20 such couples – a non-Jewish spouse and one who is Jewish and on the way to becoming a ba’al teshuvah, will participate in a seminar sponsored by EJF September 6-8.
The Odessa seminar is modeled after the many successful similar seminars in the U.S., Canada and Israel. A large percentage of participants eventually proceed to a halachic conversion, according to Rabbi Leib Tropper.
Like participants in other countries, many of these couples have at some point undergone a problematic conversion and eventually recognize that their conversion is not recognized by halachic authorities.
Nefesh Yehudi and EJF will also jointly sponsor a Shabbaton for students in Odessa on September 4-5. The new EJF model of “straight talk” on intermarriage will be included in this seminar, highlighted by a keynote address by Rabbi Leib Tropper.
Odessa however is not the only place that has had a resurgence of Jewish life. The European Beis Din has seen an increase in requests for halachic conversions. A seminar like the one in Odessa is being planned for Munich in November.
As the Rosh Bais Din of London, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentrau also presides over the Bais Din of the Conference of European rabbi (CER) and is Chairman of the Halachic Committee of the Eternal Jewish family in Europe.
In recent months, EJF has sponsored many of the expanded activities of the Bais Din, including regular visits to Basel, Switzerland, for meetings with perspective (sic) geyrim. EJF is responding to the dramatic increase in demand on the European continent by opening an office in London to assist the work of the Bais Din.
As has always been the case, EJF merely serves as a resource and support for its affiliated batei din. EJF does not establishit (sic) own."
Latest EJF infomercial, comments start with "RaP":
"THE JEWISH PRESS Friday, August 7, 2009 Page 63
Jewish Families Making Inroads Through EJF’s Anti-Assimilation Program
RaP: Trying to maximize the play on the word "Jewish Families" when most of the attendees, as described, are single students being "commandeered" into not assimilating and to couples that are decidedly NOT "Jewish families" but rather couples where one spouse is gentile and EJF is trying to press them to accept EJF-style haredi conversions willy-nilly.
"Eternal Jewish family International (EJF)"
RaP: What's with the "International" -- if they are international they should rename themselves "EJFI" or "jeffy" or something.
"is collaborating with the world’s most dynamic kiruv organizations"
RaP: Not quite. Chabd is the biggest. Then NCSY and the OU rabbis. Many others too. What's happened to Ohr Somayach? Why is their name not mentioned in this infomercial? Only Arachim and a rabbi working with Russians. The batei din do not count as "kiruv organizations" because actually halachically they should be acting as "richuk (distancing) organizations" for gentiles seeking conversions who need to be DISCOURAGED per the halacha and not welcomed and courted with open arms as EJF does.
"in order to integrate a direct anti-intermarriage and assimilation message into their programming."
RaP: All kiruv organizations do this, they don't need Tropper to make a pest of himself with his harangues and frighten off their students.
"The initiative, aimed to stem the tide of rampant intermarriage, in Jewish communities worldwide, went into full gear in July at the Nefesh Yehudi Student Seminar in Southern Israel."
RaP: Hyperbole, because for the last 40 years kiruv organizations like Chabad, NCSY, Aish HaTorah, Ohr Somayach, Neve Yerushalayim, NJOP and many others have been doing this work. So why does Tropper want to fake that he's re-inventing the purpose of the kiruv wheel?
"Rav Leib Tropper spoke to a group of nearly 250 students, many of whom made instant commitments to seek a Jewish partner for marriage."
RaP: Sounds more like a revivalist get-together than a serious thoughtful kiruv seminar. Gang-rolling people is a dangerous technique and the sudden pressure is known to lead to nervous collapses in some sensitive souls not ready for Tropper-like barrages.
“It is imperative that when they hear the many messages about Torah and Yiddishkeit they also hear clear-cut reasons why they should marry Jewish,” said Rabbi Tropper."
RaP: Ok, so this is what all kiruv organizations have been doing even from before Tropper was even born or he ever heard of the notion of kiruv rechokim. Just shows how much contempt he has for the field that he thinks that he is "re-inventing" it. ...
Tropper/EJF: "A number of similar seminars are planed (sic) in Israel and elsewhere in the coming weeks. At the end of August, EJF will partner with Arachim in seminars planned for men, women and families."
RaP: While Arachim has a strong presence in Israel it has never been able to get going in America where people do NOT respond to its North Korean-style intensive brainwashing seminars, and it's no surprise that they and Tropper can THINK that they have common ground. But their egos are as big as Tropper's and the shidduch between them cannot last.
"The program is made possible due to generosity of Tom Kaplan."
RaP: Of course. Who else. But note that Tropper and EJF can NO longer use or claim the backing or name of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Foundation because uncle Tom's nephew won control of it in US courts and was granted sole control of it, no doubt to Tropper's great chagrin as he had to kiss all those tens of millions of dollars that could have been his goodbye forever.
“We are now in a position to make a major dent in the galloping rate of intermarriage,” explained Rabbi Tropper.
RaP: Sure, dream on, it ain't gonna happen.
“It is a matter of reaching tens of thousands of vulnerable young Jews with the important missive of why it is incumbent upon them to marry Jewish. To my surprise, they are listening.”
RaP: What "missive"? And you must be high on something to imagine that "tens of thousands" will follow you like the Children of Israel after Moses in the wilderness.
"EJF is launching a major anti-assimilation initiative in Odessa. When Rabbi Shlomo Baksht, a native of Israel, arrived in Odessa in 1993, it was, as he puts it, “a spiritual wilderness.”
RaP: Any place will do, even Odessa given that so many in the USA are up in arms against Tropper and his antics, after he demeans the RCA rabbis, the haredi rabbis in the midwest, and poses a threat to any rov that he decides to hate on the drop of a hat.
"In the 16 years since, Rabbi Baksht has presided over an unprecedented renaissance of Jewish life in the Ukrainian seaport city. Rabbi Baksht calls it “nothing short of a miracle.”
RaP: What does this have to do with EJF? Why does Tropper have to invade this guy's turf? Just leave him alone if he has done a good job the last 16 years, give him a nice donation and finished, without Troppers shtik who will now stick his nose into the affairs of this poor guy and make his life a misery with all kinds of demands and commands.
"This includes a growing number of intermarried couples seeking to complete a process that will lead to a universally accepted conversion."
RaP: Ah, so the infomercial finally gets to the point, trying to sell this notion of "universally accepted conversion" which is just a Tropper-contrived euphamism and code-word for the strictest possible type of conversion procedure under the regime of Tropper's EJF diktats. Poor suckers. ...
EJF/Tropper: "With the strong infrastructure of shulls, yeshivas, mikvaot, and restaurants, these couples will be able to live as fully committed Torah Jews."
RaP: Very nice. EJF is now giving haskomas to local communities when they don't even have a minimal haskoma for themselves!
"More than 20 such couples – a non-Jewish spouse and one who is Jewish and on the way to becoming a ba’al teshuvah, will participate in a seminar sponsored by EJF September 6-8."
RaP: This is the proselytization by EJF that Tropper keeps on denying. One or two converts here and there is fine and normal, but working with 20 here is a large group already, and no doubt the numbers increase with each seminar as many of the others will be the children of gentile mothers and Jewish fathers and the whole thing becomes a wholesale effort to impose the EJF agenda that has become the center of controversy and nothing to be proud of let alone promote.
"The Odessa seminar is modeled after the many successful similar seminars in the U.S., Canada and Israel."
RaP: Nothing much has changed since Arizona 2007 and this 2009 EJF infomercial confirms it 100%.
"A large percentage of participants eventually proceed to a halachic conversion, according to Rabbi Leib Tropper."
RaP: Who needs that? Let them stay away and remain the gentiles that they are! Judaism has never promoted and encouraged gentiles in any situation to convert, certainly not en masse.
"Like participants in other countries, many of these couples have at some point undergone a problematic conversion and eventually recognize that their conversion is not recognized by halachic authorities."
RaP: A "problematic conversion" is another EJF recipe for disaster because EJF is not a bais din nor is it a halachic authority to stoke up these kinds of conversions wars. Why don't they go around checking out food establishsments to decide if they have "problematic supervision" etc etc etc?, but no, Tropper has latched on to conversions and will fight to the death those rabbis he deems to be not up to snuff in a manner befitting an inquisitor which is really what he wants: a grab for power using this issue with the conversion candidates as pawns in his high stakes gamble to get recognized as the big rabbinic cheese, a self-manufactured "gadol" via conversions that all must bow to and fear. ...
EJF & Tropper say: "Nefesh Yehudi and EJF will also jointly sponsor a Shabbaton for students in Odessa on September 4-5. The new EJF model of “straight talk” on intermarriage will be included in this seminar, highlighted by a keynote address by Rabbi Leib Tropper."
RaP: This garbage about "straight talk" comes straight from Tropper's turgid mind who does not know how to talk calmly and gently to people to win them over but must scream and shout like a wild man to make his points. Shame on him. This is not just not kiruv it is a self-destructive chillul Hashem.
"Odessa however is not the only place that has had a resurgence of Jewish life. The European Beis Din has seen an increase in requests for halachic conversions. A seminar like the one in Odessa is being planned for Munich in November."
RaP: In Munich it will be more Russians who make up the largest number of Jews in Germany today. They will not buy into Tropper's ego-mania having survived the Soviet system and knowing better.
"As the Rosh Bais Din of London, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentrau also presides over the Bais Din of the Conference of European rabbi (CER) and is Chairman of the Halachic Committee of the Eternal Jewish family in Europe."
RaP: Seems Tropper's reach is never satisfied as he tries to drag the European rabbis into his power plays.
"In recent months, EJF has sponsored many of the expanded activities of the Bais Din, including regular visits to Basel, Switzerland, for meetings with perspective (sic) geyrim. EJF is responding to the dramatic increase in demand on the European continent by opening an office in London to assist the work of the Bais Din."
RaP: What are they up to? For the last 100 years these batei din have managed to perform geirus without EJF and Tropper so why does he think his help is so crucial now? But people reading the Jewish Press can be counted on not to ask questions it seems.
"As has always been the case, EJF merely serves as a resource and support for its affiliated batei din. EJF does not establishit (sic) own."
That was the conference with the outstanding menu (duck confit, baby lamb chops, Viennese table, California wines ), the Israeli rock band Melava Malka and the Five Star accommodations.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of those times when I was a Gentile so that my husband and I could have had a weekend vacation on EJF. We haven't even had a pizza out in more than ten years being one of the "Average Joeys" thrilled just to pay the bills each month.
Rabbi E, you're Rosenblum's neighbor in Har Nof. Why don't you fill him in on the real story with EJF? Plus, he's a talmid of Rav Aaron Feldman, who has seen through EJF.
ReplyDeleteR' Rosenblum is one of the major speakers at EJF events. And is a supporter of R' Tropper. He is well aware of what this blog says.
ReplyDeleteThe family in the photo was sent to EJF by rabbi Zarchi of San Francisco. They are are not connected to Tropper anymore and probably want nothing to do with him.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if they got a normal convertion or just got turned off from yiddiskeit by Tropper/Roni. One can hope that they realize that Judaism is not Tropper frumkeit and there is Judaism where "Deracheihah Darchei Noam VeChol Netivoteha Shalom"
Tropper, could you share with us why they left you ? was it because she neglected to cover her hair ? wearing pants ? wanting to go to college? or was it the plasma TV ?
Jonathan Rosenblum is a gifted writer and entertaining lecturer, he is also a baal teshuva who strongly disagrees other Jews with hashkafa left to his own ( especialy Modern Orthodox something he shares with TroppeRoni). I am always amazed to see his articles in Jewish Action (a Modern Orthodox publication). His latest controversial gem was an article in the Jerusalem Post where he whitewashed the existence of child abuse in RBS.
ReplyDeleteI am sure he makes good living appearing in EJF confrences and writing positively about them.
Having known R' Rosenblum for a number of years - he is clearly idealistic and honest. While his job is defending the establishlment he also has no difficulty in criticizing it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether he makes a good living from EJF conferences. However I have absolutely no doubt that if he had any question about their validity he would not participate.
The EJF gives parnassa to many people and therefore stimulates the economy.
ReplyDeleteMt (r)
ReplyDeleteJump from left to right:
\
when it sutits you you say that R tis mekil regarding three months of havchanah( which is a lie: he is makpid in havchanah); when it suits you bring an exmple of someone who DID NOT INTEND TO ACCEPT BASIC KABBLAT HAMITZVOT AS PROOF that he is not "derachecha darchey noam". Why do you think btw, that 3 months of havchanah (that your rabbi in flatbush does not ask if it needs, as he accepts driving on shbbat if it needs) to be more important than not covering the hair?
Jump here and there: RT ONLY covnerts if the fellow will keep shabbat and kashrut and basic mikvah laws [...]
On tyhe other hand Rt is successful in converting people who are genuinely interestd with "drachecha darchey noam"! THE REASON YOU AND THE OTHER HATERS OF THIS BLOG ARE INFATUATED WITH HIMIS VECAUSE HE SUCCEEDS IN DRACHEHA DARCHEY NOAM! in converting many couples who are sincere!
TroppeRoni,
ReplyDeleteTo hear you talking about darchai noam (pleasant ways of yidishkeit) is like listening to Leib Pinter talking about honesty in the mortgage business or Madoff talking about honesty in the investment business or Playboy bunny talking about tznius. You will have more luck talking about shlom bayis.
mt (r)
ReplyDeleteyou are the last to talk about "darchey noam"; you are mevazeh in the worse forms a person like Rav sheinberg. Whateer you have against the man, you are a vile disgusting person to write the way you write in that filthy kfira blog about Rav sheinberg. you belong there! with all the despicable shmutz people there.
"THE JEWISH PRESS
ReplyDeleteFriday, August 7, 2009
Page 63
Jewish Families Making Inroads Through EJF’s Anti-Assimilation Program
Eternal Jewish family International (EJF) is collaborating with the world’s most dynamic kiruv organizations in order to integrate a direct anti-intermarriage and assimilation message into their programming.
The initiative, aimed to stem the tide of rampant intermarriage, in Jewish communities worldwide, went into full gear in July at the Nefesh Yehudi Student Seminar in Southern Israel.
Rav Leib Tropper spoke to a group of nearly 250 students, many of whom made instant commitments to seek a Jewish partner for marriage.
“It is imperative that when they hear the many messages about Torah and Yiddishkeit they also hear clear-cut reasons why they should marry Jewish,” said Rabbi Tropper.
A number of similar seminars are planed (sic) in Israel and elsewhere in the coming weeks. At the end of August, EJF will partner with Arachim in seminars planned for men, women and families. The program is made possible due to generosity of Tom Kaplan.
“We are now in a position to make a major dent in the galloping rate of intermarriage,” explained Rabbi Tropper. “It is a matter of reaching tens of thousands of vulnerable young Jews with the important missive of why it is incumbent upon them to marry Jewish. To my surprise, they are listening.”
EJF is launching a major anti-assimilation initiative in Odessa. When Rabbi Shlomo Baksht, a native of Israel, arrived in Odessa in 1993, it was, as he puts it, “a spiritual wilderness.”
In the 16 years since, Rabbi Baksht has presided over an unprecedented renaissance of Jewish life in the Ukrainian seaport city. Rabbi Baksht calls it “nothing short of a miracle.”
This includes a growing number of intermarried couples seeking to complete a process that will lead to a universally accepted conversion.
With the strong infrastructure of shulls, yeshivas, mikvaot, and restaurants, these couples will be able to live as fully committed Torah Jews.
More than 20 such couples – a non-Jewish spouse and one who is Jewish and on the way to becoming a ba’al teshuvah, will participate in a seminar sponsored by EJF September 6-8.
The Odessa seminar is modeled after the many successful similar seminars in the U.S., Canada and Israel. A large percentage of participants eventually proceed to a halachic conversion, according to Rabbi Leib Tropper.
Like participants in other countries, many of these couples have at some point undergone a problematic conversion and eventually recognize that their conversion is not recognized by halachic authorities.
Nefesh Yehudi and EJF will also jointly sponsor a Shabbaton for students in Odessa on September 4-5. The new EJF model of “straight talk” on intermarriage will be included in this seminar, highlighted by a keynote address by Rabbi Leib Tropper.
Odessa however is not the only place that has had a resurgence of Jewish life. The European Beis Din has seen an increase in requests for halachic conversions. A seminar like the one in Odessa is being planned for Munich in November.
As the Rosh Bais Din of London, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentrau also presides over the Bais Din of the Conference of European rabbi (CER) and is Chairman of the Halachic Committee of the Eternal Jewish family in Europe.
In recent months, EJF has sponsored many of the expanded activities of the Bais Din, including regular visits to Basel, Switzerland, for meetings with perspective (sic) geyrim. EJF is responding to the dramatic increase in demand on the European continent by opening an office in London to assist the work of the Bais Din.
As has always been the case, EJF merely serves as a resource and support for its affiliated batei din. EJF does not establishit (sic) own."
Latest EJF infomercial, comments start with "RaP":
ReplyDelete"THE JEWISH PRESS
Friday, August 7, 2009
Page 63
Jewish Families Making Inroads Through EJF’s Anti-Assimilation Program
RaP: Trying to maximize the play on the word "Jewish Families" when most of the attendees, as described, are single students being "commandeered" into not assimilating and to couples that are decidedly NOT "Jewish families" but rather couples where one spouse is gentile and EJF is trying to press them to accept EJF-style haredi conversions willy-nilly.
"Eternal Jewish family International (EJF)"
RaP: What's with the "International" -- if they are international they should rename themselves "EJFI" or "jeffy" or something.
"is collaborating with the world’s most dynamic kiruv organizations"
RaP: Not quite. Chabd is the biggest. Then NCSY and the OU rabbis. Many others too. What's happened to Ohr Somayach? Why is their name not mentioned in this infomercial? Only Arachim and a rabbi working with Russians. The batei din do not count as "kiruv organizations" because actually halachically they should be acting as "richuk (distancing) organizations" for gentiles seeking conversions who need to be DISCOURAGED per the halacha and not welcomed and courted with open arms as EJF does.
"in order to integrate a direct anti-intermarriage and assimilation message into their programming."
RaP: All kiruv organizations do this, they don't need Tropper to make a pest of himself with his harangues and frighten off their students.
"The initiative, aimed to stem the tide of rampant intermarriage, in Jewish communities worldwide, went into full gear in July at the Nefesh Yehudi Student Seminar in Southern Israel."
RaP: Hyperbole, because for the last 40 years kiruv organizations like Chabad, NCSY, Aish HaTorah, Ohr Somayach, Neve Yerushalayim, NJOP and many others have been doing this work. So why does Tropper want to fake that he's re-inventing the purpose of the kiruv wheel?
"Rav Leib Tropper spoke to a group of nearly 250 students, many of whom made instant commitments to seek a Jewish partner for marriage."
RaP: Sounds more like a revivalist get-together than a serious thoughtful kiruv seminar. Gang-rolling people is a dangerous technique and the sudden pressure is known to lead to nervous collapses in some sensitive souls not ready for Tropper-like barrages.
“It is imperative that when they hear the many messages about Torah and Yiddishkeit they also hear clear-cut reasons why they should marry Jewish,” said Rabbi Tropper."
RaP: Ok, so this is what all kiruv organizations have been doing even from before Tropper was even born or he ever heard of the notion of kiruv rechokim. Just shows how much contempt he has for the field that he thinks that he is "re-inventing" it. ...
Tropper/EJF: "A number of similar seminars are planed (sic) in Israel and elsewhere in the coming weeks. At the end of August, EJF will partner with Arachim in seminars planned for men, women and families."
ReplyDeleteRaP: While Arachim has a strong presence in Israel it has never been able to get going in America where people do NOT respond to its North Korean-style intensive brainwashing seminars, and it's no surprise that they and Tropper can THINK that they have common ground. But their egos are as big as Tropper's and the shidduch between them cannot last.
"The program is made possible due to generosity of Tom Kaplan."
RaP: Of course. Who else. But note that Tropper and EJF can NO longer use or claim the backing or name of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Foundation because uncle Tom's nephew won control of it in US courts and was granted sole control of it, no doubt to Tropper's great chagrin as he had to kiss all those tens of millions of dollars that could have been his goodbye forever.
“We are now in a position to make a major dent in the galloping rate of intermarriage,” explained Rabbi Tropper.
RaP: Sure, dream on, it ain't gonna happen.
“It is a matter of reaching tens of thousands of vulnerable young Jews with the important missive of why it is incumbent upon them to marry Jewish. To my surprise, they are listening.”
RaP: What "missive"? And you must be high on something to imagine that "tens of thousands" will follow you like the Children of Israel after Moses in the wilderness.
"EJF is launching a major anti-assimilation initiative in Odessa. When Rabbi Shlomo Baksht, a native of Israel, arrived in Odessa in 1993, it was, as he puts it, “a spiritual wilderness.”
RaP: Any place will do, even Odessa given that so many in the USA are up in arms against Tropper and his antics, after he demeans the RCA rabbis, the haredi rabbis in the midwest, and poses a threat to any rov that he decides to hate on the drop of a hat.
"In the 16 years since, Rabbi Baksht has presided over an unprecedented renaissance of Jewish life in the Ukrainian seaport city. Rabbi Baksht calls it “nothing short of a miracle.”
RaP: What does this have to do with EJF? Why does Tropper have to invade this guy's turf? Just leave him alone if he has done a good job the last 16 years, give him a nice donation and finished, without Troppers shtik who will now stick his nose into the affairs of this poor guy and make his life a misery with all kinds of demands and commands.
"This includes a growing number of intermarried couples seeking to complete a process that will lead to a universally accepted conversion."
RaP: Ah, so the infomercial finally gets to the point, trying to sell this notion of "universally accepted conversion" which is just a Tropper-contrived euphamism and code-word for the strictest possible type of conversion procedure under the regime of Tropper's EJF diktats. Poor suckers. ...
EJF/Tropper: "With the strong infrastructure of shulls, yeshivas, mikvaot, and restaurants, these couples will be able to live as fully committed Torah Jews."
ReplyDeleteRaP: Very nice. EJF is now giving haskomas to local communities when they don't even have a minimal haskoma for themselves!
"More than 20 such couples – a non-Jewish spouse and one who is Jewish and on the way to becoming a ba’al teshuvah, will participate in a seminar sponsored by EJF September 6-8."
RaP: This is the proselytization by EJF that Tropper keeps on denying. One or two converts here and there is fine and normal, but working with 20 here is a large group already, and no doubt the numbers increase with each seminar as many of the others will be the children of gentile mothers and Jewish fathers and the whole thing becomes a wholesale effort to impose the EJF agenda that has become the center of controversy and nothing to be proud of let alone promote.
"The Odessa seminar is modeled after the many successful similar seminars in the U.S., Canada and Israel."
RaP: Nothing much has changed since Arizona 2007 and this 2009 EJF infomercial confirms it 100%.
"A large percentage of participants eventually proceed to a halachic conversion, according to Rabbi Leib Tropper."
RaP: Who needs that? Let them stay away and remain the gentiles that they are! Judaism has never promoted and encouraged gentiles in any situation to convert, certainly not en masse.
"Like participants in other countries, many of these couples have at some point undergone a problematic conversion and eventually recognize that their conversion is not recognized by halachic authorities."
RaP: A "problematic conversion" is another EJF recipe for disaster because EJF is not a bais din nor is it a halachic authority to stoke up these kinds of conversions wars. Why don't they go around checking out food establishsments to decide if they have "problematic supervision" etc etc etc?, but no, Tropper has latched on to conversions and will fight to the death those rabbis he deems to be not up to snuff in a manner befitting an inquisitor which is really what he wants: a grab for power using this issue with the conversion candidates as pawns in his high stakes gamble to get recognized as the big rabbinic cheese, a self-manufactured "gadol" via conversions that all must bow to and fear. ...
EJF & Tropper say: "Nefesh Yehudi and EJF will also jointly sponsor a Shabbaton for students in Odessa on September 4-5. The new EJF model of “straight talk” on intermarriage will be included in this seminar, highlighted by a keynote address by Rabbi Leib Tropper."
ReplyDeleteRaP: This garbage about "straight talk" comes straight from Tropper's turgid mind who does not know how to talk calmly and gently to people to win them over but must scream and shout like a wild man to make his points. Shame on him. This is not just not kiruv it is a self-destructive chillul Hashem.
"Odessa however is not the only place that has had a resurgence of Jewish life. The European Beis Din has seen an increase in requests for halachic conversions. A seminar like the one in Odessa is being planned for Munich in November."
RaP: In Munich it will be more Russians who make up the largest number of Jews in Germany today. They will not buy into Tropper's ego-mania having survived the Soviet system and knowing better.
"As the Rosh Bais Din of London, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentrau also presides over the Bais Din of the Conference of European rabbi (CER) and is Chairman of the Halachic Committee of the Eternal Jewish family in Europe."
RaP: Seems Tropper's reach is never satisfied as he tries to drag the European rabbis into his power plays.
"In recent months, EJF has sponsored many of the expanded activities of the Bais Din, including regular visits to Basel, Switzerland, for meetings with perspective (sic) geyrim. EJF is responding to the dramatic increase in demand on the European continent by opening an office in London to assist the work of the Bais Din."
RaP: What are they up to? For the last 100 years these batei din have managed to perform geirus without EJF and Tropper so why does he think his help is so crucial now? But people reading the Jewish Press can be counted on not to ask questions it seems.
"As has always been the case, EJF merely serves as a resource and support for its affiliated batei din. EJF does not establishit (sic) own."
RaP: Sure.