Conservatives Offended By ‘Jews For Jesus’ Quip

Ever since the past president of an Orthodox synagogue in Las Vegas said on his rabbi’s radio program two weeks ago that “Conservative Judaism has done a lot to turn people to Jews for Jesus because it has robed Judaism of its spiritual aspects,” Conservative Jews there have been exploring ways to appropriately respond.

Rabbi Felipe Goodman, spiritual leader of the Conservative Temple Beth Sholom, said he spoke about it in his sermon last Shabbat without mentioning any names but saying the comments sought to “deligitimize” the Conservative movement and were “divisive.”

The comments were made by Peter Dubowski, past president of the Young Israel Aish Ha Torah, on the radio program hosted by his rabbi, Yitzchak Wyne.

Rabbi Adam Watstein, Rabbi Goodman’s assistant, said he was upset that Rabbi Wyne “chose to remain silent, and in this context silence is tantamount to agreement.”

But Rabbi Wyne told The Jewish Week that he had not responded to Dubowski’s remarks because the show was out of time. He said he told his listeners this week that he did not agree with the comments and invited the Conservative rabbis to present their views on his show.
Stewart Ain