New blog!

So I see someone has entered the blogging world with yet another blog about hashkafah. What a dork! Anyways, I wish him better luck than I had. Byeeeee!

Young Israel Troubles - Updated!

I have been following the latest mini scandal at the NCYI, this time they are threatening a shul in upstate NY since the Shul has a Female President. Here is what the Jewish Week had to say:

At the end of what was described as a contentious call — during which National Council leaders repeatedly refused to discuss plans to expel a member congregation in Syracuse — one synagogue representative made a motion of no-confidence in the National Council’s leadership. With that, the national leaders hung up, leaving synagogue representatives puzzled and upset, according to those on the call.

One of those on the call, Hillel Levin, a board member of the Young Israel of Toco Hills in Atlanta, said he was “disappointed by the National Council’s handling of the Syracuse matter and its handling of the meeting of the delegates. Of the delegates who spoke at the meeting, I can think of only one who spoke vaguely in favor of National Council’s handling of the whole thing.”

The problem here is that while NCYI (i.e. Pesach Lerner and friends) have steadily moved to the right over the past few years, quite a few of their member shuls haven't, or have even moved to the left (Atlanta is a good example).

I am hoping that this time the various non Chareidi members of NCYI will force the issue, and even oust Lerner and friends and get some new and better leadership.

The other alternative is for those shuls to all leave the NCYI. I'm not sure which is the better option - but it's the same old question we always debate here - is it better to stay and fight from the inside, or just leave?

Update: Seems they decided to stay and fight: http://youngisraelfuture.com/

My new blog

So I think that I will start a new blog. I know I've said this before, and last time people dissuaded me, but this time it's for real.

My new blog will be non anonymous, and therefore non offensive. I'm thinking something along the lines of Harry Maryles' blog, but with more emes and less emunah (lol).

I'm also thinking that we need some new branding.

"Orthoprax" has negative connotations, plus I don't think it really captures the emes anyway.

Did Jews at zman mattan torah believe in TMS? No! Because the TMS story hadn't evolved yet, and wouldn't for a few hundred years.

Did Chazal believe everything we believe today? No!

Did the RAMBAM himself even believe in the 13 ikkarim? No! (Techiyas Hamaysim makes no sense according to his own theology).

So, new blog, new brand. By next week. Hopefully.

This blog is dead. Or maybe it's just resting?

It's dead. Or at least in a bit of a coma.

Why? I think 2 reasons:

1. I'm way too busy to post anything or comment.

2. I'm losing interest in Orthopraxy.

Reason for number 1 is that my family is expanding (as is my waistline) and the old days of me retiring to my PC to post is no longer viable. Plus I'm working crazy hours too.

Reason for number 2 is more complex. One, my kids are getting older, and having an anonymous blog is getting creepier. As long time readers know, I have never really been comfortable with anonymity, it's not really my thing. Two, my search for an OP hashkafah has basically ended. There's plenty of good material out there, with pretty much every conceivable theory having been published already. At the end of the day it all seems to be about emotion, the philosophizing and theologizing is post-facto to justify it. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but emotions are more subjective and personal, I'm not sure it makes sense to have an online debate about whether chocolate ice cream tastes better than strawberry. And finally (and perhaps most importantly), I've lost my passion for the subject. Life is short, there's more important things to achieve than trying to justify a compromise lifestyle based on compromise philosophy / theology.

My views on religion can be summed up as whatever floats your boat. Or more realistically, whatever you need to do to keep your boat afloat. As long as you are not harming any other boats in the area that is. Or if you are, as long as they deserve to be harmed. Hmm, I think my boat philosophy needs more work. Up next: whateverfloatsyourboatoprax.blogspot.com, an in-depth exploration of the whatever floats your boat hashkafah.