Cross-Currents Skewered

The best satire of the thinly-veiled, Pravda-like Agudath Israel 'blog' Cross-Currents can be found here. Enjoy!

Comments

[Insider]

Shmarya,
You are real nincompoop.

I, being personally in the loop am aware of the huge efforts going on right now to get Gedolim to come out against the ban and to have the signers explain it. I know people personally who are approaching Gedolim, writing letters, campaigning etc...

You, my friend, do not have a clue what you are doing. You are denigrating and ridiculing the very people who have the ability, will, and gumption to do anything. And as I know personally, they are doing something.

People are afraid, Shmarya. Cant you understand that? Not everyone is as bold as you would claim to be.

Simmer down. Wait a bit. and put your ear to the ground. You will find a very different reality than your prejudices tell you. you may even begin to appreciate those you denigrate.

[Shmarya]

Ahh, this is someone else's satire of *Cross-Currents.* My feelings about the inaction of the Gedolim who support Rabbi Slifkin can be summed up in the Elie Weisel quote on the masthead of this page. How long does poor Rabbi Slifkin have to suffer before these rabbis find the courage to speak out for him? Because, if as you say this is an issue of courage, any Gadol lacking same is not, in essense, a true Gadol. The seal of G-d is truth – if Gedolim don't have the courage to speak truth to the powerful or to stand up for the oppressed, they should retire.

[Shmarya]

If you mean that the Cross-Currents staff are working behind the scenes to help Rabbi Slifkin, lobbying Gedolim to go public with their support, etc., then fine – but only if R. Menken, et al, publicly stand up for Rabbi Slifkin even if the Gedolim don't have the courage to do so. Otherwise, let them remove themselves from public life.

[insider]

"but only if R. Menken, et al, publicly stand up for Rabbi Slifkin even if the Gedolim don't have the courage to do so. Otherwise, let them remove themselves from public life."

What the Heck?!

What kind of crazy idiocy is that? They have to remove themselves from public life unless they follow precisely your dictates? What is this? Your personal Cherem? The Shmarya Inquisition? Dont be a jackass. People dont risk their livelihoods and reputations in situations like these. They work behind the scenes. This is precisely what is happening. All you do is whine and spew bile. It's the folks who respectfully work to change things who will make the difference.

Finally, and most significantly, the only place where one will find an Orthodox Rabbi publicly disagreeing with the ban is on....Cross-Currents! Are you blind? Not only didnt they defend it, they posted disagreement!

I am sorry Shmarya, but your sledgehammer approach is idiotic and people arent going for it. We work slowly and maturely. Most of those involved are smart enough to ignore your over-the-top demands and go on with their work. I for some reason take the bait and respond. Maybe I should not bother giving you updates as you seem less interested in progress than targets for your bile.

[Shmarya]

Dude,

I've been there. Do you really think R. Elyashiv, et al will put Rabbis Menken, Rosenblum, Scherman, etc. in cherem? Further, quiet diplomacy only goes so far. If it does not bring results, then, either stand up for the truth -or- get out of the Haredi spin business.

Anyway, you're not writing to someone who hasn't been in that situation. I have, more than once, and I have never backed down.

Let the Gedolim stand up and support R. Slifkin. If they will not do so, then stand up yourself. Choose truth.

[Richard Collins]

The best satire of this whole stupid story is here

http://yitzhakeyezik.blogspot.com/

And seeing as how, you, Shmarya, are mentioned in one of this brilliant bloggers "letters" I don't understand how you aren't aware of him??

[Godol Hador]

I read this blog with amusement.

Shmarya -thanks for the compliment.

Insider - Its called satire. It means its a joke. Even the people on Cross Currents thought it was funny (well at least one of them did). Don't get your knickers in a twist. As to your theory of slow and steady. Maybe. But I doubt it. I predict that nothing much will happen from now on. The gedolim were pretty unequivocal. They can't back down now, they would look stupid, or worse, that they caved in under pressure. No orthodox rabbi is going to go up against the gedolim. The best you can hope for is some tepid clarification of hilchos heresy.