2008 Woodie Awards
The Scandal of YU's Offensive Appointment
Joel Shteir
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Opinion
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This article does not argue whether it is possible, correct or appropriate for the Lubavitcher Rebbe to be considered the Messiah. Therefore, I am going to refrain from mentioning my personal feelings on the matter. Rather, the focus here is going to be on the recent appointment of the new head of Yeshiva College's Jewish Studies Department who, based on several books, essays and lectures, excludes a major Jewish group from Orthodoxy.
This new head of YCJS, Dr. David Berger, who authored the book, The Rebbe, The Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference, sees himself at the forefront of a mission he intends to spread through the entire Orthodox community. He feels that a majority of Lubavitchers believe their Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who passed away in 1994, to be a god as well as Messiah, and are therefore outside the realm of acceptable Judaism, and must be excommunicated. At Yeshiva University, there is a small group of Lubavitchers, maybe fifteen or so, in addition to the many more students- numbering over forty- who have some connection with the Chabad-Lubavitch community. It would appear that Dr. Berger would want each one of these people to take some sort of oath declaring they do not believe the Rebbe is the Messiah to be considered accepted within Orthodoxy.
My question to the Yeshiva Administrators is as follows: how am I, a student at YU, as well as someone with a strong connection to the Lubavitch movement, supposed to understand this appointment and its apparent conflict with the cultural open-mindedness espoused by the University?
Let me also relate my hesitation in writing this article. A school's newspaper is usually not the venue to discuss such a delicate and personal matter, but seeing how Dr. Berger has already made his war on Chabad public, I felt publishing it worthwhile- even necessary.
When he joined us for Shabbat a few weeks ago, President Joel candidly remarked that he does not see a place for Jews who do not observe "Torah u-mitzvot" on this undergraduate campus. Indeed, Yeshiva would be hesitant to accept a Conservative or Reform Jew to Yeshiva College or Sy Syms because his values run opposite those of the University and its student body. Yet, Dr. Berger, who now holds arguably one of the more important positions in YC and is also making headway into Revel Graduate School, would have me expelled if the power were in his hands for refusing to comply with his inquisition.
This new head of YCJS, Dr. David Berger, who authored the book, The Rebbe, The Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference, sees himself at the forefront of a mission he intends to spread through the entire Orthodox community. He feels that a majority of Lubavitchers believe their Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who passed away in 1994, to be a god as well as Messiah, and are therefore outside the realm of acceptable Judaism, and must be excommunicated. At Yeshiva University, there is a small group of Lubavitchers, maybe fifteen or so, in addition to the many more students- numbering over forty- who have some connection with the Chabad-Lubavitch community. It would appear that Dr. Berger would want each one of these people to take some sort of oath declaring they do not believe the Rebbe is the Messiah to be considered accepted within Orthodoxy.
My question to the Yeshiva Administrators is as follows: how am I, a student at YU, as well as someone with a strong connection to the Lubavitch movement, supposed to understand this appointment and its apparent conflict with the cultural open-mindedness espoused by the University?
Let me also relate my hesitation in writing this article. A school's newspaper is usually not the venue to discuss such a delicate and personal matter, but seeing how Dr. Berger has already made his war on Chabad public, I felt publishing it worthwhile- even necessary.
When he joined us for Shabbat a few weeks ago, President Joel candidly remarked that he does not see a place for Jews who do not observe "Torah u-mitzvot" on this undergraduate campus. Indeed, Yeshiva would be hesitant to accept a Conservative or Reform Jew to Yeshiva College or Sy Syms because his values run opposite those of the University and its student body. Yet, Dr. Berger, who now holds arguably one of the more important positions in YC and is also making headway into Revel Graduate School, would have me expelled if the power were in his hands for refusing to comply with his inquisition.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 75
Joshua Schwartz
posted 10/10/07 @ 2:31 AM EST
Yeshiva University is not only "yeshiva" but "university". Prof. David Berger is one of the foremost scholars of Jewish Studies not ony in the USA but in the world and YU is to be congratulated for the appointment. (Continued…)
Rochel
posted 10/10/07 @ 1:45 PM EST
Excellent article! It reflects a concern held by many in the Jewish world, especially in the circles of Torah-true Judaism. Degrading the Chabad doctrine as Dr. (Continued…)
Mosher Wiklower
posted 10/10/07 @ 8:21 PM EST
I heartilly agree with the writer! Dr. Berger has taken things one step too far and is trying to throw the baby out with the bathwater in an attempt to create his legacy. (Continued…)
boruch n. hoffinger
posted 10/11/07 @ 8:49 PM EST
B"H
Dr. Berger is probably just jealous.
"One of the greatest halachic deciders of our generation, one of the greatest legal scholars of our time, was Rabbi Aharon Soloveichik," he says. (Continued…)
Nachum Lamm
posted 10/11/07 @ 9:48 PM EST
"The Rebbe, MH"M is not G-d, but it's hard to find someone who was so connected."
What on Earth does that mean?
Steg
posted 10/12/07 @ 2:59 PM EST
So the author of this piece refuses to disclose his own opinion on the matter of whether a dead man is the mashiahh. I wonder if he has something to hide. (Continued…)
Derek
posted 10/14/07 @ 12:24 AM EST
I have a friend who believes that another Jew who died long ago was Mashiach. That friend is a Christian. Would it be close-minded of me not to consider him part of the Orthodox Jewish community?
How about Jews for Jesus? After all, "Messianic Jews" also follow many Jewish traditions and rituals. (Continued…)
stephen tolany
posted 10/14/07 @ 10:44 AM EST
In my posting above I presented the authentic position of Rav Ahron Soloveichik. His opinion was that Judaism does not allow for the late Lubavitcher Rebbe to be considered Moshiach. (Continued…)
mordechai
posted 10/14/07 @ 2:06 PM EST
One poster noted YU is not only a Yeshiva but a University
He is correct
A university has an obligation not to employ an academic fraud. Bergers libel of Chabad shows him not only to be a bigot but an academic fraud. (Continued…)
Yohann
posted 10/14/07 @ 2:35 PM EST
An academic should not have such open and virulent hatred against one segement of society. Disagreement is OK, but not the hatred and lack of knowledge that Dr. (Continued…)
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