[Video below.] Yesterday, Rabbi Avi Weiss’s shul held its Annual Martin Luther King Jr Day Concert featuring the Green Pastures Baptist Church Choir and the SAR High School Choir. In the actual shul sanctuary, a co-ed choir sang songs as the mixed audience clapped along.
This display is only the latest example of why the outcry over Weiss and antics are more than justified.
Watch the following with caution. It is being shown here only for people to realize the threat that Weiss and his cohorts pose to normative Orthodoxy.
[media id=2062 width=400 height=300]
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
What a CHUTZPAH Avi Weiss is. This is just a major CHILLUL HASHEM. He goes ahead and first he does MIXED seating, but not only that he brings a co-ed
choir with girls an boys. Then he goes ahead and brings a minister, a church choir, and people who do not believe in HASHEM. I mean what is wrong with this guy?! Seriously this Avi Weiss has problems
he did this last year
amazing thanks for sharing!
Not that I’m in favor of what went on there, and see that it’s halachically questionable, but in what way does this represent “a threat that Weiss and his cohorts pose to normative Orthodoxy”?
They’ve been doing this for years.
What damage has it caused other shuls?
Has any other Orthodox congregation copied it?
Also, given that most of your readers wouldn’t consider this a kosher shul, given its weak mechitsa, why is this more of an outrage than a conservative shul’s doing it — and why is it any of our business?
the main chutzpah is that Its one thing in the social hall they do this chilul hashem but right in front of the aron kodesh a priest and coed choir disgusting shaygitz will burn in gehenom with the reform
“rabbi” avi weiss?? who gave him his smicha, captain crunch??
By Matzav reporting on this, they are giving credence, even though Matzav wants people to see who/what avi weiss is…… a mushchas of the highest accord, period.
It is literally a chilul Hashem. That he calls his new syna/church Orthodox is the epitome of chutzpah. Why has he not been ousted from the RCA and his whole group put in cherem?
sakonas nefoshas!!!!!!!
A Temple
To No 1, I think we have a problem, when Matzav would even post something like this because this Weiss guy is looking for himself to be in the public eye, and what he does is, on purpose to be MEKALEL SHEM SHOMAYIM BERABIM, so why even put him in?
I’m not sure what the fuss is all about. This is perfectly normal for a Reform Temple 😉
On a serious note, I would like for someone to explain what threat Avi Weiss and this poses to Frum Jewry. Anyone with a brain cell can tell this is reform and nothing to do with Torah Judaism. So he calls himself Orthodox? Who cares? If Rabbi Sally said her temple was Orthodox, would we care? We would realize she is nuts and so is Weiss. Please explain
I think he is not a rabbi but, a church minister wannabe
One of the saddest parts of the whole thing is how much more awakened the crowd was by the Baptist minister and choir than their own choir and rabbis (such as they are).
I think that the most eloquent testimony to the emptiness of what Weiss and Co. are selling is that the Baptists were more inspiring than the Jews. Which is what happens when you get a group of goyim and Yidden together, and the former are closer to fulfilling their purpose in this world than the latter.
Mamash ah chutzpah. hatikva before the Star Spangled Banner, what azus! Now I realize why Hussein didn’t come there to speak – and I thought it was just another missed opportunity (not unlike Paris).
Avi Weiss thinks this is a wonderful idea. Just wait till next year, after Weiss is forced to reject the pastor’s invitiation for Avi Weiss and the members of his shul, to come to the pastor’s church (which he also calls a synagogue)! All this “good-feeling” enterprise will go down the drain. That’s what happens when you go against halacha.
is this on shabbos?
The biggest chutzpa is the fact that toward te end of the video, the minister invites the people to come to the church!!
According to the HIR web site page about the concert:
http://www.thebayit.org/event/martin-luther-king-jr-day-concert2.html
It took place on Monday, January 19th.
I’m not certain as to why the person at the beginning of the video said “Good Shabbos,” as it wasn’t Shabbos.
Answer to #4 & #12 – because Mr. Weiss & his temple portray themselves as Orthodox, and those who are not familiar with what Orthodox truly is might be persuaded that these people are Orthodox.
From the HIR web site page about the concert:
“Rabbi Avi Weiss, senior Rabbi at the Hebrew Institute says: ‘More than ever, the spirit of Dr. King is needed. In a world of intolerance, we desperately seek harmony and unity and a powerful sense of common mission. Partnering with the gospel choir and hearing the music of both our heritages will no doubt be powerful.'”
to #12: believe it or not, there are many, many yidden in this country who are Orthodox, but not “bnai Torah.” True, bnai torah see right through all of Avi Weiss’ shenanigans and understand that he makes a mockery of our Torah and Mesorah. But unfortunately there are many yidden who look to Weiss as just another modern orthodox rabbi, and as long as he holds that title, they are fine, if not enthralled by what he has to say or be “mechadesh.” Many of our brethren our heavily influenced by our liberal society, and wish to superimpose that “hashkafah” onto the Torah. Weiss validates that for them, which unfortunately can lead to a terrible outcomes, for instance, bringing in non-jewish clergy members and others to perform a mixed singing concert in a shul…
#16:
Why do you assume he – and they – won’t go? It would be far less radical than a lot of other things he’s done.
that baneshama song is the worst song ive ever heard
the BIGGEST problem is that some of his talmidim/talmidos have been hired by various Orthodox shuls around the US as rabbis/rabbas!
To Apikores Weiss: Do you think G-D can’t handle your outrageous CHILUL HASHEM? You better take inventory while you can. You have a mission in this world and its definitely not to make a joke out of the TORAH chas v’sholom. YOU TOO are in the hands of HASHEM who is waiting for you to realize how low you have fallen!! Time for Tshuvah is NOW!!!
I just wanted to correct #24 ITS from Maamin to Apikores r”l
Apikoes: Do you think G-D can’t handle your
outrageous CHILUL HASHEM. The time to realize
how low you are falling is NOW!!! YOU TOO are
in the HANDS OF HASHEM!! Do Tshuvah before its too late!!! Think about it……
Meshugener – oived avoida zoro
The best thing would be if another shul opened up right down the block.
Ki veisi beis tefilah yikarei lchol haamim.
I agree with #28, shortcut
IY”H may it be a REAL Orthodox Shul!
Is it lashon hora to read these comments? Probably not, I mean after all anyone that disagrees with ‘the emes of torah’ must be put down for the ‘threat’ that poses. And anyways, we should probably disregard any of the issues which sinas chinam have caused our nation, clearly not all Jews are worthy of respect.
All this trash going on in front of the Aron Kodesh,,,,,al eileh ani bochia,,,,,,,,,,
#31 – Speaking out against someone who is causing a public Chilul Hashem is neither Lashon Hora nor Sinas Chinam. Jews are certainly not supposed to be “partnering with the gospel choir and hearing the music of both our heritages.”