Baptists In The Synagogue

Martin Luther King Day at the Hebrew Institute- January 2010

Those Jews with their heads screwed on right will instantly recognize this for what it is. A pagan ceremony. An astounding chillul Hashem. How else to describe a Baptist reverend and his church choir performing in the Beit Knesset of a supposedly "orthodox" synagogue? (Albeit, one that now has a female "Rabba", and that has at least on one occasion featured a female cantor leading the Kabbalat Shabbat service. Personally, I don't consider them orthodox, nor have I for some time now.) My understanding is that the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale has been hosting this interfaith-concert for years. As seen in the screen capture below, they continued the tradition this year. I couldn't find this year's concert on the internet, but I'm quite certain that it will make its way there eventually. Thanks to technology, every outrage can now be shared with millions across the world.

Now why, you may ask, is it necessary for an orthodox synagogue to hold this function? Isn't it enough to recognize the legacy of Dr. King, and treat all people with dignity and equality? You my unenlightened friend obviously don't understand "open-minded, modern-orthodoxy." The liberal, modern-orthodox, Jew feels a burning need to atone for the sin of x-tian slavery. And what better way to engage in this "tikkun" than to host an annual church choir in the synagogue? They even had Neshama Carlebach singing niggunim.

Can you feel the holiness? I can't. 

For some time now, Avi Weiss has trampled upon his Rebbe's p'sak Halachah regarding interfaith-dialogue. Rav Soloveitchik (of blessed memory) prohibited Jews from participating in any form of interfaith-ceremony, religious discussion, debate, or dialogue with members of other faith communities. His classic essay "Confrontation" is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Rav's definitive position on the matter. (Many of the Rav's misguided detractors falsely portrayed his stance as a radical one. The Rav's position was deeply rooted in the normative Jewish approach to interfaith matters. He differed with Rav Moshe Feinstein (of blessed memory) and the other gedolim on the question of whether it was permissible to engage in dialogue with members of other faith communities, on non-religious issues, that affect society as a whole.)  Avi Weiss's actions are merely the next logical step of one who doesn't really believe in any separation from the goyim. If your Judaism is so influenced by goyish values that you extol the benefit of interacting with priests and "moderate" imams, the next step is to take down the barrier. Enter the Baptist choir into the synagogue. 

The x-tian faith is a rejection of the Noachide covenant. Maimonides maintained that they are idolaters. (No posek denies that for a Jew it constitutes idolatry.) If Weiss wants to sanctify The Almighty's name, he should introduce his  friends to the 7 Noachide Laws. This is the real meaning of Tikkun Olam. To bring the knowledge of The Almighty to Jews and non-Jews. Not to host interfaith concerts that not only involve serious Halachic and Hashkafic violations, but also come across as patronizing carnivals of liberal Jewish guilt.

Racism is repugnant to Judaism, and Dr. King deserves to be remembered for his struggle to end legislated discrimination. But not with interfaith-concerts in a synagogue, where a preacher calls upon his Jewish brothers and sisters to "clap their hands together and let him hear it", to the rhythm of a church choir. I'm sure many of the deluded Jews and gentiles in the audience truly believed that they felt something "spiritual" that night. So do the animists who pound on drums and wear death masks. The pagan drive is strong. Music is a powerful but dangerous medium. (Unfortunately, many talented, religious Jewish musicians allow their emotions to shape their deot, and not the opposite.) 

No religious Jew should ever attend an interfaith concert. Not in a synagogue, or on the beach, or in a night-club. Even if it means missing a rare opportunity to hear a Baptist preacher sing, "L-rd, Get Me High" with Neshama Carlebach. (And what about the kol isha prohibition?)  Ironically, the song was written to bring Jews back to the fold. Considering the setting and the participants, renditions such as this latest one, will surely send many Jews away. And Heaven forbid, they may never come back.


The only way to truly get "high", is to elevate the soul with the intellect, by studying the Torah. The Rambam speaks about a supremely elevated state whereby a perfected man becomes almost "lovesick" (so to speak) for Hakadosh Baruch Hu. This should be the model for the authentic "spiritual experience", unattainable as it probably is, for most of us. An elevated level where one is totally immersed in the knowledge of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Not some "mystical" experience of goyish paganism. Shabbat Shalom.

The Authentic Chanukah

If the Maccabees were around today, Netanyahu would stand up on national television and declare them to be public enemy #1. Forget about Hamas, Hezbollah,  Syria, or even Iran for that matter. Certainly not Fatah. Netanyahu and Ehud Barak would declare total war and send an army of Yassamnikim capos and border police to destroy them. No tactic would be considered too dirty in the war against the Maccabees. The Shabak would have an entire division devoted to infiltrating the movement. 


The leftists would scream hysterically for Maccabee blood, and applaud the most brutal crackdowns. The media and academia would soak the minds of the masses in rabid anti-Maccabee propaganda. Across th world secular Jewish organizations and their self-appointed leaders would revile the Maccabees. The Anti- Defamation League would jump into the fray and volunteer their assistance to various U.S. and Israeli government agencies, in the war against the Maccabees.


Mainstream religious Jewish organizations would condemn them. Respected Rabbis would declare that their actions were a chillul Hashem and contrary to Halachah. Respectable "modern-orthodoxy" would unanimously blacklist them. Representatives of the Maccabee movement would be banned from speaking in most religious institutions. In Israel, the state worshiping mamlachtim would similarly condemn them with the harshest terminology.The chareidim would have no part of them. "This is the way of the goyim", they would declare. "Draft deferments and child allowances are the only to defeat the chilonim." 


Only a small group of Jews would openly join the Maccabees. But in private, a great many more would sympathize with them. Some things never change. 


Why do I write these things? Isn't Chanukah universally enjoyed by Jews across the religious divide? It is. But Jews celebrate a false Chanukah that has nothing in common with the historical reality. Here's a reminder to those who haven't absorbed the lesson of Chanukah. Chanukah isn't a universal "festival of lights" for Jews to share with the gentile world. The Maccabees weren't multiculturalists fighting for religious freedom. They were Jewish zealots who waged a brutal war against the Greek swine who tried to destroy the Jewish soul.


And it wasn't just the Greeks. Let's be honest for a moment. The Maccabees fought violently against Jewish hellenists, who were trying to contaminate the Torah. When Matityahu saw a Jew publicly defiling The Almighty's name in the town of Modiin, he didn't respect the man's ability "to worship as he saw fit." He slaughtered the gentilized Jew with his sword and started a revolutionary inferno. And Yahadut lionizes him and his sons for sanctifying the Almighty's name and saving Judaism from extinction. Of course history is for the victors. So we celebrate Chanukah because Judaism survived. The irony is that Hellenists revised history, and Chanukah is considered parve today.


Is Chanukah for you?

• If you support the concept of interfaith-dialogue with x-tians and taking money from evangelicals, then Chanukah really isn't the chag for you.

•  If you proudly declare that Israel grants equal rights to its citizens and allows all faiths to worship, you should boycott Chanukah. Were he alive, Matityahu would burn down every mosque, church, and Bahai temple that defiles the Holy Land. Forget about spitting at "messianic Jews". He would've slaughtered them. If the image of burning mosques and churches upsets you, then yours is a different Chanukah than the one that was originally celebrated by the Maccabees. 

• If you support a woman's right to abort a fully formed fetus on the altar of free choice, you're a Hellenist, not a Maccabee. Feminists should protest Chanukah.  

• If you believe that homosexuals have the right to prance through the streets of Jerusalem, Chanukah is not your cup of tea. The rampant homosexuality of the Greeks was another virus that the Maccabees warred against. The sanctity of the Jewish family and the holy expression of permitted sexuality is central to Jewish thinking. Be honest about Chanukah instead of perverting it.

Chanukah symbolizes Judaism's complete rejection of the profane influences of the world. It represents the commitment to use the sword in defense of the Jewish body and soul.  This is the Chanukah that leftists want to destroy. Any proud, self-respecting, knowledgeable Jew basks in this reality. Only one who has been contaminated by 2000+ years of exile chooses to deny this, distort it, or reject it.


The legacy of the true Maccabees lives on. And the day will come when Jews embrace it and incorporate the Maccabee model as the solution to destroying the Arab enemy and sanctifying the State of Israel. In the meantime, continue to learn Torah and perform mitzvot. But take care of  your Jewish body. Strengthen it, so that you can be a good Jew. Don't worship it. Sanctify it for Kiddush Hashem. Forge it with iron and stone. Take a walk with an 80 pound sandbag on your back. Practice stick fighting, sword fighting, whatever your game. Go to the range and become a crack shot that would make Matityahu proud. One day soon, a new generation of Maccabees will arise.Good Jews will want to join them. Prepare yourself now.

"Understanding" Shlomo Riskin

I missed an email on 12/31 from Shlomo Riskin's "Account Executive" (whatever that means). You see what happens when you don't check your email often enough? The email included Riskin's response to his latest public disgrace. I'm assuming the gentleman didn't read my follow-up post the day after his email which addressed the so-called retraction. See Shlomo Riskin Makes A Retraction: Again! Nor do I think he sat through my audio post The Rambam's Legacy-Part 1, or read the more recent Shlomo Riskin's Insane Statements. Below is the letter in it's entirety, with my own commentary following each paragraph in blue.

Daniel-

Below please find Rabbi Riskin’s response to the controversy surrounding his remarks in a recent YouTube video. It is my understanding that you have been involved in discussions about this video. I hope that this statement clarifies the intent behind Rabbi Riskin’s remarks for you.

STATEMENT FROM RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN REGARDING YOUTUBE VIDEO

DECEMBER 30, 2009

It has come to my attention that comments I made on the character of Jesus in a recent interview have been misunderstood. Allow me to clarify.

The filmed interview in question (given to a group of Christians) was edited carelessly and posted on YouTube by an organization that omitted a significant part of my message. The fundamental differences between Judaism and Christianity, which I always emphasize in my talks with Christian groups, were completely absent from the edited version. In the segment of the film that was spliced out I made specific reference to the fact that Jews can never accept Jesus as the Messiah – anyone who does so is ipso facto not a Jew - and that for us every human being is a child of G-d (and not any one specific individual); no one single person can ever claim that unique status, which G-d bestowed upon all of humanity created in His image.

The Jewish Fist Commentary: Right from the start Riskin avoids the most important issues. 1) Why is he even speaking with people who see converting Jews to their faith as the most important task in their lives? 2) Why is he surprised that such people would omit and edit his words to further an insidious agenda? 3) How does he have the gall to engage in interfaith-dialogue with members of other faith communities, which his rebbe (Rav Soloveitchik) staunchly opposed?

Riskin's assertion that he always emphasizes the differences between the two faiths in his speeches, begs the real question. Why is he doing this at all? Furthermore, his explanation for why Jews can't accept "Jesus" as the Messiah (which he maintains was "spliced" out) is fundamentally inaccurate. He's still playing games with dangerous x-tian semantics that only gives them more material to distort. "Child-of G-d". Judaism's problem with this absurd and idolatrous notion is not that it contradicts the idea that we "are all children of G-d." Our problem is that the notion of a true "child of G-d" is the definition of idolatry. The real issue that gets lost in this jumble is Riskin's troubling need to engage in discussion with those who want to steal Jewish souls. A proper analysis of the man would surely expose the real driving force behind his actions. A man who has been influenced by Hellenistic notions of pluralism and humanism which are inherently at odds with Judaism.

I would certainly never praise the Christian representation in whose name Jews have been slaughtered and persecuted throughout the years. That was not my intention at all, and I regret putting myself in a position where my words could be manipulated. Indeed, my comments referred to Jesus the historical figure, the man who was not a “Christian,” who did not hate Jews but rather was himself a committed Jew. In order to emphasize this point to a Christian audience, I referred to him as “Rabbi” Jesus, the Jewish historical Jesus as many historians such as Professors Joseph Klausner and David Flusser have proven him to be. However, let me be clear: While I refer to Jesus poetically as “Rabbi” Jesus, he was not a rabbi in the classical sense of the term. It was used only to explain to a Christian audience the Jewish Jesus, and in hindsight, the term was an inappropriate one to use.

The Jewish Fist Commentary: More pseudo-history from Riskin. Whoever the true historical Jesus was (separate study in itself), he certainly wasn't a committed Jew. Riskin should read what Maimonides had to say about him. He was a heretic whose influence led to the slaughter of millions of Jews throughout history, and the loss of untold numbers of Jewish souls.

As far as his regrets go, Riskin regrets putting himself in the same position that he regretted the last time he made the exact same mistake, several months back. Evidently he learned nothing from the past. Nor does he seem to appreciate the responsibility that being a rabbi entails. These are not minor mistakes. These are gross incidents that betray a faulty understanding of the most rudimentary elements of Judaism.

Tragically, innumerable horrors were inflicted upon the Jewish people in his name. I always emphasize this point to Christian audiences and they always respond with great empathy and sincere pain. For me, one of the true signs of the unique period in which we are living is that for the first time in 2000 years, the Christian world has held out a hand of peace to the Jewish world. Even more: leading Catholics (notably Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II), important intellectual Protestants like Dr. Robert Jensen and Dr. Petra Heldt and virtually the entire Evangelical community worldwide have asked for our forgiveness, have made serious revisions in their theological positions, and are standing squarely behind the Jewish people in the State of Israel.

As an Orthodox rabbi, I deeply believe that there is a need for mutually-respectful dialogue between the Jewish and Christian worlds. This dialogue must express our common commitment to a G-d of love, pluralism and peace, but must at the same time never gloss over the very different faith commitments of our individual respective religious communities. Dialogue between Jews and Christians is especially crucial now for the political future of the nation of Israel as well as for the security of the free world in the face of the rapidly spreading Islamic Fundamentalism which is terrorizing humanity. Only the G-d of love and peace which we share with the Christian world can overcome the false G-d of Jihad and terrorist bombers. From a Jewish perspective it is clear that such dialogue can only be conducted in accordance with the principles of our Torah philosophy and the faith commitments which are the foundation of our sacred traditions.

Shlomo Riskin

The Jewish Fist Commentary: The x-tian world hasn't changed at all. Today the sword has been replaced with the olive branch of the evangelical x-tian. Now they are our "brothers", and they speak of a "shared heritage." A fictitious Judeao-x-tian ethic. There is no shared heritage with the worshipers of the dead Jew. There is no "god of love, pluralism, and peace." That's not the G-d of Israel. That's the golden calf of Heschel and Buber. Riskin may be searching in fear for an ally against the scourge of Islam or what he absurdly calls "Islamic Fundamentalism." We don't need any allies. We have The Almighty. If Riskin understood this, he'd be a very different man.

I don't want to hear any more excuses from this clown or his cronies. When he decides to repent properly and publicly, I'll be willing to listen to what he has to say. I'm not holding my breath, though. I'm just waiting for the next "misunderstanding" which will disgrace The Almighty's name and endanger the souls of more vulnerable Jews. And when it happens again (and it will), I'll be there to explode at him again, without any consideration for the modern-orthodox minions whose pluralistic feathers I am sure to ruffle.

More Heresy From "Rabbi" Shlomo Riskin

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO CONTAINS UN-JEWISH HERETICAL NOTIONS THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO THE JEWISH SOUL. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

It seems that the most prominent leaders of "modern-orthodoxy," Haskel Lookstien, Avi Weiss, and Shlomo Riskin, are having a contest to see who can desecrate G-d's name the most. In their own distinct style, each one is leading their followers into the abyss by engaging in one form or another of "interfaith-dialogue." Ironically, all three profess to be students of Rav Soloveitchik, of blessed memory. I can say with 100% certainty that the "Rav" would be tearing kriyah if he saw this. Rav Soloveitchik was always consistent in his stated position that Jews are prohibited from engaging in any form of religious discussion, debate, or dialogue with members of other faith communities. His so-called students are trampling upon their Rebbe's p'sak Halachah.
Shlomo Riskin's love affair with x-tians is absolute madness. It seems that all he does these days is make videos where he fawns all over them. He even sounds like a missionary when he refers to the dead Jew as "rabbi jesus" and uses such ideologically dangerous terms as "branches" (or "grafting" as he did in a previous video) that are laden with x-tian associations. I'll bet the missionaries are having a field day. Videos such as this are surely being translated and distributed by the thousands to misguided Jews, who are now being told by an "orthodox rabbi" that the accursed one (may his bones be crushed to dust!) was also a "rabbi."

It's impossible to remain silent when yahadut is being rolled through the mud by supposed men of Torah. Not only is everything and anything related to "jesus" un-kosher, it is the epitome of chillul Hashem. There is no commonality whatsoever between Judaism and any other faith on earth. Not one iota of commonality exists with a lunatic theology that stole it's basic motifs from the pages of the most ancient pagan books and worships a pagan man-god. There is no common ethic between yahadut and a theology that believes that only by blindly accepting the dead one as a savior can we find salvation. The x-tian faith is a blatant rejection of the Noachide covenant. They are idolaters. Is Riskin such a child that he cannot see through the ruse of these sneaky people, who support Israel solely because they believe the "second coming" is upon us?

May The Almighty grant Jews the wisdom to see these dangerous men for who they are, and the courage and strength to combat them, before they destroy more Jewish souls. The day will come when Shlomo Riskin will have to answer for his original support of the Oslo Accords that resulted in so much Jewish bloodshed. Now he has another sin to answer for. The destruction of untold numbers of Jewish souls, that will surely result from his insane love-fest with the descendants of Edom.

While the Arab Amalekites continue to try to wipe us out, the missionaries are enjoying unprecedented success in their eternal war with the Jewish soul. Tragically, the physical and spiritual enemies of Judaism are being aided by so many representatives of the "modern-orthodox" mixed-multitude, who use their pulpits to help them carry out their insidious plans. With Chief Rabbis such as these, who needs enemies?

Rabbi Meir Kahane Memorial- Video and Analysis

*Please read the addendum following the video footage, for a critical analysis of this event that I neglected to provide when I originally posted it.*

This video speaks for itself. Now and then a righteous man rises up among the gentiles. Here's an extraordinary video of a non-Jewish preacher honoring the Torah and Rabbi Meir Kahane (may G-d avenge his blood!) at a recent memorial for the Rav. May he be strengthened and blessed in his mission of truth.

Thanks to Yekutiel Ben Yaakov of the VOJ Newsletter for posting a link to this video. To subscribe to his fascinating newsletter: voj-subscribe@israelnewszone.com

Visit www.AllYisrael.com

"The seal of G-d is truth."

Addendum: "The Jewish Fist" blog is dedicated to perpetuating those core ideas of yahadut that are ignored, distorted, and have become corrupted by Jews. I want the reader to know that I do not consider myself infallible. If I am wrong about something, or upon further contemplation I come to the conclusion that an issue is more complex than I previously expressed in a post, I will always follow-up with a correction, re-assessment, clarification or whatever is necessary. I will surely follow up with any Rabbonim if I require additional input that I may be lacking. This video presented such a situation.

My previous comments about Pastor Manning did not address the question of whether it was even halachically appropriate or permissible for the preacher to speak in front of the synagogue assembly, no matter how well his intentions were. When I first saw the video, I had several fleeting questions in my head. Why was he speaking in a synagogue? Was this proper? I neglected to reflect on them sufficiently. I think that initially I assumed that he was either a former preacher or one whose views departed radically from traditional church theology. In the video, the pastor himself expressed ideas about other practitioners of his faith in a negative light, which may have led me to this premature conclusion. Once the video started, I was more focused on what he said. It was only after reading an article from Ariel Ben Yochanan of "The Torah Revolution" blog and engaging in some back and forth dialogue that I properly reflected on some key points. The following comment to Ariel explains my rationalization for why I originally posted the video:

"I posted this video on my blog. I was impressed to hear a black preacher express sentiments that are a rarity from the gentile community, not to mention the black community which unfortunately has more than it's share of race-baiters and bigots. You raise some excellent points though that should be addressed. I agree that it was halachically problematic to have a preacher speak in the shul. Was he invited or did he ask to speak? Had he proselytized from the pulpit that would have constituted an unimaginable chillul Hashem. From what I saw he did not. I agree that his praise for the Torah doesn't mesh with the fact that he remains a worshiper of the dead Jew. If he follows what he is saying, the only logical path is to become a Bnai Noach. I think that the next time I am in the states I will try to meet with this preacher. If he agrees to meet with me, I will thank him for his support but will point out to him that the only true path for him is to abandon the idolatry of his faith and follow the Laws of Noah.

Nevertheless, I don't believe we should throw this man to the dogs. Clearly he has found some truths. The only question is will he be honest with himself and truly finish his work. The strong Jewish approach is to take the "hirhur tshuvah" that this man may have started and light a fire underneath it. The true Jewish path is to do exactly as he himself said, not apologize for the Torah, but rather state the absolute facts to his face as the Rav himself would have done."

I want to emphasize that my initial reaction was not the result of any personal excitement that most nebbish Jews get when a gentile says some things that are true. Personally, I suffer from no such burning need to be loved or rebuked from well-intended gentiles "telling it like it is" to the Jew.

Upon further contemplation, I decided to watch the video again. I ended up watching it several more times, and I discovered certain things that made me uncomfortable. I want to reiterate that I believe the preacher's intentions were noble. Nevertheless, what I heard and saw seemed to me to be an outright violation of the Torah's prohibition of "engaging" in any form of interfaith dialogue. I understand that it was not a real dialogue, but what it amounted to was some recognition of a "level playing field" between the two faiths, as well as what may be understood as a type of "preaching" from the synagogue pulpit. Here are some examples that concerned me. Pastor Manning noted himself that this was the first time that he was "preaching" in front of a synagogue. I don't believe it was mere semantics. After all, he is a preacher, and his world view and outlook is shaped by his faith regardless of what he states. I am concerned that his speech inadvertently became a forum to articulate ideas through a ch**-ological framework. I cannot get past this very real concern.

Another issue that bothered me was his warm invite to the Jewish attendees of the memorial to visit his church in Harlem, particularly his invite to a Jewish individual (cantor?) attending the memorial who apparently sang two songs which he enjoyed. Clearly, there were no ground rules of "non-reciprocity" and the pastor was obviously unaware that a religious Jew may not enter another faith's house of worship. (Haskel Lookstien aside.) The fact that there were Rabbis present makes it much worse.

Although Pastor Manning only referenced the "Old Testament", it must be stated outright that he is still committed to a faith which the Rambam defines as an idolatrous one. See uncensored version of the Rambam, Hilchot Avodat Kochavim.. (9:4), and his Commentary on the Mishna (Avodah Zarah 1:3). As Ariel points out in the following link, a look at his church's beliefs ( a little research via the web) shows that they have a long to go before rejecting the basic tenets of their faith. With permission from Ariel I am posting a link to his thought provoking article. Kol Hakavod to him for raising several critical points:

http://thetorahrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/12/black-preacher-from-harlem-praises.html

In summation, I believe that Pastor Manning should be praised for his support of the Jewish people and the Rav. Nevertheless, upon careful review of the incident, there is no doubt in my mind that it was halachically problematic and very likely a violation of the Torah, for him to speak at the memorial. I am now certain that what transpired was an unintended chillul Hashem. I do not blame him. The organizers dropped the ball on this one. Nevertheless, the pastor has work to do. Despite what some rabbinical pluralistic Hellenists state, his particular faith is not "okay for gentiles" as one often hears. He has an obligation to abandon his worship of the dead Jew and become a Ben Noach.

I am not comfortable with what happened. Gentiles have an obligation to find the Torah truth. To the extent that they are on the path to truth (a truth they may never fully attain), The Almighty alone will judge them. In this case, the reverend should be firmly encouraged to follow the logical conclusion of his arguments and listen to what the Torah really says. Rise up, be courageous, and sanctify The Almighty's name by becoming a leader of the "Sons of Noach". Only then would it be appropriate for him to speak in front of Jews, regarding matters of faith. May the pastor find the truth of yahadut in his lifetime and perpetuate it among his followers.

*On an unrelated note, I didn't make the connection right away that this was the same "Pastor Manning" who made numerous derogatory comments (and hilarious ones, if you ask me) about Barak Hussein Obama (y'mach sh'mo v'zichro) prior to the last election.

Rabbi Riskin references the new testament and speaks about the need to “resurrect god” in this ICEJ video excerpt. - Jewish Israel

"Joining hands." "Resurrecting God." "Grafting." The language of the missionary. This is what happens when you replace Halachah with western notions of pluralism by engaging in interfaith dialogue. Because of a sick need to be loved by the goyim, Rabbi Riskin flattered his partners in the dialogue by using the language of their theology. This was an unprecedented chillul Hashem from an unorthodox orthodox Rabbi who has a history of making egregious mistakes. I'm not accusing Rabbi Riskin of being a messianic Jew, G-d forbid. I'm saying that he made a tremendous chillul Hashem and almost surely violated the halacha by participating in such a project to begin with.

The most frightening thing is that he may have even given the missionaries a new weapon to use against Jews. I can just see it now. Some soul snatcher starting a conversation with a confused Jew. "You know even Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who's a very famous orthodox rabbi, even he admitted that we need to join hands to resurrect God."

Another classic moment from Rabbi Riskin. Some of his lines reminded me of an "orthodox Rabbi" who has a television show on the internet. Funny little mental defective with an oddly spherical head and a hell of a shnoz on him. The only difference is that this isn't funny at all.