“What irked me the most here was that this is a real Rav, and it is not within the guidelines of halachah to openly question him like this.”
Questioning isn’t the problem. Doubting his authenticity without being in proximity of the context is a whole different story. Because it’s about a well respected figure who plays a major role in the community, it’s serious loshon hora.
Other than that, I agree with your paragraph about Early Conservative Rabbis.
Halachah and Schisms.
We disagree here. But I’m not sure on what terms. In straight halachah, eruvin in cities is more of an issue than women rabbis. But the Brooklyn Eruv is not causing a schism. (At most, it’s a temporary rift.) Because the both sides are behind the idea of kedushas shabbos etc. There isn’t any friction here that will cause the different sides to go two opposite ways. But women rabbis is just one instance between two sides. One wants to stay where it is. And the other wants to move off to somewhere they think is better. There can be schisms that both sides are fully within halachic bounds. [Mussar. Chassidus. amd many more.] But over time the dispute fizzles, because they both end up in the same place anyways. It does seem that the only permanent idealistic move, is to outside the bounds of halachah.
….address lack of conformity.”
LOL! What I meant here is that when Jews do not conform to halachah, it is not by itself schismatic. We have a bunch of systems (Omer muttar. Shogeg. Tinok shenishba. Taus.) that allow us to remain in close contact. It was not easy for the Conservative Movement to earn it’s mumar label. But actually, I was thinking of Orthodox groups that seem oblivious to certain parts of halachah.
My insistence on using the term ‘we just don’t go into churches’ is only intend to make the matter more serious not less. It is not my own term. I heard it from a major rosh yeshivah when he had a similar issue.
PS You can always ask me anything.