An early morning blaze in the Clifton Reform Jewish Center on Sunday has left the building uninhabitable with no electricity and heavy smoke damage, authorities said.
Deputy Fire Chief George Spies said fire alarms went off about 4:30 a.m. at the Temple, at 18 Delaware St. When police and firefighters arrived, heavy smoke was spewing out of the building.
The blaze is believed to have started with the main breaker in the center’s electrical panel box. Public Service Electric and Gas workers were called to cut power to the building.
About 15 firefighters had the blaze under control in 20 minutes, but there was heavy smoke damage, Spies said. No injuries were reported.
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19 Responses
why do u YW stress the word refom?
Who cares?
Who
I think it is a mistake, the Clifton Jewish Center had as its rabbi for 50 years Rabbi Markovitz who was a Hungarian-born Yeshiva University graduate, and he helped the yeshiva in Passaic its early years. I think it was a shul with no mechitza, but not reform… I heard rumors that they were considering putting in a mechitza a couple of years ago and becoming 100% orthodox.
Call it what you want, but I just copied this from THEIR website: “We now welcome women to our daily minyan and also on our Bema.”
Take care.
Boruch Hashem for taking nekoma on the reshoim
nekoma on reshoim?lets remember that they are fellow yidden as well…lets workon narrowing the gap not widening it.
Kiruv rechokim applies to all yidden, and that includes those who identify as Reform. By labeling them reshoim, you remove yourself from the realm of even having a hope of influencing others.
Most individuals, even those ordained as “Rabbis”, who identify with the Reform movement are far from purposeful rejecters of Judaism- they are unfortunate victims of their movements’ leaders, who grievously led their followers astray. There are countless of ba’alei Teshuva today who have come from backgrounds such as this, and demonstrate their strong will and devotion to rise above their background and seek what is true.
No such laudatory comments are due to you, however. Flinging your labels around like bile from the boich has nothing to do with Yiddishkeit, and everything to do with a rude attitude and cave-like mentality. I hope you’re only a teenager, which would explain the less than reasoned epithet.
You would do better by extending some friendly greetings to these people, and showing some caring about their personal pain. The ripple effect of your own dignity, good middos, and love for your fellow Jew might indeed bring some more people closer to H-Shm.
Boruch Hashem???!!!!
Are you out of your mind?
Sarah, I sometimes wonder about the leaders of the Reform movement, since I think some of them are sincere and purposeful rejecters. Todays Reform “rabbis,” who knows? A large percentage of them have openly stated that they don’t even believe in G-d.
But in any case your post is wisely-written.
Sarah said,
“Most individuals, even those ordained as “Rabbis”, who identify with the Reform movement are far from purposeful rejecters of Judaism”
I have no quarrel with the rest of your post, but my impression of “most” Reform rabbis is that they indeed are “purposeful rejecters of Judaism” who are choteh u’machtie as ha rabim to this very day.
kudos sarah!!!
I don’t have access to statistics on the knowledge of Reform “Rabbis”, so there might very well be a majority who are knowledgeably and purposefully rejecting Judaism, and intentionally leading others astray.
At the same time, I don’t think we can conjecture that they all fall into this category- some of the very same sincere yet clueless followers have deep enough feelings to desire to get “ordained”, and continue the tragic cycle. I do agree with Motcha and esg78, that most Reform clergy might not be as innocent as their flocks.
susshow:
I’m NOT out of my mind; rather I am following the instructions of the Chofetz Chaim, who in the Mishna Brura (I think the first siman, in the Shaar Hatziyun) quotes Dovid Hamelech as saying “Tachlis sin’a s’neisim” (I utmostely hate them) – refering to the “son’ei Hashem” (haters of Hashem).
Who else in this generation hates the Ribbono Shel Olam more than Reform/Conservative? It’s not the Muslims – they pray to their understanding of the Borei Olam. It’s not even the Notzrim (X-ians) – for them trinity is OK.
tek:
I am all for narrowing the gap. However, the reform movement is led by people who mislead their congregants to a campain against the Torah. The masses of the movement are 100% considered “tinokos sh’nishb’au” (kidnapped babies) – who are “exempt” from shmiras haMitzvos, since they were never brought up that way. Unfortunately, this classification does not include the “rabbis” and their houses of worship.
Sarah:
I sadly once encountered a reform (maybe it was conservative) “siddur” – Hashem Yerachem!!! what they ommitted!!! gone are all korbanos! (Klal Yisroel’s largest tefila is “yibone beis hamikdash…” for korbanos, and they refuse to even mention it.) Gone are all the heilige distinctions between the roles of men & women. Gone are the “hivdilanu min ha’amim” (Hashem has separated us from the nations)
I don’t just say these “right-wing” statements out of pure anomosity – it’s based on reality & hashkafa.
frum forum-point taken …however,calling them reshaim still wont bring them closer…May I ask you what you did today -besides signing here- to be mekarev these “kidnapped babies”?
ff,
If you truly believe that “The masses of the movement are 100% considered “tinokos sh’nishb’au”, then perhaps a more nuanced post would lend clarity to your position.
Such as,
This Temple was an institution of heresy, and it’s no tragedy that it was destroyed. Hopefully we can reach out to these congregants in their pain, and make a Kiddush H-Shm by demonstrating how a Yid behaves.
We must be careful not to use the label “Reshaim” indiscriminately, as you detract from the seriousness of your position. It is apparent from your subsequent post that you do understanding the variation amongst the many; perhaps the first was written in righteous haste :).
FF, your hard core, “Boruch hashem” let them all burn… attitude is very disturbing. I think that you need to check your ways and do Teshuva. You may hate their ways (even though most of them don’t know any better), but to hate THEM?!
I think that you are out of your mind if you want to Drei a Chofetz Chaim to say that it is ok to say Boruch hashem that the place burned down.
I know, personaly, one Reform Rabbi. He is a Tzadik. He may not know better on may issues, and I’m teaching him, and he is being Mikabel many things. If he would read your comments it would be Appaling.
TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAY!!!
You ask “who more hates Hashem then these people” I say that if you hate your fellow Jew, you hate Hashem. You need to do a serious Cheshbon Hanefesh, perhaps talk to a Godol, about your Kruma Hashkafos.
All,
Thank you for setting me straight. I was definitely too harsh in calling them all “reshoim” (however, I do maintain my position on their leaders and the institution).
I’m all for kiruv – I’m an avid fan & supporter of R. Amnon Yitzhak shlita, along with other local kiruv organizations.
Sometimes, when you see people doing things like that, it gets you all stirred up, and you go overboard.
I apologize for hurting your feelings, and I will not make such stark statements any more.
— Ahavas Yisroel rules —
That last email changes my opinion of you. Yasher Koach.