1)3CHEF1 30 Friday, January 10, 1986 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS - THE REBBE'S EMPIRE Continued from preceding page ORCHARD MALL O ORCHARD RCHARD LAKE & RD. Daily 10 am-8 pm; Thurs. 10am-9pm; Sun. 12-5pm • phone 855-4505 VERTICAL BLINDS 50% to 80% OFF! ONE WEEK ONLY! FREE! ir gitZE ES LARGEST SELECTION of moledols, styles& colors anywhere! Finest quality, Lowest pdcesl Custom-Afede! Over 200 Styles! Genuine "Bali" MINI-BLINDS Since 19591 up to We have a wry with windows! Custom Mad& 40 Finishes! 65% HOUSE OF SHUTTERS ...and more! O OF SOUTHFIELD: 29215 Southfield Rd. (In Farrell Center) LIVONIA: 33710 Plymouth Rd. (By *ointment Only) FARMINGTON HILLS: 31205 Orchard Lk. (Hunters Sq.) 357471 . 261.6 855-6972 a . of 18'.4 Mile) 739.21 FREE INSTALLATION STERLING tieTS.i 42354 You Dyke (Just leader in Torah must speak out on issues that need leadership. The Torah covers all aspects of human life, nothing is irrelevant to God or the Jews. The Rebbe leads us in what the Jewish belief on issues is. The world is his domain." Most recently, that domain has included two issues that have generated consider- able controversy and anger — separation of church and state in America and Who is a Jew? in Israel. Lubavitchers, almost alone among Jew- ish organizations, have been advocating what many Jews have been fighting — the introduction not of prayer, but of an organized moment of silence in the public schools. "The Rebbe is not about to give up responsibility for the hundreds of thou- sands of Jews attending public schools or for non-Jews," said Rabbi Kagan. "He feels the whole malaise of youth today is due to the erosion of any sense that there is a higher being. The Constitution says we must be free of religious coercion. It doesn't say we should be a religion-free country. "If kids see that even just a moment is taken at the start of the day to meditate, to thini about higher entity, that will set the tone for the rest of the day. We are turning out trained technicians, stuffed, with information but devoid of moral val- ues. We have a responsibility to fill that void." Rabbi Schindler argues that support for a moment of silence is a threat to the tradi- tional separation of church and state and provides a dangerous 'foot in the door.' It is for that reason, too, that he opposes Lubavitch's placing of Chanukah menor- ahs on public property. - It is that last argument especially that makes Rabbi Krinsky angry. "Are they afraid Reagan will make the Jews go to church on Sunday? Why don't they take their money and blood, sweat and tears and use it to fight anti-Semitic acts. They make fools of themselves. Men, women and children are proud to see a Jewish symbol, happy that someone is thinking of their yom tov." But while the church/state issue has led to heated debate, it is not, said Rabbi Greenberg, what, he's concerned about. To him much more important and much more potentially damaging is the issue of Who is a Jew and the Lubavitchers' efforts to amend Israel's Law of Return. At present, the law grants Israeli citizenship to those born Jewish or converted to Judaism. The Lubavitchers want that last part chang- ed to converted to Judaism "according to Halachah." About the only thing the two sides of the debate agree on is just how important the issue is. "It is something that could - destroy the Jewish people," said Rabbi Kagan. "It threatens to tear the Jewish world apart," said Rabbilchindler. But that's where the agreement stops and the arguments start. "Some have said the issue affects only a small number, that there's not really much damage," said Rabbi Kagan. "In fact, it's not a trickle but a torrent, involv- ing thousands every year It is creating a fifth column of non-Jews. in Israel, who have gotten a quickie conversion." At issue, said Rabbi Krinsky, "is the very core of Judaism. What is Judaism without Halachah? If there is a misleading ceremony, that person is not Jewish. It's a big lie, a tragic situation. Our desire is that someone be regarded as Jewish only on the basis of a true and authentic con- version." Rabbi Schindler said he's not sure that's really the issue. "They don't care about the conversion but only about who does the conversion. When I do a conversion it is in accordance with the strictest de- mands of Halachah. But the fact that I'm doing it makes it not kosher because, to them, I'm not kosher. They're trying to read me out of Judaism by deciding who is a Jew and everyone else is a sinner. "Lubavitch's relentless pressing of the issue is the most divisive force in Jewish life today. All their good is undone by this madness. They cry Klal Yisrael, but they don't practice it. They are acting like that monster Mengele, making selections. But at least he didn't separate Jew from Jew. There is no greater danger to Jewish uni- ty." As for Rabbi Greenberg, he says he is "mystified" by the Lubavitch stance. "They have built up a lot of goodwill and they're blowing it. The goodwill came from their emphasis on Klal Yisrael, but now we find that that's only on an individual basis. They will deal with any. Jew. If a Jew is in trouble, they don't ask what kind of Jew he is, bdt do what they can to pull him back in. , "What I don't think we grasped until the Who is a Jew issue is that they only deal with the personal, individual Klal Yisrael. When it comes to the collective— !;o Reform or Conservative or any organ- ized group, they're not pluralistic. They do not attribute any equal spiritual dignity to other organized collectives." The result, said Rabbi Greenberg, could be "devastating, causing damage to them- selves and the community. It is contri- buting significantly to the split and grow- ing polarization of the Jewish world." The Lubavitchers say, on the contrary, their goal is to unite the Jewish world. "We welcome everyone," said Rabbi Kagan. "We are the ones who reach out to any group, we reject no one. ' If anyone says, 'We Are One,' it is Chabad. To say we don't look at Conservative and Reform as Jews is inexcusal?le, an outrageous 4,