Jerusalem – Blasting Open Orthodoxy, Rechnitz Says Embracing All Jews The Ticket To Ultimate Redemption (video)

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    Los Angeles philanthropist Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz at the Mir yeshiva’s Simchas Beis Hashoeva in Jerusalem last week.Jerusalem – In a passionate hour long speech delivered at the Mir yeshiva’s Simchas Beis Hashoeva in Jerusalem last week, Los Angeles philanthropist Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz took aim at the Open Orthodoxy movement while simultaneously calling for love and acceptance of all Jews as the only way to bring Moshiach.

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    Never one to mince words, Rechnitz has often taken on issues affecting the Jewish community, writing a lengthy article that appeared in Mishpacha magazine on the shidduch crisis and making headlines in 2016 when he spoke at a Lakewood dinner, blasting schools for an elitist mentality and refusing to accept local children that did not meet their unrealistically high standards as previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2xOKL6V).

    In his remarks Rechnitz noted that history has proven that trying to blend into society has only backfired for the Jewish people and that liberal tolerance will not bring an end to anti-Semitism.

    Calling Open Orthodoxy the most damaging religious problem facing the Jewish world, Rechnitz blasted the movement for presenting itself as Orthodox, while being nothing more than a rebranded version of Reform Judaism.

    “Going to shul doesn’t make you frum, just like standing in a garage doesn’t make you a car,” said the 46 year old nursing home magnate. “Call it whatever you want but this religion can be best described with the famous words of the president of the United States as ‘fake news.’ It’s all fake. There’s nothing Orthodox about them and the only thing that is ‘open’ are their businesses on Yom Kippur and Shabbos.”

    Yet despite his scathing words, Rechnitz was quick to note that while he believes that Open Orthodox should be “eradicated like a cancer,” those actions should be applied towards the movement itself and not those who practice it.

    Instead, Rechnitz called for warmly embracing every Jew with love as a means of ending baseless hatred, which he described as the stumbling back that is keeping Moshiach away in a time where inexplicable current events, including the election of Donald Trump as president, appear to be a clear indicator that the redemption is near.

    Rechnitz’s hour long address skillfully blended his thoughts on the Jewish world with a commentary on PETA, pro-Palestinian protests, his view that the Las Vegas massacre was meant as an anti-Trump protest and his incredulity that liberals placed a higher value on the life of Harambe the gorilla than that of a three year old child who inadvertently tumbled into the animal’s pen in the Cincinnati Zoo in May 2016.

    Announcing a commitment to giving every member of the yeshiva’s kollel an additional 100 NIS every month for at least the next two years, Rechnitz remarked that it is only the unprecedented Torah learning and chesed taking place today that has kept the Jewish community safe from mass persecution since World War II. Disrupting that equilibrium by forcing young men to leave the yeshivos where they learn to serve in the military would be a grave mistake, warned Rechnitz.

    “The main problem is that the chok giyus is taking soldiers from our army,” explained Rechnitz. “They are taking the chayalim who have made 70 years of history without the baggage that yidden were used to. Avreichim, bochurim, hold your head high. Hold your head very high. You have saved acheinu bnei yisroel and continue to save them for 70 years, halevay vayter. No matter what law is passed, we will never let anyone steal any of our foot soldiers. We can’t risk it; we are dealing with yiddishe blood.”

    Rechnitz noted that he is often asked why he supports those who dedicate their lives to learning Torah, a system that from a financial perspective cannot be sustained indefinitely.

    “I am not going be the one after 120 to brag to the Aybishter that I stopped being an enabler and, Baruch Hashem, I was able to cut the world’s learning in half,” said Rechnitz. “I’ll leave that to someone else.”

    In a VIN News exclusive interview addressing his speech, Rechnitz criticized media outlets who sensationalized his speech by incorrectly reporting that he had described those who practice Open Orthodoxy as “fake Jews.”

    “The words I used were ‘fake news’ not ‘fake Jews,’” Rechnitz told VIN News. “They tried to bring out that I think these people are fake Jews but that was not my point at all. I specifically said that what we need to be doing is to be cultivating them, approaching them not with hate, but with love. It is not us to throw stones at chayalim who are davening Mincha. It is not us to throw chairs over the mechitza. That is not us.”

    The idea that he will be misquoted by the media or criticized for speaking his mind is of no relevance to Rechnitz who said he feels that he has a personal obligation to give voice to issues that need to be addressed.

    “I don’t want to be the one going up after 120 and hearing ‘You were able to get an audience and you kept your mouth shut,’” said Rechnitz.

    Watch below Rechintz hour speech.


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    32 Comments
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    LuckyStrike
    LuckyStrike
    6 years ago

    Whether he is right or wrong, who made him the spokesperson? I thought (assumed) the Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva got him to shut up last year after that winner speech.

    TrumpIsPrez
    TrumpIsPrez
    6 years ago

    Once again, a suggestion is made contrary to halacha. Embracing all Jews, while it sounds like love and peace and nuclear disarmament, is actually negiah, which is a grave sin.

    A_glalitzyaner
    A_glalitzyaner
    6 years ago

    Wow !! Im so impressed !!
    I’m proud to be a full supporter of our 70 years foot soldiers!!!

    Reb Yid
    Reb Yid
    6 years ago

    He’s preaching to the choir. No one at the Mir is a fan of OO.

    Also, what’s with the following:

    “Rechnitz’s hour long address skillfully blended his thoughts on the Jewish world with a commentary on PETA, pro-Palestinian protests, his view that the Las Vegas massacre was meant as an anti-Trump protest and his incredulity that liberals placed a higher value on the life of Harambe the gorilla than that of a three year old child who inadvertently tumbled into the animal’s pen in the Cincinnati Zoo in May 2016.”

    Is he all there?

    6 years ago

    Any form of trimming of Halacha is unacceptable. The labels are meaningless. It is impossible to claim that there is a movement of Judaism that is founded on the Torah, yet picks and chooses which mitzvos to keep.

    Just as we acknowledge that Torah has no compromises, we must also address ourselves, as individuals, in our own halacha adherence. We do not need to apply labels of movements to our standards to see when we have crossed the line. We just completed a cycle of Elul, Selichos, Rosh Hashana, Eseres yemai Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, and Hoshanah Rabah, when we are guided to examine our role as Yidden, as it relates to Torah observance and a connection to HKB”H. Are we honest with ourselves? If we are working class, are we following halacha with regards to honesty, appropriate protections from ono’ah, yichud, negiah, hasogas gevul, etc.? If we are in kollel, are we spending our time in limud haTorah? Do we daven with proper focus? Midos bein odom lachaveiro? Do we continue to engage in cheshbon hanefesh, as instructed by the Baalei Muusar? If we fulfill these obligations, that is wonderful Kiddush Hashem.

    6 years ago

    WOW great skillful speech . Keep it up rabbi rechnitz

    6 years ago

    If not, how are we better than the movements that set the criteria for shmiras Torah Umitzvos based on their self-centered desires and needs? The groups with names are easy to identify as compromising on Halacha. But do we do that, too?

    6 years ago

    got a lot of respect for R’Rechnitz for putting his money where his mouth is.

    but this speech shows how distorted the orthodox community is. Being a light upon non-frum jews (let alone upon the nations) , and at the same time being elitist and inclusive ?

    triumphinwhitehouse
    triumphinwhitehouse
    6 years ago

    I guess like in the thankfully lost shtetel if you have money people will listen to all and make u e leader did he run this stuff by SaaS torah?

    Flyfisher
    Flyfisher
    6 years ago

    While i agree with mr rechnitz. I Wonder how many people subscribe to this sect and why is this considered a threat to chareidim.

    truthseekertoday
    truthseekertoday
    6 years ago

    Rav (mr) Rechnitz I do not know this man started to hear his name about five yrs ago, his heart and I guess his money is in the right place. I was happy with his speech on yeshivas being elitist given last year however that is still a major problem together with tuition/camp cost for thousands of familys and I don’t see any progress being made and I wonder if he is giving money to places that behave this way (if he would stop and get other major donors to stop supporting institutions that don’t help the families that need the help) so so far I know he says the right things and gives loads of money out but I don’t see any changes from our yeshivas…..i met an old friend about 3 weeks ago yes living in the boro park area who 3 children are in public school this year due to tuition cost, people dont get it these children will not be religious and I could only imagine how the parents spoke about the yeshiva at home in front of their children I bet they will not stay in the fold for to uch longer….bottom line we need real change oh and why is there money for students from ussr before our own are t aken care of

    6 years ago

    question, since when does being rich make you an expert on every matter that you need to be an expert on, for the moment that it will sound good During which you pontificate about something you know nothing about? I mean, isn’t being obscenely rich a blessing enough? Why do you always need to be the man?? Being rich Alone makes you the man…!

    ConcernedMember
    ConcernedMember
    6 years ago

    Like the old proverb says: “With money in your pocket, you are wise, and you are handsome, and you sing well too.” I’m sure someone can say it in the original Yiddish better than I can.

    6 years ago

    This man proves that having money means you can give a chashuva speech. He twists the Shoah for spewing his hate of other Jews. Terrible speech!

    Crazykanoiy
    Crazykanoiy
    6 years ago

    “I don’t want to be the one going up after 120 and hearing ‘You were able to get an audience and you kept your mouth shut,’” said Rechnitz.

    I think that after 120 they will ask him “Why didn’t you keep your mouth shut”

    An_observer
    An_observer
    6 years ago

    Perhaps he should spend less time lecturing and judging the world about how they live, and more time operating his own business in an ethical and Kosher, “michubed” manner. Just search the internet to see the multiple legal investigations about those practices.

    lazy-boy
    Active Member
    lazy-boy
    6 years ago

    “money doesn’t talk, it screams”

    when you are overly wealthy the big rabbis take back seats to let you ramble on.

    It is nice he is so generous with his gelt, but to speak so long? and on what? and to be published?