Message from R’ Schonfeld: R’ Yoel Schonfeld

In our Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, one of our legendary baalei-battim was Dr. Simon Lopata a”h, who, among many other important characteristics, had a flair for the written and oral word. He listened carefully to speeches and if he had any comments, he would share them with the speaker. At least with me he did. In the beginning, I was sensitive to any criticism, “constructive” or not.

The Modern Orthodox world is in a serious state of crisis. They have reached a crossroads and are having a hard time negotiating that challenge.

I guess this article can be considered a Public Service Announcement. Last Wednesday, I was scheduled to move from my house in Kew Gardens Hills to Baltimore. A few weeks before, I was gathering information on potential movers.

Last week, I received a text message from someone I know asking for a friend if I knew of a major organization that fights anti-Semitism. This person claims he and his business were victims of a hit piece by a publication that was allegedly laced with thinly disguised anti-Semitic tropes. They had an agenda and they stuck with it, despite some obvious misrepresentations.

I really should not be writing this article, or anything else for that matter. Tomorrow we will be moving to Baltimore, im yirtzeh Hashem, and I should be spending my time with last-minute packing. But the matter I intend on writing about, however briefly, is upsetting as it is urgent.

Warren Hecht called me last week and asked me if he could come by my house and have a picture taken of the two of us. Although he did not tell me that it was for an article he was going to write about us, I suspected it was for that reason, and was glad to oblige.