Via Jewschool, I stumble accross this (bit of FICTION) over at the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation:
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported today that leaders from the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and Chabad Lubavitch will be announcing the merger of their movements in a press conference scheduled for this Sunday, March 4, the 15th of Adar.
Sources close to the negotiations were amazed by the exuberance, nay euphoria, expressed by professionals and lay people of the two organizations.
"No one is going to believe this!" giggled JRF's Executive Vice President Dr. Carl Sheingold. Negotiators from Chabad's international headquarters reportedly led all the negotiators in raucous song and dance.
I’ll admit I was shocked when I saw the headline, but because I’m about the most gullible person in the world (Did you know they took the word “gullible” out of the dictionary???) I did NOT assume this was humor, but rather stretched my brain to imagine what the new queer-friendly Chabad was going to look like… I know I’m a dolt.
But in some small part of my brain the merge made a weird kind of sense. Because while Chabad and I have had our differences, I must admit that they want almost EVERYONE to come to Shabbat dinner. Even me. And the Reconstructionists want almost EVERYONE to support social justice and grass-roots projects. Even you. Both groups tend to be (at least officially) inclusive as hell.
So, it’s not IMPOSSIBLE to imagine a bizarro world (the one where we’re all straight I guess, and kosher) in which a lot of Jews get together and wear tefillin while supporting Darfur. Or something like that.
In any case,I was surprised at this bit of scribbling… and I laughed out loud. I’m highly appreciative that the RJF has a sense of humor, and I wonder what Chabad thought of this…