I went to a "Spiritual Bootcamp" at Temple Sinai (C) in Westwood Wednesday night.
At 7:05, only Sinai rabbis David Wolpe and Sherre Hirsch (eight months pregnant) appeared present. Then Reform rabbi Richard Levy walked in.
The panel began.
At 7:15 p.m., Orthodox rabbi Elazar Muskin walked in.
I thought something had to be wrong. Rabbi Muskin is a yekke (of German descent). He is normally punctual and organized.
It turns out he was told yesterday by an organizer that the program would not begin until 7:15 pm or so.
As is the trend in these interdenominational dialogues, the rabbis all agreed and complemented each other. Unless the evening is pitched as a debate, rabbis these days seem terribly eager to get along.
There was one disturbed man in the audience who'd clap and speak out at the most inopportune moments.
Rabbi Levy always looks tired and distracted. He's not a compelling speaker. Rabbi Wolpe was witty and eloquent. Rabbi Muskin passionate.
Every seat was filled.
It's a frightening thing to watch social darwinism at work, to see low status guys trying to hit on hot young women who had no interest in them.
