How the New West Ashley Minyan may reconcile with Congregation Brith Sholom Beth Israel without anyone losing their sanity.
At the outset, I must be clear: I am not opposed to reconciling with BSBI, nor do I think that Charleston, SC, has the resources to support more than one orthodox congregation.
On the flip side, I am not in favor of abandoning reason, and ignoring harsh realities. The central fact that one has to absorb is that reasonable change cannot be achieved from within BSBI. If you cannot accept this, you are most likely deeply emotionally bound to a notion of loyalty for personal and / or family reasons. Like most people dealing with this, you have probably been deeply hurt by the actions of BSBI’s lay leadership over recent years. I certainly have been, and I recognize your situation, and sympathize with you all.
Nevertheless, we need to look at this in a clear-headed way.
The New WAM is now almost 18 months old. It is and has been, a wonderful grass-roots experience. Everything about it is spontaneous and voluntary. It has given the Charleston Jewish Community a new and vibrant growth point where its two key institutions are situated - JCC and AHA, the community center and school. Whether BSBI buys into it or not, this is without doubt where Charleston’s single orthodox congregation will ultimately be situated.
I am committed to this new reality, as are many others. Individually and collectively, we do not presently have the where-with-all to create this congregation now. But we are at the beginning of a journey, and eventually, I am certain, we will reconcile with BSBI. But for now, we have to look outside of BSBI for our direction. If this angers you, I believe you must recognize that your anger is more appropriately directed at BSBI than at me or the many others who attend the New WAM.
A small BSBI subcommittee recently met with representatives of the New WAM to discuss BSBI recognizing the New WAM as a part of BSBI. They engaged in some formal "fact-finding", as if such issues would really affect their decision! At the last BSBI Board meeting, the chairman of this committee made no report, and when someone proposed a motion in favor of recognition, the motion was tabled to kill discussion. Thus confirming the many things I have said in this forum about the death of due process at BSBI.
The question now is whether to take the matter of BSBI recognizing the New WAM to the congregation. Everyone involved must address this question for their own conscience. I am not in favor of such an action, but recognize that everyone is free to choose and act freely for themselves. This is, I believe, a principle that we must ensure we uphold in the workings of the New WAM - that we accept there are various ideas about how to proceed, and respect others for their opinions and convictions.
Whatever structure we create for the New WAM as we go forward, our participants need to be free, as they are now, to choose whether to be members of BSBI, or not. If you choose to press the issue with BSBI, brace yourself for a difficult meeting, and for its aftermath. And also recognize, that if you succeed, you are affecting what the New WAM may become.
Finally, be sure that you have examined the other ways we might move forward, without being confrontational. In the context of BSBI, I would object to achieving the blessing of the congregation for the New WAM, while still having to live under the regime of the current lay leadership.
