I must say that I really was a happy kid as a reform youth and I really thought that God liked our synagogue. Perhaps he did. Of course he did. But that said, I did know that I wasn't "orthodox" and that I was not as "holy" as the orthodox jew in terms of my own commitment to study and being religious in the home and in the work place. That was ok with me and I did not really feel that God was angry with me at any level. So I felt that I was a good Jew and I really was. I was a good Jew. But that was not my main ingredient in my success. I did feel that I was missing the boat as the orthodox jews had something that I really needed and I did not really grasp what it really was. Torah? Well I had a copy of the Torah. Kosher living? Well, I could be kosher too as best I wanted. Sabbath? Well maybe they had me that they really knew how to keep sabbath... or did they????? I'm just saying my reform experiences were not a pagan experience and they were not the worst of the day for any relationship between boy and girl, man and woman. But that said, I eventually realized that men don't shake hands with women and that girls should indeed fully cover their bodies. The orthodox were right. Men and women were different and must be contained in as of such. So the mechitza was the thing that I was missing the boat in life upon. It was only in the orthodox communities and the reform and conservative shunned this really important structure. I felt so much that it was important that I started a facebook group called somthing like "establishing the permanence of a mechitza in jewish worship". Its on Facebook if you care to join me. But that said, the reform are not horrible people and unfortunately both they and the conservative are nice people who love being Jews but just dont know what Jewish life is about. So keep the Mechitza. I wont go to another reform or conservative service but I might join you for drinks some day in your halls. Best Regards,
Dr. Craig B.
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