[Avodah] Entering a Conservative Synagogue was Crown Heights Rav's Psak On Voting In Church Raises Storm

[Prof. Levine]

At 05:24 PM 11/9/2020, R. Micha  wrote:
>Since this is a halachic question, I'm moving it here.
>
>When the Torah Center of Hillcrest was under construction, Rav Dovid
>Lifshitz zt"l told R Zvi Flaum that it was okay to hold services in
>the local C-nagogue's library, as long as we entered and left through
>a different door than the C congregation and could hang a sign for our
>shul by that door. Because then, it would be clear we weren't going in
>order to participate in C services.

Many years ago I was the featured speaker at a Chabad Shabbos that 
took place in a Conservative Synagogue.   After I had accepted, I 
began to question the wisdom of what I had agreed to do. After all, 
almost all of those who would come to hear me speak would drive to 
the synagogue on Shabbos.

I spoke with Rav Shimon Schwab,  Z"TL about this.  He told me that 
although Reb Moshe allowed observant Jews to teach in Conservative 
Hebrew Schools,  he personally was against this.  He said that he 
held that one was not allowed to enter a Conservative Synagogue OT to 
do anything that assisted a Conservative Synagogue in any 
manner.   Rev Schwab was, of course, a follower of Rav Hirsch's 
Austritt policy.

When I told him it was really too late for me to back out of my 
commitment, he told me I could go,  but not to do it again.   I 
followed his advice.

YL