Last minute round-up:

Recognition: The original purpose.

The original purpose of seeking recognition from the congregation was twofold: first, to give the congregation a chance to sign off on the status of the New WAM, second - to achieve equivalence to the South Windermere Minyan House under the auspices of BSBI.

The resolution you should have read by now is the product of the process. It is clearly not what was initially desired by those seeking recognition for WAM, and this in itself speaks to the issues of procedure at BSBI.

But the premise itself, minyan house status, is problematic. One of the friction points of BSBI has been the very existance of the Minyan House. It is an arrangement that embodies a second class status for those at the Minyan House. Even though they have been for a good while now the very core of observant members in BSBI, they have been treated quite shabbily. Are we to seek the same shabby treatment ourselves as the New WAM?

I prefer not to be a second class member, and would not expect anyone else to be either. Furthermore, if the New WAM were somehow compelled to sign off on this resolution, which would be a grave mistake, I and others like me would be relegated to 3rd and 4th class status by such decision. I hope it will not turn out so.

On being divisive:

One of the catch phrases I was first affronted with when establishing the "Outback Minyan" was to be told I was being "divisive". The simple matter is, at one time or another, all of BSBI has been divisive. First, there was Brith Sholom, from which broke away Beth Israel. Then they got together, from which broke away the South Windermere Minyan House.

Right after the dreadful Location Vote, some of those in South Windermere told us not to divide. "The solution should not be to divide." Others, briefly, said, "yes, let's divide! You get things up and running around the JCC, and after 3 months, we will follow."

Of course, the real dividers were the Board and the Downtowners, and the South Windermere residents who voted with Downtown. All divisive, to the core.

Now, there is a notion, even a custom, that to espouse and work for the unity of BSBI is somehow the most noble position one can take. Pity it turns out. You see, the ONLY thing, the only thing, that divides WAM, that causes anger and dissent, is BSBI. This resolution in persuit of recognition is just such a case in point.

Making Peace:

So, how to make peace? What is evident from the wording of the resolution is that the Board of BSBI is not ready for a real reconciliation, and we must not delude ourselves to think that it is.

It is also not our task to bypass the Board so the congregation can make its own decision. After all, this is the Board that a resounding majority of the congregation elected. I know. I was there.

So those of us who see BSBI's lay leadership for what it is are not the bearers of the dreaded "divisiveness", and please don't lay that term on us. Your complaint, such as it may be, is with the Board AND the Congregation that elected it.

Finally, we can have peace. Let's stop pestering BSBI for "recognition". Let's get out of their faces, and they can stay out of ours. History tells us there will ultimately be a united orthodox congregation, and it will be better and stronger for all of us if we begin to create good precedents and procedures for it now, as we build it through the New WAM.