I know Yechiel Eckstein. We are friends. Yechiel completed Shas together with me and
about 20 others doing Daf Yomi in Rabbi Yosef Bechhofer's Shiur (10th cycle).
He started doing Daf Yomi in the Chicago Community Kollel
(Lakewood) and was expelled when he one day blurted out that he founded the IFCJ and was partnering with Evangelical Christians. The
Roshei Kollel asked a Shaila about whether they should allow him back into the
Shiur. They were told they could. But the Avreichim at the Kollel boycotted him
- walking out of the Shachris Minyan there which he attended every day after the
Shiur. Which caused him tremendous hurt and embarrassment.
He searched for
another Daf Yomi Shiur and found us. Rabbi Bechhofer asked R' Dovid Cohen if he
should accept him. He was told that he could. He was a marvelous and quite brilliant participant in that Shiur.
(After completing Shas, Yechiel sent Rabbi Bechhofer a
profoundly grateful letter. Which Rabbi Bechhofer read to our Shiur soon after
we began the new 11th cycle. It was an amazing expression of Hakoras HaTov!)
To say that Rabbi Eckstein is controversial is an understatement.
But I happen to believe that he is getting a bad rap from most of the Orthodox
world. And that they are mostly mistaken about him. Although I can surely see
why they would be suspect of what he does.
Yechiel is the director of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. In that role he has raised tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars –
almost all from Christian sources. While I do believe
that he has crossed some lines in doing so (lines similar to those crossed by
Open Orthodoxy and its flagship institution, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah) I do not
think he is guilty of what he has been accused of: supporting Christian
missionary work to the Jewish people.
But his close personal relationship with many Evangelical
preachers, his attendance at some of their rallies and some of the things he’s said has made him seem like
one of them. A Jewish rabbi (with
Semicha from Yeshiva University no less) who is now an apostate. Who in
reality wants to convert us to Christianity.
He is not like that at all. He is
a sincere and devout Jew that in my view has made some serious errors. But he has
not God forbid secretly converted to Christianity with a mission to convert us.
That is the furthest thing from the truth. His complimentary words about Jesus
are not much different than Rabbi Shlomo Riskin referring to Jesus as ‘Rabbi Jesus’.
Nonetheless, with this negative image in mind, he has been
boycotted by just about the entire rabbinic leadership in America and Israel. They believe
that he does in fact does contribute to their missionary work, whether
intentional or not. The most respected Charedi rabbinic leader of his time, Rav
Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, ZTL, forbade any Orthodox institution from accepting
money from the Fellowship. He said that accepting money from the Fellowship was
tantamount to supporting missionary work! This was followed by many other religious
leaders from a wide cross section of Orthodoxy who jumped on Rav Elyashiv’s
bandwagon. All saying the same thing.
This did not stop Yechiel. He has a good heart and does not
discriminate. Where he sees poverty, he tries to help. It is no secret that the
Charedi world in Israel is among the poorest segments of the Israeli population.
He has therefore attempted to give them money. A lot of it. But it was refused
because of what I believe was a mistaken belief about him.
I personally think that Christian money that is given
without any strings attached should be accepted and put to good purpose. It's a
shame that this community won’t take advantage of it.
It is true that Yechiel has an ego problem. He has actually
admitted to that in a recent article in JTA. He wants recognition for what he has done. And he has been
refused that recognition. But I think
recognizing him and where that money came from is a small price to pay for the
millions of dollars the Torah world would get.
It is a sad commentary on the character of those who would
take Fellowship money in spite of the ban as long as they don’t have to
publicize where they got it. Here are a few examples, taken from an authorized
biography by Zev Chafetz.
Nefesh B’Nefesh the widely touted organization that generously
finances Jews of all religious stripes make Aliyah was co-founded by Yechiel. It
was financed entirely by the Fellowship in its inaugural year. But in all their
publicity about it, they did not mention Yechiel or the Fellowship at all.
Despite the fact that it was completely financed by them.
Rabbi Dovid Grossman, of Migdal Ha’Emek happily conducted
tours for Christian donors who came to see their money in action. With Yechiel’s
help, the institution flourished. But when
he announced he was going to run for Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem he dropped
Yechiel’s support and publicly promised to stop taking Fellowship money.
In 2012 when the Sephardi part Shas (founded and led by Rav
Ovadia Yosef who denounced Yechiel and his ‘tainted’ money) was excluded from the governing coalition, Yechiel started
receiving messages welcoming him to come visit.
In 2006, Charedi Kenesset member Meir Porush approached
Yecheil to help fund a seniors’ home in the Charedi town of Emmanuel. Yecheil
agreed to give him $30,000. When that was made public, Rabbi Porush was embarrassed
into admitting where he got the money and claimed it was a big mistake, not having realized where Yechiel got his money. He then severed any connection he had to
Yechiel.
Three years later, Rabbi Porush asked for another meeting with
Yechiel. There he asked him for money for an Ashkeanzi girls school in
Emmanuel. Rabbi Porush was reminded of his earlier condemnation of Yechiel and his
Fellowship calling them Christian missionaries. He denied it. Yechiel than sent him a copy of
the newspaper article in which he attacked their work in Israel. Needless to
say, Rabbi Porush did not get the money.
As indicated at the
start of this post, I do think Yechiel has crossed some lines. But at the same time, I
believe his money is Kosher. And so too, must those who approached him privately for funds after attacking him publicly. They would never have done that if they truly believed they were supporting missionary work. I think the ban should be lifted.
