Monday Jul 20, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
Of Judaism, and of Torah, we are told "all of its ways are ways of pleasantness."
For the past three weeks we have seen something very different on the streets of Israel's capital, Jerusalem. Tires have been set on fire, trash bins have been set alight, and riots have broken out among the fervently Orthodox.
What brought on this trouble that has resulted in both property damage and physical damage? On the face of it, there were two separate events.
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
Many years ago, shortly after the first McDonald's restaurant opened in Jerusalem, I spoke with a group of Jewish youth visiting from the States. They lamented the fact that the restaurant was not Kosher. This led to a discussion where over half of the participants felt that Israeli law should require restaurants - at least in western Jerusalem - to be Kosher. No Big Macs with cheese. "This is a Jewish State and the laws should reflect Jewish values and traditions," one opined.
"If this is how you feel," I asked, "do you feel the laws ought to prohibit women from wearing pants in public, require married women to cover their hair, outlaw couples from holding hands in public, and punish homosexuality?"
"I am not a fanatic," he responded.
Wednesday Dec 17, 2008
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
A new director, Muli Yeselson, has just been appointed by the office of the Prime Minister, to the Israeli Conversion Authority. He has already come under severe criticism by the Haredi press, calling him a "traitor" and "collaborator." Rabbi Druckman, the recently ousted director, was far from popular in the fervently Orthodox world. While hardly a liberal, he was seen as too open and the conversions performed on his watch were questioned by the official Rabbinic courts.
Issues of conversion have been covered on the front pages of Israeli newspapers on a frequent basis. Most sociologists accept that there are as many as 350,000 Israeli citizens living in Israel from the Former Soviet Union who are not Jewish. They made Aliyah under the Law of Return that allows Israeli citizenship with a single Jewish grandfather. But Jewish law recognizes as Jewish one who has a Jewish mother or who has converted to Judaism.
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About this blog
Masorti Matters
Director of the Masorti [Conservative] Movement's Rabbinical Assembly in Israel (the organization of Masorti/Conservative rabbis), Rabbi Andrew Sacks on Conservative Judaism, Israel, religious pluralism and much more. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Masorti organizations.
Rabbi Avi Novis Deutsch, faculty member of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary and Rabbis for Human Rights exegete, previously wrote for this blog. BlogCentral thanks him for his contributions.
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Recent Comments
Avrohom - Israel: Ilan #20 continued, my comment about "He is better off encouraging people to keep halacha." is right on the money. Before conservative groups start adding chumrot regarding kashrut that are not really chumrot, the group is better off irst establishing themselves in adhering to actual halachot of kashrut. Afterwards if they want to be serendipitous in piling on non-relevent ideas to their standards of kashrut, well, at least the aspect of kashrut is still there. But until they accept kashrut as an obligation, it is not possible to add more requirements.
Avrohom - Israel: Ilan #20, you misunderstood the post in #18. Those issues already are in Torah and they have their own prohibitions and ramifications. They are not arbitrary. They are not issues of kashrut. They are not issues of churot, as are the few examples you mentioned. Each of the issues you mentioned (except hanukah and purim, whish have absolutely nothing to do with this discussion or issue) are additional fences on halachot that are on the same topic. The principles Reb Andrew talks about are random and off topic and do not all into the catagory of chumrot. This point is simple and obvious.
Ilan: To #18. You say "If the issue is important, it is already included in Torah."
Baal Tashchit and Tzar Baalei Hayim are both in the Torah. This is not to replace Kashrut but to add additional standards that can let the buyer make an informed decision.
By the way-Hannukah, Purim, waiting between milk and meat, not eating fish with meat, methods of Kiddushin, Gerushin,and much more, are not in the Torah. Are they not important?
You say "He is better off encouraging people to keep halacha." That is what he is doing. He advocates for Kashrut AND ethical food production.
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