On riots, baby starving, and ways of Torah

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.

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Desperately Seeking a Chief Rabbi

Help Wanted:  The City of Jerusalem seeks two Chief Rabbis

Qualifications for one: male, Zionist, "able to embrace all elements of Jerusalem's diverse populace and connect the entire Jewish people to Jerusalem,  including secular Israelis who love Jerusalem and who serve in the army," according to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.

Qualifications for the second: male, clothed in black, non-Zionist, intolerant, won't eat food under the hashgacha [supervision] of the Chief Rabbinate, intolerant of non-Orthodox streams and of secular Jews, against army service, related to another present or former chief rabbi.

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Gay Pride in the Holy City?!

Let's begin with the Biblical understanding that humankind was created in the image of God.

Let us add the Rabbinic claim that the whole Torah exists for the sake of peace (Gittin). Let us be reminded of Reb Nachman's prayer:

Let there be a truly great peace between every person and their fellow... and let there be no discord between people even in their hearts.

In nearly every city in the free world, we find an annual Gay pride parade. Sadly, there are repressive regimes that would not tolerate such a thing. But Israel is a democracy that allows for, in theory if not always in practice, free expression by its residents.This week, Jerusalem will host its annual Gay Pride event.

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Silly minister (of justice), tricks are for kids

MK Yaakov Neeman has a long and honored history for his service to the State of Israel. An accomplished attorney - he has served as justice minister and as finance minister. Once again, he occupies the position of Minister of Justice in the Netanyahu government.
 
But Neeman is a great manipulator. He has a brilliant way of twisting justice to meet his point of view and shunting aside those who have views with which he disagrees. He is a supreme illusionist.

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No Ayatollahs for Israel

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.

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Saying Kaddish for Conservative Judaism?

In his recent remarks to The Jerusalem Post, Rabbi Norman Lamm, the esteemed chancellor of Yeshiva University, pronounced the time near to say Kaddish [the prayer for the dead] for the Conservative and the Reform Movements.
 
I shall leave it to the leaders of the Reform Movement to react to his criticism of their stream - I shall react to his criticism of Conservative/Masorti Judaism.
 
Rabbi Lamm states, "The Conservatives are in a mood of despondency and pessimism."
 
I am not certain upon what he bases this assertion. I, for one, am optimistic and foresee a firm future for Judaism and for the Masorti Movement.

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Ritual Baths: Single women and converts stay away

Imagine the following scenario: A Masorti/Conservative Jew walks into a public library in Tel Aviv to borrow a book. At the entry she is informed by the librarian, a civil servant, that owing to her Masorti affiliation, she would not be permitted to borrow the book.  If she truly wanted to read she would have to raise the funds to build her own building, stock it with books, and find the money to staff the facility and pay for its maintenance.

Sounds silly, right? Well of course it is. Our public libraries are built and maintained with tax payer dollars. They are intended to serve all of the public. There is no ideological or theological litmus test to determine who may borrow a book.

Yet this is exactly what happens when Masorti Jews seek to use the public Mikvehs (ritual baths) throughout Israel.

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Black Hat Politics

Anybody know exactly what the Israeli Interior Ministry's intended functions may be? Yes, we all know that it is where we go to apply for a new passport or replace a lost ID card. We know that requests for aliyah [immigration], or visas (work, tourist, student, etc.) are routed through one of its departments.

But should this be the office that Shas, the Sephardi religious political party, most covets? What is really going on?

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A bone to pick with our Chief Rabbinate

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has been defined as "the supreme  religious governing body in the State of  Israel". Of course, even if there was validity to this definition - let us not forget to add "for the Jewish people." For there is no single body that can govern over all of the recognized religions. The State of Israel respects, or certainly ought to respect, residents of all religious faith traditions.
 
So who should serve as the Chief Rabbi of Israel? Well, to begin with, lack of agreement on this question means that we have two Chief Rabbis. One Ashkenazi and one Sephardi. In the city of Tel Aviv, where the city council imposed budgetary constraints, they somehow manage to make due with but one municipal Chief Rabbi.

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Asking the hard questions

Every ten years Israel, as well as many other countries, carries out a population census. Many questions are asked in an effort to obtain information about the citizens.
 
Regular surveys are a part of everyday life. Some are to determine political leanings, educational, culinary preferences, television viewing habits and more.
 
Recently I received a call from a polling organization asking me, among other questions, to categorize my religious leanings. I was given three choices: Dati (religious), masorti (traditional), and secular.

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