Monday Jul 06, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
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.
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.
Monday May 11, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
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.
Monday Feb 23, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
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?
Monday Feb 02, 2009
Posted by Rabbi Andrew Sacks
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.
|
 |
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.
|
Combined feed for all JPost.com blogs
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.
|
|
Comments (32)