Rabbis for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel
A trans-denominational rabbinical network
Rabbi Gordon Tucker sent this tribute to members of his congregation on Sunday, May 6, 2018. We share it today on behalf of Ruach Hiddush. Ruach Hiddush Executive Committee Rabbi Pam Frydman (Chair), Rabbi Mark Levin (Newsletter Editor), Rabbi Michael Chernick, Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, Rabbi Gordon Tucker, Rabbi Uri Regev (Hiddush President and CEO) I …
Continue reading “Special Tribute In Memory of Rabbi Aaron Panken z”l”
I believe it is unfair to claim that Jews of the Diaspora have developed an obsession for the Kotel, the Western Wall, as Peter Joseph stated in his article in The Forward. Love of the Kotel has been a carefully cultivated interest and passion fostered by Jewish leaders for centuries in order to keep our people …
Continue reading “In defense of the right to care – by Rabbi Pam Frydman*”
In Hiddush’s last newsletter, we highlighted a number of aspects involving the current controversy over the Shabbat bill. What we would now like to share with you, our colleagues, is a more focused perspective on the religious debate and the conduct of religious politicians in this controversy. This will give you deeper insight as to …
Rabbis for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel has changed its name to Ruach Hiddush which stands for: רבנים וחזנים למען חופש דת ושוויון Ruach Hiddush was founded as a rabbinic organization in 2015. Beginning this week, we are also accepting cantors. Ruach Hiddush is a project of HIDDUSH, a nonprofit based in Israel and …
The challenge of Jewish education and forging Jewish identity is dear and near to all of us. The challenge associated with these subjects in the modern era in an environment of an open society, which embraces Jews on the one hand – and in the State of Israel where only a minority defines itself as …
Continue reading ““Religionization” in Israel secular public schools”
Featuring: Rabbi Michael Chernick Responses by: Rabbi Elliot Dorff Rabba Sara Hurwitz Rabbi Daniel Siegel Rabbi Mark Washofsky Rabbi Deborah Waxman By Rabbi Deborah Waxman President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College / Jewish Reconstructionist Communities The ongoing existence of agunot in the aftermath of World War I and the inadequate responses of modern rabbinical authorities to the …
Criticism of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate is nothing new. It has often been voiced in the RRFEI newsletter and resources, as well as in Hiddush’s materials. It covers a myriad of issues, which in recent years include its delegitimization of Modern Orthodox attempts at addressing the Rabbinate’s failures in the areas of conversion and kashrut …
Continue reading “The Chief Rabbinate vs. The State of Israel and the Jewish People”
Featuring: Rabbi Michael Chernick Responses by: Rabbi Elliot Dorff Rabba Sara Hurwitz Rabbi Daniel Siegel Rabbi Mark Washofsky Rabbi Deborah Waxman Dear Friends, This special series of RRFEI articles features an original work by Orthodox Rabbi Michael Chernick, Professor Emeritus of Rabbinic Literature at HUC-JIR, New York, with responses from Rabbis Mark Washofsky, Elliot …
Continue reading “RRFEI Special Edition: Articles on Halakhic prenuptial agreements”
Featuring: Rabbi Michael Chernick Responses by: Rabbi Elliot Dorff Rabba Sara Hurwitz Rabbi Daniel Siegel Rabbi Mark Washofsky Rabbi Deborah Waxman By Rabbi Michael Chernick Professor Emeritus of Rabbinic Literature HUC-JIR/New York Background In its discussion of divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-2 the Torah frames the entire procedure in the masculine form. The Sages of …
Featuring: Rabbi Michael Chernick Responses by: Rabbi Elliot Dorff Rabba Sara Hurwitz Rabbi Daniel Siegel Rabbi Mark Washofsky Rabbi Deborah Waxman By Rabbi Mark Washofsky Solomon B. Freehof Professor of Jewish Law and Practice HUC-JIR/Cincinnati Rabbi Michael Chernick, my colleague at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, has offered a comprehensive and thorough summary of …