Rabbis for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel
A trans-denominational rabbinical network
The recent explosion in anti-Semitic expression including acts of anti-Semitic violence in numerous quarters around the world is not only frightening and alarming, it is eerie and perhaps even ominous. The inevitable and logically-necessary descent of rabid anti-Zionism into the exclusion and even hatred of Jewish people is in plentiful evidence, and rabid anti-Zionism continues …
Continue reading “Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky: Words from a Broken, Loving, and Hopeful Heart”
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”
The spirit of our people desires further development; it wants to absorb the basic elements of general culture which are reaching it from the outside world, to digest them and to make them a part of itself, as it has done before at various periods of its history. But the conditions of its life in …
Continue reading “Ahad Ha-am, The Jewish State and the Jewish Problem (1897)”
When one reads about the way in which Bibi backtracked on the Kotel agreement and the disgraceful manner in which the Women of the Wall are treated by the police and security personnel, one could be mistaken for believing that Reform Judaism is having a bad time of it in Israel. If you add to …
Continue reading “Reform Judaism in Israel: an amazing success story, by Rabbi Micky Boyden”
A recent detailed interview with Rabbi Shlomo Riskin appeared in the original Hebrew in Makor Rishon earlier this month, with select paragraphs translated into English below. Partial translation of Rabbi Riskin’s interview “If I could ask God one thing, I would ask: How is it possible that the Talmud is the most pluralistic piece …
Continue reading “Comprehensive interview with Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in Israeli media”
Featuring: Rabbi Michael Chernick Responses by: Rabbi Elliot Dorff Rabba Sara Hurwitz Rabbi Daniel Siegel Rabbi Mark Washofsky Rabbi Deborah Waxman By Rabba Sara Huriwtz Co-Founder and President of Yeshivat Maharat In 1776 , in Germany, a young man named, Isaac, son of Eliezer Neiburg of Mannheim, was engaged to marry Leah, daughter of Jacob …
Continue reading “Reflections on the Agunah Crises by Rabba Sara Hurwitz”
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”