Originally posted on Rabbi John Rosove’s Jewish Journal blog HERE Eight months ago, following two years of intense negotiations between representatives of the Reform and Conservative movements, the North American Jewish Federations, Women of the Wall, and the Ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbi of the Wall, an agreement was reached to create an independent egalitarian prayer space …
Tag Archives: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The Prime Minister must respect his agreements – By Rabbi Andrew Sacks, Executive Director, Rabbinical Assembly in Israel
When Rav Amar, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, pushed his way into the egalitarian section by Robinson’s Arch, he also spoke out about Conservative and Reform Jews being ‘Reshai’im’ (evil ones). Yet the Talmud defines a Rasha as one who says ‘what is mine is mine and what is yours is mine.’ Apparently this is …
Now or never – the need for political pressure
I shuddered in the late 60s when I read Simon Herman’s prediction that Israeli and American Jewish societies were growing apart. Now I am watching the fruition of his prediction. Narratives matter. This weekend’s Haaretz contained an article [click here] about how the informal education system under the Natanyahu regime is purposefully teaching their right-wing …
Continue reading “Now or never – the need for political pressure”
Hateful comments expressed in Israel regarding liberal Jews
In his monumental work on Jewish law, Menachem Elon writes: “… Nahmanides coined an apt and pointed term that illuminates the meaning of ‘doing what is right and good;’ A person who acts according to the technical and formal sense of the Torah’s laws, i.e.: who carefully follows only the explicit rules but not those …
Continue reading “Hateful comments expressed in Israel regarding liberal Jews”
Rising flames of resistance to the Western Wall agreement
Since last week’s RRFEI bulletin [link], the flames of religious detraction against the Kotel agreement have been rising. This has been covered widely in the Anglo Jewish and international media; below, RRFEI provides you with the original Hebrew pronouncements of: the Chief Rabbinate, the Ashkenazi Council of [Great] Torah Sages [link], the Sephardic Council of …
Continue reading “Rising flames of resistance to the Western Wall agreement”
RRFEI response to the Western Wall compromise agreement
The agreement is described in Hebrew here: [link], and in English here: [link] RRFEI gives great credit to the Reform movement and Conservative movements, and the Women of the Wall for making the painful sacrifice of giving up their demands of being allowed to hold egalitarian prayer services and women’s minyanim at the traditional Western …
Continue reading “RRFEI response to the Western Wall compromise agreement”
Strategy: How to most effectively advocate for religious freedom and equality in Israel
Much praise should be extended to Rabbis Rick Jacobs and Steven Wernick for publicly airing the cause of full religious equality in Israel for all. Their exchange with President Rivlin at the 2015 Chanukah event sponsored by the UJA Federation of NY should encourage us to consider the issues they raised and the best strategy to …