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 … [Read more...] about RRFEI Special Edition: Articles on Halakhic prenuptial agreements
Mark H. Levin
The equal opportunity to practise Judaism according every individual’s beliefs in Israel
The vision of Hiddush and the Rabbis for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel opens with these words: Imagine an Israel where Judaism blossoms in all its nuanced shades and colors; where religious and secular movements flourish side-by-side and those who explore beyond Judaism in search of meaning are able to forge new spiritual paths within Judaism. We are the only … [Read more...] about The equal opportunity to practise Judaism according every individual’s beliefs in Israel
Marriage freedom advocacy: our most united effort
Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of New York, wrote in last week's Jerusalem Post [link] about the nature of Israeli society. Is Israel the homeland of all the Jewish people, in which all of us can live according to our understandings of Judaism, or is there one recognized Jewish stream and the others have little or no authority? Goldstein writes: From its birth, … [Read more...] about Marriage freedom advocacy: our most united effort
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 political … [Read more...] about Now or never – the need for political pressure
How to proceed is the real question
It's reported by Leonard Baker that Mahatma Gandhi advised Rabbi Leo Baeck around 1938 that "All of the Jews of Germany at a given moment should commit suicide." Gandhi thought the collective action would shock the conscience of the world. Gandhi clearly did not understand the Jewish nature. Baeck himself once commented that Judaism is the most life-affirming religion among … [Read more...] about How to proceed is the real question