Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, who heads the Am Shalem party, is among the growing number of rabbonim and public officials commenting to the media following the announced establishment of ‘Giyur K’halacha’, a beis din for giyur that permits one to circumvent the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
Speaking with Srugim News, Rabbi Amsellem stated “These are joyous days in Israel”, explaining he has been crying on behalf of the so many thousands who have not been able to enter the giyur program to date. He praises the rabbonim for daring to speak the truth and stand firm against those who do not agree with their position without fear and solely on behalf of the many who wish to become Jews and have no address to turn to.
“We only have the path of the Rishon L’Tzion Maran Rav Bentzion Meir Chai Uziel ZT”L to follow, the unwavering minhagim of Sephardic Jewry” stated Rav Amsellem, who explained the late chief rabbi was compelled to address the many immigrants in the category of originating from ‘zera yisrael’ (זרע ישראל) which he feels is the case with so many immigrants form the former Soviet Union. Rav Amsellem insists halacha has always bent over as much as possible to accommodate the convert and so it should be today as well. Amsellem joins those who accuse the Chief Rabbinate of Israel of “becoming an executive arm of the chareidi extremists and all the rabbonim around the world, particularly the Sephardim, they were downtrodden as if the Torah was given at Sinai to the Ashkenazim and Litvish and as such has become irrelevant for Klall Yisrael”.
“Therefore, today is a day on which Zionist rabbonim finally had the courage to do something publically, not in the dark, quietly and with fear for the Rabbinate does not do what it is responsible to do so we are once and for all breaking the twisted monopoly that has become the Chief Rabbinate regarding giyur. The eyes of world Jewry are looking at Eretz Yisrael and its rabbonim, which began as a trickle and has become a long continuous flow and this is the order of the day, a great mitzvah. The Prophet Yechezkel cried to seek those lost and restore those that are foreign”.
Rabbi Amsellem explains he is not deterred by the shouts of opposition, “of the extremists”, those insisting the giyur will not be in compliance with halacha and lead to assimilation. He calls on his colleagues, dati leumi rabbonim, to remain strong and steadfast for this “holy mission” towards eliminating the Chilul Hashem and returning the lost brothers to “Our Father in Heaven”.
Rabbi Amsellem concludes with a quote from Gemara Taanis (30:b)
“שלא היו ימים טובים לישראל כיום ט״ו באב מפני שהותרו בו שבטים לבא זה בזה. אם יום זה יהפך להתחלה גדולה לפתיחת בתי דין הלכתיים בכל אתר ואתר לגייר, כל הבא לשם שמים ובמיוחד מ״זרע ישראל״
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
15 Responses
He’s nuts.
“Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, who heads the Am Shalem party …” Just to be clear, there is no “Am Shalem (Amsellem?) party, unless perhaps some legal entity on paper. But for sure not in the Knesset. Just like Eli Yishai’s Yachad “party.” Both ran in the last election campaign but didn’t reach the threshold. Too bad for Yachad, Baruch Hashem for Am Shalem (Amsellem).
and he only just found this out now?????????
Huh? Is rabbi stav sfardi or is he litvish ashkenazi (and are litvish and Ashkenazi mutually exclusive)?
He’s not a speaker for all sefaradim. Hacham Obadiah Yosef called him a gazlan not Rabbi. I’m sefaradi btw
Chacham Ovadia Yosef zt”l declared Mr. Amsallem is a rasha. What he spews is irrelevant to Jewish people.
Playing the race card, just like Al Sharpton.
“Rav Amsellem insists halacha has always bent over as much as possible to accommodate the convert and so it should be today as well.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. The Halacha has always been that we must vigorously check out geirim to ensure that their motives are authentic.
And this has nothing at all to do with Ashkenazim vs Sephardim. Playing the race card doesn’t always work.
If The Torah was Not Given Exclusively to Ashkenazim And Litvish at Sinai, so why is every Litvish yeshiva and kollel crowded with S’fardim learning there.
And how come the S’fardic rabbis have to dress like the Litvish Ashkenazim?
Kibeiki and Charles Schwab: as anyone who has followed rabbi ovadia yosef ztl knows sometimes he expected everyone to take what he said with a grain of salt or a spoonful. But I don’t see how an Ashkenazi rabbis decision to do something against the wishes of both Sfardi and Ashkenazi rabbis has anything to do with what rabbi amsallem is talking about.
The rallying cry that the Torah was not given to Ashkenazim alone is one that rabbi yosef championed and which resonated well with both Ashkenazim and sfardim. Rav shach was so proud that sfardim were taking pride in their Torah. It is a beautiful slogan which rabbi amsallem is trying to divert to a cause where it does not belong.
I met Amsallam personally and can attest to the fact that he is
1) a racist bigot against Ashkenazim
2) that he is an Apikoires and does not believe in Halacha
3) i personally heard him say publicly that a goy who served in the Israeli Army and clearly states he has NO intention to keep any mitzvos should be allowed to be megayer!!!!!!!
4) he is a miserable baal gaiva who equtes himself to gedolei yisroel
5) he qualifies for the mitzva of ” ubiarto hora mikirbrcha”
You should not provide a platform for this racist no good person
YWN should be ashamed to post anything this Rasha says. And definitely not write “RABBI” in front of his name.
Reply to No. 6
Rav Yosef made many bizarre and inappropriate comments when he ventured into political matters and this was certainly one of those instances. Rav Amsellem is a highly respected talmid chacham whose political views were contrary to those of Yosef’s Shas party. To demonize a political opponent in personal terms was very unbecoming of a Rav who was respected by many Sephardeshe yidden.
Why are Sephardim getting involved in Geirus? They do not accept Geirim, they have no right to decide for the Ashkenazim.
Reply to kotonhadorah No. 13:
You have a history here attacking any and all Orthodox rabbis. You have many times expressed contempt for the Torah lifestyle and all those that adhere to it. You can speak for no one in the Orthodox community; only a member thereof can possibly do so.
As far as Mr. Amsallem, he barely has a minyan of Sephardim who respect him. He is persona non grata in much of the Sephardic and Ashkenazic world ever since he vile attacks against Gedolei Yisroel. He has been voted out of a job and out of the Kenneset two times running, since he disassociated himself with the Jewish community.
anonymouse No. 14:
Sephardim DO accept geirim. Only the Syrians do not.