JTA: The president of the Union for Reform Judaism declared a boycott of the Israeli president. Rabbi Eric Yoffie said in comments published Sunday that his movement would shun Moshe Katsav over his refusal to refer to Reform rabbis as �rabbis.�? �President Katsav is discounting the legitimacy of 1.5 millions Jews in the United States who belong to the Reform Movement,� Yoffie told Ma�ariv.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Katsav said he was bound by state regulations that recognized only the ordination of Orthodox rabbis.
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2 Responses
Yated had a very good point about this. Mr. Katsav is a Sephardi Jew who has a tradition that only people who keep all requirements of Judiasm can be called Rabbi. He deserves our support for sticking to his beliefs (even if he does not keep all the Mitzvot, he knows that the respect for a Rabbi is reserved for those who do follow the rules!)
Heh! I wonder how Mar Yoffie will deal with a potential R. YM Lau presidency?