As a result of a meeting between Chief Rabbinate of Israel Director-General Oded Viner, Chief Rabbinate Counsel Harel Goldberg and Chief Rabbinate Bureau Chief Rabbi Rafi Frank with attorney Assaf Benmelech, who represents Rabbi Avi Weiss of Riverdale, New York, the Rabbinate has reversed a decision pertaining to Rabbi Weiss.
The Chief Rabbinate will now accept letters from Rabbi Weiss attesting to one’s Jewishness in cases compelling a person to show rabbinical documentation to verify one’s Jewish status. Also present was Rabbi Weiss’ shaliach Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, who is the Rabbi of Congregation Ohev Sholom in Washington, DC and a former talmid of Rabbi Weiss.
The Chief Rabbinate a few weeks ago decided to no longer accepts such letters from Rabbi Weiss due to his hashkafa, giving rabbinical authority to women, bestowing upon them the title of ‘Rabba’, which led to his break from the Rabbinical Council of America. Rabbi Weiss is the founder of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and Yeshivat Maharat, with the latter ordaining women. Rabbi Weiss in his promotional video explains “There are no Halachic barrier that would prevent women from becoming spiritual leaders, spiritual leaders within synagogue whatever the title.”
Attached in the letter from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Counsel, signed by attorney Harel Goldberg, stating the Chief Rabbinate will once again accept letters from Rabbi Weiss.
The dati leumi Srugim quotes Rabbi Weiss’ reaction, saying, “I am grateful for redressing the matter and for all the support I received from around the world. This is only the first step because I have never seen this as a personal matter. I will not rest until all the rabbis who are members of the RCA (Rabbinical Council of America) and the IRF (International Rabbinic Fellowship) formally recognize us. I ask the Chief Rabbinate to ponder ways it can assist us in achieving mutual respect, recognition and acceptance for all Jews in the Diaspora.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Oy…now even the rabbanut has become conservadox
@1 what are you talking about? They do something YOU don’t like so that makes them conservadox?!?
With these types of decisions, the Chief Rabbinate and the rest of the Chiefs should rather be Indian Chiefs in Teepees. No backbone, no direction.
And the rabbanut joins the reshaim.
@2, no, most things I don’t like aren’t conservadox. only some are, like accepting eidus from apikorsim.
don’t know u bother with the title rabbi
Here is the real test for Chief Rabbinate:
Would any of Chief Rabbis marry their sons to women “converted” to Yideshkeit by Rabbi Weiss?
@2 Its actually something hashem doesnt like. Avi Weiss and co are to quote Rabbi Steve Pruzansky (a mainstream YU guy) “neo-conservative”. The Rabbanut is doing it b/c of pressure and with the Sonei Hashem Lapid attacking them they have to balance competing pressures. However all yarei hashem who believe in our beautiful mesorah reject the Avi Weiss’s of the world as misguided at best.
Shame on the Rabbinate in Israel how can the son of Rav ovadya Yosef allow this sheigatz avi weisz to be meid on anything we can no longer rely on the rabbanut for anything
“I will not rest until all the rabbis…” If Weiss isn’t planning to rest, I expect he is going to get PRETTTY tired. Let’s hope so. Glad he didn’t threaten to hold his breath.