Rishon L’Tzion HaRav Shlomo Amar Shlita released a statement during an interview ahead of Rosh Hashanah with Makor Rishon. The rav spoke of the threat posed to Yiddishkheit by the Reform Movement, stressing the need to combat this trend. Rav Amar added that the Reform is more of a threat than secular Jews.
The rav was asked what one is to do is one finds oneself without an alternative, that is to say the only shul in one’s area being a Reform Temple. Rav Amar stated that “It is better that one davens in one’s hotel, and not attend services in such a place.” The rav added that it is simply better not to daven at all that to daven with a Reform congregation.
Rabbi Uri Regev, head of Hiddush-Freedom of Religion for Israel, reacted to Rabbi Amar’s statement: It is sad that Rabbi Amar chooses the holiest time of the Jewish year which should celebrate Jewish unity, to pursue his sectarian fundamentalist views. Rabbi Amar’s misguided insights generate a schism and worse yet, so long as he occupies the seat of Chief Rabbi he is driving a wedge between Israel and the rest of the Jewish people. Rather than seek fault with fellow Jews, he would better delve into his own soul and realize that most Israeli and world Jews want to align Judaism with modernity and democracy. It is pluralism and diversity which Israel and Judaism need today, not religious coercion and sectarianism. What Israel needs most today is the full realization of its own founding promise “for religious freedom and equality for all”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Dear Clergiman Uri Negev———— you are so off base there is nothing to say.My friend——– return to Hashem, and reconnect to the belief of your grandfather.The Deformed movement has no mahshehu of an idea what it means to be a Jew.You are a very good person but no conection with us, or Toras Moshe Rabainu. Shuvu el Hashem,you know your grandfather was right,after 4000 yrs ,and your only 159 yrs old. Good yomtov. shalom
Rabbi Amar is right on. “Rabbi” Regev’s idea of pluralism and democracy is a facade for the bastardization and infinite dilution of Yiddishkeit.
B’H the Chief Rabbi is doing his mission/job valiantly.
If he had mentioned the Halocho:- that one should even miss Tekias Shofar in order not to go a Reform Synagogue, this may have ruffled too many feathers.
It’s not a hiddush. Even Modern Orthodox have held the same way. And such decisions go back generations. This isn’t new, and isn’t limited to hareidim.
At most the Reform services are fellowship with fellow persons of Jewish descent (many of whom Jews), but it isn’t really davening. Better to daven as a yachid, and then go socialize (if you must).
This guy Regev is anything but a rabbi
He should keep in mind there has been many such groups speaking about modern, etc,, Where are they?
IN the dustbin of history in this world, and no doubt in the lowest level in the spiritual
shana tova to all klal yisroel
The headline is misleading. There’s nothing wrong with davening with reform Jews. In fact, it would be great if you were to bring a reform Jew with you to shul. The problem is with reform temples.
What’s the chiddush? Every year Rav YB Soloveichik used to publish in the newspaper his psak that one may not enter a non-Orthodox house of worship, even just to hear shofar, and even if the alternative is to miss out on the mitzvah altogether.
ok, why don’t the reform daven with the orthodox instead of opening up their own places??