Minister of Religious Services (Shas) David Azoulai is holding meetings with chief rabbis of cities and public officials during which he explains the danger to Yiddishkheit posed by the Reform Movement and the allocation of the egalitarian prayer area near the Kosel.
Disagreeing with recent statements made by Ashkenazi chareidi Members of Knesset, Gafne feels the cabinet decision is indeed government recognition of the Reform Movement. He also rejects the contention that if the chareidim were not passive and permit the decision to pass as it did, the consequences in the Supreme Court would be significantly more serious.
Speaking to rabbonim and public officials in Akko on Thursday, 23 Adar-I, Azoulai admitted that if had known in advance the matter of Reform Jewry would fall in his lap during his watch, he would not have accepted the cabinet appointment. He explained while the Reform Movement does not pose a problem to the chareidim, they do pose an issue for the simply Jews., “Amcha” as he put it, those who are more easily influenced. He added that in essence, the Reform Movement already had the area known as Robinson’s Arch, the result of a High Court decision but today, there is the addition of the cabinet decision to back it and this he feels is quite problematic.
He added that regarding Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the nation’s leader views himself as being the representative of everyone and therefore, he has made the step to bring the Reform and Conservative closer towards meeting this pledge. He added “I do not wish to say G-d forbid that this is his hashkafa”.
Azoulai calls on rabbonim to organize a large kenos against the egalitarian prayer area, or an atzeres tefilla – explaining he does not view this as his responsibility but highlights the need to cry out publically.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Reform is not Judaism.
Why do you need to keep showing that vulgar picture
it is really critical, I think, that many rabbis and groups start reading up on Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch and his battles against Reform in the 19th century. Rav Hirsch shows the emptiness of Reform and how Orthodoxy is indeed beughtiful. We also need to emphasize the battle is not versus Reform JEWS but Reform Judaism. MAybe even to point out it is good to identify as JEWISH as opposed to something else – but not to effect such things as marriage, divorce, and conversion as if not done Correctly according to the Torah it leads to MAMZERS (Bastards) who Kosher Jews may not marry and resultant rampant legal immorality with possibly Halachically legally married woman marrying other men. And nonKosher conversions leading to inter-marriage with people thinking they are Jewish when they are NOT,