Jerusalem Councilman (Bayit Yehudi) Dov Kalmanovich has come out strongly against the Reform Movement, warning it is steadily pulling away members of the dati leumi community.
During a conference held on Tuesday, 6 Kislev to discuss the situation vis-à-vis the Kosel and the egalitarian prayer area nearby, Kalmanovich explained “Reform Jews are imposters and not a part of the ‘lite Jewish’ stream or any other but they are a part of fake Judaism.
Kalmanovich is critical of his community, the dati leumi tzibur when it comes to the ongoing war against the Reform, warning “there are those in the dati leumi community who are unaware and asleep. He warned there can be no room for complacency. He cited that members of the light dati leumi community are “leaking their way” to becoming Reform themselves. He warns the matter is far bigger than just being concerned over the future of the Kosel.
Kalmanovich explains that the dati leumi light are adopting the hashkafa of the Reform and “in the not too distant future, ten years, you will see before you a tremendous Reform community because many faithful will make the shift including graduates of the religious schools”.
He continues, pointing out that already today, for those who attend Shavuos night learning at Beit Shmuel, which is near Reform institutions, that very same chevra is slowly becoming attached because they see the others wearing kipot and sending text messages on Shabbos, which attracts them.
“They are becoming attracted to seeing shuls without mechitzos, and men and women seated alongside one another in shul. They will see those who describe themselves as being religious but in essence they do not keep the Torah in accordance with halacha and they will be attracted to the innovative comfortable situation that has no place. there is no such thing as a Jewish renewal.
He calls for immediate action to enable catching the people before they move over to the Reform. He feels, “this battle for the dati leumi community must be the same as the battle against the left-wing, the battle for Ofra, Amona and Eretz Yisrael. The Reform Movement has a great deal of funding and this is dangerous. This is exactly like the money from Europe for the New Israel Fund which threatens the Jewish democratic character of the Jewish State. We must not permit them to become the mainstream in Israel for this small entity can Heaven forbid become a large reality”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
3 Responses
“Reform” is deform.
Jews, let’s get real. Forget Reform aka DEFORM.
The Reform Hellenists must be stopped now before they destroy Torah observance and large segments of Israeli Jewry like they have done in America.We want a diverse Jewish state not a “pluralistic” goyishe one.
Maybe then Dati LeUmi Need to COncentrate on Adding a “Soul” to their Jewishness. As in not just doing things because thats the Jewish tradition like robots or to make “mommy” or your spouse happy. And is Negiah permitted according to some (on a steady basis)? While they dont need to follow only the strictest rules they should not make Just Doing What is Kosher a Rule either as that easily leads to crossing the nearby line to breaking the laws. This is for all of us to know for ourselves in general. If we just do things by rote it is an easy silde to the Reform and Concervative ways. If it is just “Rote” why not stop doing some of the stuff we are uncomfortable with.