Rejection Of Rabbi Avi Weiss By Israel's Chief Rabbis Based On Compaints By RCA Rabbis About Weiss' "Questionable" Commitment To Jewish Law

Israel's chief rabbis based their rejection of Rabbi Avi Weiss on complaints about Weiss' commitment to halakha (Jewish law) that came from unnamed members of the Rabbinical Council of America who are his political enemies.

A letter from Rabbi Avi Weiss to Israel's chief rabbinate vouching for the Jewishness of a couple seeking to marry in Israel was rejected months ago by the chief rabbinate, but no clear reason for the rejection was given.

But now that a liberal Israeli Modern Orthodox group, the Ne'emanei Torah Va'Avodah Movement, and Weiss are suing the chief rabbinate in Israel's High Court of Justice, the chief rabbinate has suddenly now claimed that the rejection of Weiss all those months ago took place because Modern Orthodox rabbis who are members of the Rabbinical Council of America told the chief rabbinate that they find Weiss' commitment to halakha (Jewish law) "questionable." and that his halakhic opinions and rulings "cast doubt on the level of his commitment to the customary and acceptable Jewish Halacha."

What the chief rabbinate fails to acknowledge is that Weiss and the RCA are longtime enemies and that the RCA is by no means the be all and end all of Orthodox halakha determination in the US – nor should it be.

Weiss resigned from the RCA years ago and co-founded his own liberal Modern Orthodox umbrella organization.

Weiss also founded Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a liberal Modern Orthodox yeshiva that was started because Modern Orthodoxy's flagship yeshiva at Yeshiva University is controlled by Rabbi Hershel Schachter. Schachter is very conservative – much more so than Schachter's noted predecessor Rabbi J.B. Soleveichik. Schachter is also an emotional infant who often behaves like a small child.

Schachter's disciples – most of whom never knew Soleveichik when he was well and fully functional – often behave like the disciples of hasidic rebbes. They follow Schachter almost blindly (a thought that certainly would have made Soleveichik ill) and cover for him no matter what he does or says. Many – Rabbi Gil Student comes to mind – are themselves too fundamentalist in outlook to realize how totally cult-like and childish they appear to outsiders who have not drunk the cheap Koolaid Schachter sells.

It is allegations made by these people that Israel's chief rabbinate is swallowing whole.

It is true that Weiss is very liberal in halakhic outlook and that he started a school to ordain women to serve in roles similar to (but not the same as) rabbis. But he did so within halakha, not outside it.

But being very liberal is not the same as being non-Orthodox. Halakha contains very liberal opinions – opinions we rarely see or hear about today because of the current dominance of conservative elements in both Modern Orthodoxy and haredism.

The chief rabbinate is not a private haredi religious court – it is (unfortunately) the state-funded and state-sanctioned determiner of all things religiously Jewish in Israel. It acts on behalf of the state, not on behalf of the individual rabbis who hold the title of chief rabbi, and it is not supposed to define Orthodoxy narrowly – but it does.

In order to try to cover up that fact, the chief rabbinate did what it has become known for – it essentially lied:

…The Rabbinate's legal advisor, attorney Harel Goldberg, wrote to attorney Assaf Benmelech, the movement's representative, that the Chief Rabbinate was looking into the American rabbis' claims against Weiss. Until the matter is clarified, Weiss' congregants have been asked to obtain certificates on their Jewishness or personal status from other rabbis. Goldberg added that should the Rabbinate seek to "disqualify" the Rabbi Weiss, the examination's findings would be brought to his review and he would be able to comment on them.

"We must not ignore the difficulty facing Rabbinate representatives, who are required to check hundreds of rabbis across the world's Jewish Diaspora, whose certificates have been submitted to the authorized elements in Israel for the purpose of registering a couple for marriage," attorney Goldberg wrote.

He noted that the Rabbinate was checking and cross-checking information with rabbis it trusted who were capable of testifying about colleagues seeking recognition.

"The Rabbinate examines whether the rabbi who signed the submitted certificate indeed serves as the rabbi of an Orthodox congregation, how he was certified as a rabbi and the level of his commitment to Halacha, in order to ensure that the Judaism certificates he issues can be trusted," the lawyer wrote. "The Chief Rabbinate believes that it is not enough for a rabbi to identify himself as Orthodox in order for the Judaism certificates he issues to his congregants to be recognized."

The legal advisor clarified in his letter that the Rabbinate recognizes Judaism certificates issued by a very wide variety of rabbis, but that it cannot do so when its representatives are convinced that a rabbi's halachic perception, lifestyle or the way he leads his congregation deviate from the acceptable Orthodox framework.

There are fax machines and email. International telephone calls are very cheap. We no longer rely on letters sent overseas by ship and Israel's slow postal service. Every allegation against Weiss could have been checked and double checked a hundred times over by now with ease.

Benmelech responded to the chief rabbinate's claims harshly:

…"The decision to disqualify Rabbi Weiss appears to have been made some time ago, and the unfamiliar examination procedure mentioned in the letter appears to be aimed at legitimizing Rabbi Weiss' denunciation retroactively without even receiving his response."

The decision shows, Benmelech said, that "the circles of modern Orthodoxy, which are courageously dealing with the challenges of our generation within the boundaries of Halacha – are unwelcome in the Chief Rabbinate.

"It is every person's right to disagree with a different rabbi's halachic opinion – but there is a long way between that and rejecting his testimony on the Jewishness of his congregation members," he added.

"The existence of an examination process with no transparency should bother any person who fears for the existence of a disagreement culture and for Israel's Jewish image," he concluded. "The Ne'emanei Torah Va'Avodah movement believes that the discussion on the boundaries of Halacha and on rabbis' authority is important, but it should be done publicly and openly."

The chief rabbinate responded to Benmelech with what can only be honestly viewed as a preposterous claim – that it would give Weiss access to the complaints about him if Weiss would only ask for them.

Why didn't the chief rabbinate give Weiss these complaints before Weiss filed suit against the chief rabbinate? He never asked, Goldberg reportedly said.

On behalf of the chief rabbinate, Goldberg also rejected the claims that the chief rabbinate is hostile towards Modern Orthodoxy by insisting that its close relationship with the RCA proves that claim to be false.

That the chief rabbinate previously extorted the RCA and forced it to move further to the right or be cut off in the way Weiss is now being cut off is a fact Goldberg failed to mention.

I wrote when that extortion took place several years ago that Schachter would use the deal made with the chief rabbinate to persecute his enemies. And so he has.

[Hat Tip: The Lion.]

Comments

[Frummie Where?]

Can anybody make an argument for the value and necessity of the Chief Rabbinate in Israel? Do you have any doubt witnessing their shenanigans that the time of the First Temple and Second Temple were beset by the same political intricacies. Rabbi Avi Weiss is one of the gedolei hador. He fearlessly took on the Russian and Polish governments and continually protested for the right causes. He is now involved in redefining the role of women in Orthodoxy. For this, his congregants lose their Jewish certification.

[S M L]

"...For this, his congregants lose their Jewish certification..."

Jewish homeland - in a pig's eye. The notion of Israel as a homeland for all Jews is laughable and this sort of nonsense is exactly why that's the case. If you can be persecuted as a Jew then as far as I'm concerned you qualify as one. I'll stick with Massachusetts, thanks very much...

[ezra]

All of a sudden, the rabbanut takes the RCA seriously?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Samsung is better than RCA.

[bendinai]

@ Ezra....well said. Not that anyone should take Weiss seriously either though. "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right."

[plus.google.com/105365650738687784925]

You're calling someone else an emotional infant? Pot, kettle comes to mind.

Could it be that Rabbi Avi Weiss, while being a passionate and committed Jew, while having spent his life fighting for Jewish rights and against Jew-hating persecution, while being a stand up guy with a great sense of social justice, is also a guy who finished near the bottom of his class and therefore doesn't have the authority or knowledge base to propose the halachic alterations he is bringing about through YCT?
Halacha isn't hefker. A strong streak of righteousness and a basic YU semichah doesn't make one a posek.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Schachter is an infant.

But in all types of Orthodoxy how book smart you are is far more important than if you're a mentch or emotionally and psychologically healthy. Schachter is none of those things.

[plus.google.com/105365650738687784925]

Of course how book smart you are is more important than being a mentch when it comes to important decisions in Jewish law. The Supreme Court justices aren't picked because of their fine table manners or health family lives. They're picked because they have excellent knowledge of the law. Orthopedic surgeons generally have no bedside manner but you don't want that, you want the guy who can put your hip back together the best irregardless of how miserable an SOB he is.
A Rav isn't a social worker or a counsellor, he's a legal decisor and a religious teacher. For that the primary requirement is book smarts.

[Account Deleted]

plus.google...

Interesting points, but not really accurate.

If you are orthodox, the primary requirement for a Rav and Posek is piety, followed by unquestionable personal commitment to the law and integrity.

If intelligence and book smarts were primary, then just go with the smartest Rabbi at the JTS.

I have no idea if Weiss has a basic enough knowledge to make his Halachic points, but if the Mad Black Hatters can find Halachic justification for their rape, and exploitation of all Mankind (too harsh? nah), I imagine Weiss can find Halachic justification for whatever it is he does.

[bendinai]

@ Pard....once again I hate to agree with you, but your are (mostly) correct. At least on paper you are correct. In reality, in the bais hamedrash, it tends to be the guy with the irrefutable book knowledge that wins the day. (And just so you know that I know what I am talking about, I daven in a place where one legitimately employed working man learns 4 blatt a day, plus other "stuff"....he always wins....even over the Rabbi). Otherwise it's all about "well, that's just how I feel."

[rebitzman - $101 to read my posts]

There's no one left but thee and we (and we're not sure if thee).

[Chicago Sam]

Inspired by Yochanan

I'm too frum for my skirt
too frum for my bekeshert
So frum it hurts
And I'm too frum for Rabbi John too frum for Rabb Jaun
SO frum I wannna yawn

And I'm too frum for your party
Too frum for your party
Cause I’m such a frum smarty

I'm fromer than thou, know what I mean
SO frum, I shake the schlock walk
Yeah on the schlock walk,
on the schlock walk yeah
I shake my fat tuchas on the schlock walk

I'm too frum for my car too frum for my car
Too frum by far
And I'm too frum for my hat
Too frum for my hat what do you think about that

I'm a schlock jock you know what I mean
And I shake my fat turn on the schlock walk
Yeah on the schlock walk on the schlock walk yeah
I shake my fat touches on the schlock walk

'Cos I'm a schlock jock you know what I mean
And I shake my fat tuchas turn on the schlock walk
Yeah on the schlock walk on the schlock walk yeah
I shake my fat touches on the schlock walk

I'm too frum to take a bath
Too frum to wanna laugh
Too frum for all you riff raff
Why don't you all kiss my affe?

[Max]

I read this blog periodically, This is my first time ever posting:
I'm a frum Jew who has a close friend who was engaged to a non Jew, my friend (brought up frum) didn't care what kind of "conversion" she gets...The RCA was really being tough on the girl, happens to be she had zero intention to lead a frum life (and has not since this story happened few years ago). The wedding was soon approaching and the RCA who has been "working" with this girl for over 18 months were not budging....

Make a long story short: with ONE call (made by the right person) Avi Weiss converted this girl the following sunday, we were all shocked! I went to the Mikva with my friend (obviously waited outside..) then Avi brought them into shul and sang a few songs, i felt like i was in a church...

In short: True its lots of politics in the frum world but avi Weiss is a phony, and conversion is not something that should be played with regardless to the fact that its all political...

the above is 100% true- withholding names for obvious reasons...

[Jeff]

"Schachter is also an emotional infant who often behaves like a small child."

Most of them do, Shmarya. It's an inevitable result of an upbringing and an education process that infantilize them.

It really is time for the Left Wing MO to accept the fact that they are never going to receive the approval they crave from the Haredim. Neither will the Right Wing, but the Haredim tolerate them because they pander to the Haredim so shamelessly.

As I keep saying, we now have two distinct religions - liberal Judaism and Haredism. It's beyond time for us to acknowledge it, say goodbye to one another and move on. The liberal MO have to decide, once and for all, for whose team they wish to play.

[Barry]

In Western secular societies (such as the USA), religious politics is totally academic and Sayre's law states that academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low. That is why the most debated articles on Yeshiva World News tend to be about ritual nonsense.

Because religious matters are of such low consequence, they do not draw the best thinkers and that is why so many of the poskim and gedolim with their 'book smarts' are no better than these characters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb4V9GxaBo&noredirect=1

In the USA, a man is free to ignore the Haredi 'rule' that a Jew should only be free to marry a non-Jew if that non-Jew is prepared to become Hareidi (which in effect means that the non-Jew has the infantile characteristics found in Rabbi Schacter but mocked by Rabbi Shatner).

In the USA, a beis din may insist that a woman must believe in literal truth of the Torah before she can be considered a Jew. Her boyfriend will answer, that 'I do not believe this and anyone who believes this is an idiot and the reason I want to marry this woman is because she is not an idiot and do not wish to follow a religion run by idiots!'. He can then walk away find a religion which he is comfortable with and which is comfortable with him and his new wife

In Israel, people do not have that luxury. Haredim control the very real social consequences of lacking the legal privileges and duties that marriage brings and are prepared to abuse their power to further their own interests.

A judge needs 'Book Smarts' but is more commonly required to exercise common sense. Take for example a case where parents cannot agree on how to bring up a child. Book Smarts will tell you that the court must act in the child bests interest (rather then say according to the father's wishes). Common sense will tell you what how to decide for each individual child what his best interests may be.

[JekylJ]

Weiss is an outcast; a rebel; a bum. All the ingredients to be a FM pet.

[Account Deleted]

Outcast and rebel for sure, but that can be a mark of greatness. Why is he a bum Jekyl J?

[Account Deleted]

Seems like a good mission statement:
http://www.yctorah.org/content/view/1/49/

[Outcast Yid]

"Outcast and rebel for sure, but that can be a mark of greatness."

Amen!

-- OutcastYid

[Yochanan Lavie]

I don't know how sincere Weiss is in his heart of hearts, or how erudite he is halachically. All I know is that his hashkafa is reasonable, unlike the beardie weirdies who make things up as they go along.

[Jeff]

"Why is he a bum Jekyl J?"

Yeah, why is he a bum? He gets wealthy Jews to support his institution. Haredim do that as well, but they also milk the government for everything they can get out of it. Who's the bum?

And a rebel and an outcast? You're right, Jekyl, those are preferred qualities around here. They make for the most interesting people. Of course, you prefer people who hang their heads and meekly agree with everything the holy rebbaim say, don't you?

[Yochanan Lavie]

And thanks for the tribute, ChiSam.

[JekylJ]

Why he is a bum?
Yochanan Lavie put it very eloquently. I have nothing to add.

[JekylJ]

Jeff
"Those are preferred qualities around here"
Which makes ye all a bunch o' bums.

[rebitzman - $101 to read my posts]

"she had zero intention to lead a frum life"

Which makes her (by your standards) a "bad" Jew - but still a Jew.

[Jeff]

Jekyl, Yochanan's comment was a swipe at your people. You're a congenital idiot.

[Audrey T Benjamin]

"Most of them do, Shmarya. It's an inevitable result of an upbringing and an education process that infantilize them.

It really is time for the Left Wing MO to accept the fact that they are never going to receive the approval they crave from the Haredim. Neither will the Right Wing, but the Haredim tolerate them because they pander to the Haredim so shamelessly.

As I keep saying, we now have two distinct religions - liberal Judaism and Haredism. It's beyond time for us to acknowledge it, say goodbye to one another and move on. The liberal MO have to decide, once and for all, for whose team they wish to play."
Jeff, I disagree with you in some areas, but this, all I have to say is "WORD!"

[ruthie]

avi weiss IS A PHONY.
hey avi...
remember years ago a very nice young man named avi moved
into the white building in riverdale.
you treated him so well....knowing he had money...hoping he had money, you suspected he was rich.
guess what avi weiss, avi was rich.
but he didn't give you as much as you hoped.
so you got tired of waiting and stopped inviting him.
when there is no media, when there is no money, you are a horrible person.

[comment9141]

Shmarya, have you ever met Rabbi Schachter?