Tuesday, June 19, 2012

chief rabbi and anti brotherly love


Less than a month after Israel's attorney general issued the historic decision that Reform and Conservative Jewish institutions must receive state funding alongside traditional Orthodox institutions, one of Israel's foremost religious figures has declared a public fight against the move.
Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar attacked the decision in no uncertain terms, calling it “reckless” and warning that it may "uproot all the foundations of the Torah."
In line with this apocalyptic warning, Amar warned "The greatest danger for our generation is the danger of assimilation," and called on his followers "to be strong and steadfast in our fight. It is forbidden to remain silent, because there is nothing more serious than this measure."
While the Times of Israel notes that "funding for the non-Orthodox rabbis will come from the Culture and Sport Ministry rather than the Religious Services Ministry," the Orthodox establishment appears to be primary concerned with the precedent it will set.
As Haredi MK Moshe Gafni put it, it will result in giving "government funding to someone who is not defined by law as a rabbi and who was not ordained by the Chief Rabbinate.” Thus undercutting the Chief Rabbinate's considerable political and financial power.

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