DOCSLIB.ORG

Conversion Confusion By: Rabbi Jeremy Rosen

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Conversion Confusion By: Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Conversion Confusion by: Rabbi Jeremy Rosen We know well enough by now that the status of conversions to Judaism is an unholy, inconsistent, politicized and often corrupt mess. As a people and as a religion we are just as confused, inconsistent, and illogical as any other. I am referring to the chaos that reigns within what is confusingly and illogically called Orthodoxy. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Israel’s highest rabbinical court recently rejected a conversion performed by prominent American Modern Orthodox rabbi, Haskel Lookstein, upholding the decision of a lower rabbinical court. The Supreme Rabbinical Court had held two appeal hearings on the rejection of the woman’s conversion by the Petach Tikvah Rabbinical Court, where she had applied for marriage registration with her Israeli fiancé. Last week the Chief Rabbinate (countermanding) said it recognizes Rabbi Lookstein’s conversions, as it always has. Naturally this case has attracted extra publicity, because Rabbi Haskel Lookstein was the rabbi who arranged for Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka to receive an Orthodox conversion so that she could marry Jared Kushner. It would look very bad just as the Republican National Convention appoints Trump as their candidate for rabbis to suddenly cast aspersions on his daughter’s conversion. Yet it does raise the issue of what the criteria for an Orthodox conversion are. The episode illustrates the political tensions that exist in Israel between local rabbinic courts, the Supreme Rabbinic Court, and the Chief Rabbinate, each vying for power, and each believing it has the right to decide. So a conversion, even in Israel, recognized in one area might not be in another. There is nothing new about this; local courts and authorities often refuse to recognize others in the same country, let alone others. In Israel it has been particularly prevalent, because nationalist rabbis are too Zionist for Charedi rabbis, who are too fundamentalist and anti-Zionist for Modern Orthodox rabbis. While both agree that Conservative and Reform rabbis are not “real” rabbis. In 2013, the Chief Rabbinate rejected—then later accepted—a conversion by New York rabbi Avi Weiss, who founded the liberal Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Last year it threatened to revoke the appointment of American-born rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who advocates progressive Orthodox policies as Chief Rabbi of the West Bank settlement of Efrat. This is all too typical of religious political infighting, using theology as a smokescreen for power politics. Conversion has been a problem ever since, two thousand years ago, Hillel took a lenient and inclusive attitude and Shammai preferred to be strict and exclusive. It did not help when Christianity and Islam both made converting one of theirs to Judaism a capital offense. But what distinguishes Judaism from the others is that it sees no point in trying to evangelize, so long as other peoples and religions are living ethical lives. Don’t convert if you don’t want to keep all the rules. Stay as you are. The criterion the Talmud laid down, and the one that remains imbedded in Jewish law, is that the only basis for conversion is that one wishes to join the Jewish people and live a life according to the Torah. Naturally each denomination defines Torah in its own way. To this day we have two distinct attitudes even within Orthodoxy: the lenient and the strict. Most of my rabbinic life was spent in the UK, where the authorities took a strict line and would refuse to accept any conversion for ulterior motives, such as to get married. They refused to accept conversions from Israel, South Africa, and the USA, where they thought the rabbis were too lenient. You could be Orthodox in Johannesburg, but not able to join an Orthodox synagogue in London. I was amazed to discover cases in the UK where an Orthodox conversion could be arranged if you were very rich and well connected. I was shocked to discover how easy it was to get converted in different parts of the USA under different officially Orthodox rabbis where there was no centralized authority. And scandalized to discover that in Israel there were rabbinic courts that would convert very easily, particularly if you crossed their palms with silver. There are still too many cowboys on both sides of the Atlantic. The situation is a mess wherever you are, and almost whoever you are, and I feel so sorry for innocent people who are misled by rabbis who do not tell them the truth about their status. Even in Hassidic circles what is allowed in one court may be refused in another. For those of us who would like some consistency and humanity, this is depressing and even immoral. To others there have been so many suspect, dishonest, and baseless conversions, often abandoned the minute the ring is on the finger, that the whole issue of conversion is a farce anyway. Some never accept conversions for the sake of marriage. And yet the first Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Benzion Meir Hai Uzziel although he disapproved in principle strongly urged tolerance and accepting such converts.Others, like the Syrian community in New York, simply refuse to accept any conversions at all. Yet in one way the chaos is good. At least there are options, possibilities, alternatives, and the chance of finding someone in authority who might come down on your side. The advantage of one all-powerful authority is that, like the pope, you have infallibility. The disadvantage is that if they come down against you, that is the end of the road. There are not too many Orthodox rabbis that I know, that I would have the confidence in that I ‘d be happy to see them have the power to decide for us all. It is not their scholarship, I worry about so much as their ability to foreswear politics and power. So I am glad that there are other options. You have two contrasting models in Judaism today: the centralized Israeli State Religious model, and the laissez-faire, uncontrolled American model. It is indeed tightening up now that pressure has been brought to bear. But there are still cowboys! Neither system is perfect. Many of the conflicts in Israel arise because one model seeks to impose its view on the other. This is always going to be a political battle. But in such situations you do find good men and women working hard to resolve the conflicts. Like Rabbi Seth Farber, founder of ITIM, an organization that helps Israelis navigate Israeli religious bureaucracy. Or TZOHAR a movement of moderate, tolerant Orthodox rabbis within the state system. Or Rav Aaron Leibowitz of HASHGACHA PRATIT. They do a magnificent job that goes some way to redress the ethical balance. You might say this all gives the Orthodox establishment a bad name. Orthodoxy will reply that it doesn’t care. It has its principles. Besides, “what have the Romans ever done for us?” But if, as the Torah says, we are supposed to be an example to the world of an ethical, moral system that brings us recognition for our sensitivity and spirituality, we really need to see the damage that is being done by not having a clear policy, one way or another. Meanwhile, if Ivanka keeps Shabbat, I am definitely on her side!.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Advanced to Rank of Associate Rabbi
    Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Advanced To Rank Of Associate Rabbi Five years ago, Rabbi Haskel Look¬ stein was elected Assistant Rabbi of The Kehilath Jeshurun family Kehilath Jeshurun. Last week, the Board of Trustees of the congregation voted to promote him to the status of is bowed in at grief the passing of the immortal Associate Rabbi of our congregation. President of the United States JOHN F. KENNEDY KEHILATH JESHURUN MOURNS RABBI JOSEPH H. LOOKSTEIN A TRAGIC EVENT ON NATIONWIDE T.V. PROGRAM The assassination of John F. Kennedy Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein partici¬ last Friday led to a series of memorial pated in a one hour panel discussion on events which were quickly arranged ihe Columbia television network last for by our congregation. Sunday morning. His fellow panelists were outstanding representatives of At the conclusion of the Friday eve¬ the three major faiths in America. The service, while the deed was so ning discussion centered around the assas¬ fresh in our minds as to be unreal, sination of President Kennedy. Rabbi Rabbi Joseph hi. Lookstein spoke brief¬ Lookstein's remarks, some of which can ly about the meaning of the tragedy be found elsewhere in this bulletin, and pronounced a special benediction. were devoted primarily to the moral Rabbi Haskel Lookstein climate which exists in this On Saturday morning, the Rabbi set country. aside his announced sermon topic and We are proud that our Rabbi was Mr. Max J. Etra, on behalf of the devoted the sermon period to a re¬ singled out as one of the participants officers, proposed the promotion to ligious analysis of the event and of its in the program.
    [Show full text]
  • Kehilathjeshurunbulletin ©
    KehilathjeshurunBulletin © Volume L, No. 7 April 8, 1983 25 Nisan 5743 YOM HASHOAH ■ HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL TO FEATURE SHOWING OF GENOCIDE ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND ORSON WELLS NARRATE RAMAZ CHORUS TO PARTICIPATE THIS SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 9, 8:30 PM RAMAZ CHORUS TO FEATURE "A Single death is a tragedy. A million uncovering new historical material. It TWO ORIGINAL PIECES deaths is a statistic." Today, nearly half a unearthed thousands of feet of previously century after Stalin made that remark, the unseen film footage and still pictures. As part of the observance of Yom millions of victims of Hitler's final solution Because it is such an important story Hashoah that evening, the Chorus of the have become something worse: a forget¬ both historically as well as for the future of Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein Upper School table statistic! our children, Elizabeth Taylor and Orson of Ramaz, directed by Michael Berl, will Today, surveys reveal that most High Welles volunteered their time, their voices present choral selections appropriate to the School students are ignorant of the and their considerable talent in narrating Holocaust. Included in these will be two Holocaust. Not only High School students GENOCIDE. (continued on page 3) in developing Asian or African countries, but young children right here in America. A teenager can rationalize the behavior CONGREGATION MARCH FOR of Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan, a concen¬ KEHILATH JESHURUN tration camp guard sentenced for helping SOVIET JEWRY kill 100,000 prisoners at Majdanek, as lllth ANNUAL MEETING follows: "When the government tells you SOLIDARITY SUNDAY TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1983 what to do, you have to do it.
    [Show full text]
  • Melilah Agunah Sptib W Heads
    Agunah and the Problem of Authority: Directions for Future Research Bernard S. Jackson Agunah Research Unit Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester [email protected] 1.0 History and Authority 1 2.0 Conditions 7 2.1 Conditions in Practice Documents and Halakhic Restrictions 7 2.2 The Palestinian Tradition on Conditions 8 2.3 The French Proposals of 1907 10 2.4 Modern Proposals for Conditions 12 3.0 Coercion 19 3.1 The Mishnah 19 3.2 The Issues 19 3.3 The talmudic sources 21 3.4 The Gaonim 24 3.5 The Rishonim 28 3.6 Conclusions on coercion of the moredet 34 4.0 Annulment 36 4.1 The talmudic cases 36 4.2 Post-talmudic developments 39 4.3 Annulment in takkanot hakahal 41 4.4 Kiddushe Ta’ut 48 4.5 Takkanot in Israel 56 5.0 Conclusions 57 5.1 Consensus 57 5.2 Other issues regarding sources of law 61 5.3 Interaction of Remedies 65 5.4 Towards a Solution 68 Appendix A: Divorce Procedures in Biblical Times 71 Appendix B: Secular Laws Inhibiting Civil Divorce in the Absence of a Get 72 References (Secondary Literature) 73 1.0 History and Authority 1.1 Not infrequently, the problem of agunah1 (I refer throughout to the victim of a recalcitrant, not a 1 The verb from which the noun agunah derives occurs once in the Hebrew Bible, of the situations of Ruth and Orpah. In Ruth 1:12-13, Naomi tells her widowed daughters-in-law to go home.
    [Show full text]
  • Dear Friends, This Past Summer, Nicole Zeitler, an American Who
    Dear Friends, This past summer, Nicole Zeitler, an American who had converted to Judaism under Orthodox auspice in America, was denied permission to marry in Israel because a local rabbinical court rejected her status as a Jew. Their problem was with Haskel Lookstein, the rabbi who had overseen her conversion. Rabbi Lookstein is a graduate of Yeshiva University’s Rabbinical School, the long-time rabbi of Congregation Kelilath Jeshuran, and founder of Ramaz (the Horace Mann of Jewish day schools). He is venerated by both Orthodox and non-Orthodox rabbi, by religious leaders of other faiths, and by New York City and State government officials. This is not the first time that the conversion by a previously sanctioned Diaspora rabbi has been questioned by local authorities in Israel. (Conversions by progressive or liberal rabbis – Reform, Conservative or Reconstructionist – have never been recognized by the Israeli rabbinate.) It is the first time, however, that the rabbi in question had something to do with the president-elect of the United States. Rabbi Lookstein was instrumental in the preparation of Ivanka Trump for conversion. So if Lookstein’s authority can be called into question with regard to Ms. Zeitler, could not the Jewish status of the president-elect’s daughter be declared invalid? Given Mrs. Kushner’s (nee: Trump) yihus, Israel’s two chief rabbis are finally pressing for the “serious reform” of a badly flawed system. They are now calling for clear and standard criteria for Orthodox conversions performed in the Diaspora. How ironic that Donald Trump would be indirectly responsible for bridging the growing rift between observant Jews in Israel and observant Jews in the Diaspora.
    [Show full text]
  • Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin
    CELEBRATING OUR 136TH YEAR OF SERVICE KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Volume LXXVI, Number 4 July 10, 2007 24 Tammuz 5767 KJ AND RAMAZ PLAN MAJOR BUILDING PROJECT LOWER SCHOOL AND SYNAGOGUE HOUSE TO BE ENTIRELY REBUILT In an historic meeting of the School structure with 18 floors of Center which need a different kind of Boards of Trustees of the Congregation condominium apartments above. These structure to provide the proper education and Ramaz - a first in the history of this apartments, which will be sold by a for children in the 21st Century. The new community - and an open session for the developer who will build the building, will building will provide, among other things, entire community, a major plan was defray close to half the cost of the new the following: presented which will affect the future of community structure. FOR THE CONGREGATION this community for the next 50 years and The current Synagogue House - 1.A greatly expanded Chapel and a new beyond. The plan calls for the demolition as opposed to the main synagogue building Beit Midrash. of the Synagogue House and Ramaz which will remain intact - is over 80-years- 2.An enlarged social hall. Lower School building at 125 East 85th old. It no longer serves the needs of a 3.A significantly enlarged auditorium for Street and its replacement by a 10-story vastly expanded congregation or the meetings and both Synagogue House and Ramaz Lower Ramaz Lower School and Early Childhood (continued on page 7) 99 SENIORS ARE GRADUATED FROM THE JOSEPH H. LOOKSTEIN UPPER SCHOOL OF RAMAZ 57 TO SPEND NEXT YEAR IN ISRAEL SENIORS AND LOWER CLASSMEN WIN MANY ACADEMIC HONORS Once again it has been an amazing year for the students in Ramaz! The seniors also earned a wonderful record of college acceptances.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the Conversion Crisis, and Halakhic Chaos
    Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the Conversion Crisis, and Halakhic Chaos These articles by Isi Leibler originally appeared in the Jerusalem Post and Yisrael Hayom. The tensions created by the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate within Israeli society have extended to the Diaspora and are now undermining relations with the Jewish state. Ironically, this is taking place at a time when many Israelis are returning to their spiritual roots. Although Tel Aviv remains outwardly a hedonistic secular city, the secular Ashkenazi outlook that dominated Israeli society is in decline, and even setting aside haredim, Israelis today have become increasingly more traditionally inclined and religiously observant. The past decades have witnessed the emergence of observant Jews at all senior levels of society. There has been a dramatic revolution in the Israel Defense Forces with national-religious soldiers now occupying senior positions, assuming roles in combat units parallel to what their kibbutz predecessors did in the early years of statehood. There is even a thirst for spiritual values among secular Israelis, accompanied by a major revival of the study of Jewish texts. Yet simultaneously, there is revulsion and rage at the corruption, extortion and political leverage imposed by powerful haredi political parties and their rabbis. Unfortunately, the ultra-Orthodox rabbis have effectively exploited their political leverage to assume control of the Chief Rabbinate, which, ironically, they themselves have always despised. Current Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and his Sephardi counterpart, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, represent the antithesis of the Chief Rabbinate created 90 years ago by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, who strove to unite the nation.
    [Show full text]
  • Kehilathjeshurunbulletin ©
    ADULT EDUCATION ISSUE KehilathjeshurunBulletin Volume XLIII Number 3 October © 10, 1975 5 Cheshvan, 5736 NEW GROUPS FORMED RABBI AND MRS. HASKEL LOOKSTEIN RETURN FROM FOR SINGLES AND TWO WEEKS IN SOVIET UNION SENIOR CITIZENS On Thursday, October 2, Rabbi and celebrated Shabbat and Yom Tov with Mrs. Haskel Lookstein returned The Sukkah Holiday period served from some of the most well-known "Refus- a Sukkot and Simchat Torah mission niks" as in the various cities. the beginning of two new groups to Leningrad, Riga and Moscow. This Slide Lecture, in our Tuesday, October 14th, congregational community. was the second visit of the Looksteins 8:00 P.M. to the Soviet Union. Rabbi and Friendship Circle Mrs. Lookstein will report While in Russia the Rabbi was ex¬ to the Kehilath On Wednesday afternoon, Septem¬ Jeshurun-Ramaz family tremely active both in and out of the at a ber 24, the meeting sponsored jointly by the Friendship jCircle formed synagogue various cities. He in the Kehilath Jeshurun Men's Club and the by some of the senior members of our had occasion to Ramaz Parents bring the greetings of Council. The report American Jews will to thousands of Jews take the form a community held its first meeting. Al¬ of slide lecture on in a most 30 people came in a driving rain variety of places and ways. Tuesday, October 14 at 8:00 P.M. in During course of the visit Rabbi the to hear Dr. Wolf Zuckerman share his the Kamber Auditorium. Lookstein addressed the Seminar of We invite you to attend the eve¬ experiences of practicing medicine in the Hebrew Teachers and the cele¬ ning and to hear what Africa and of his close association with brated Azbel Scientific Seminar.
    [Show full text]
  • Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Answer the Question? and Dr
    January 13, 1984 9 Shevat 5744 WHY ME? HOW DO YOU RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN ANSWER THE QUESTION? AND DR. LEONARD FEIN This Monday, January 16, 8 PM (see Page 3) TO PRESENT SUNDAY SUPPER LECTURES THE CASE OF FEBRUARY 5 AND FEBRUARY 26 BABY JANE DOE: FEBRUARY 5 — THE HALAKHIK PERSONALITY: THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE RAV — RABBI JOSEPH B. SOLOVEITCHIK The Medical, Legal and RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN Jewish Points of View FEBRUARY 26 — WHILE WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH — Tuesday, January 31, 8 PM THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN JEWRY (see Page 3) PROFESSOR LEONARD FEIN One of the oldest activities found on the CRISIS IN THE AMERICAN JEWISH FAMILY synagogue calendar will give us the oppor¬ RABBIS JOSEPH GRUNBLATT AND SOL ROTH tunity to hear two important programs TO OPEN ORTHODOX UNION'S LECTURE SERIES AT KJ presented during the month of February. SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 8:00 PM SUNDAY SUPPER LECTURES offer our community an opportunity to join together, socialize over dinner and then participate in the lecture program. Each lecture is follow¬ ed by an extensive question and answer discussion. The cost, including dinner, for the two lecture series is $15.00 per person. To at¬ tend only one of the lectures and dinner is $9.00 per person. Please use the reservation form in this Bulletin. THE PHILOSOPHY OF RAV SOLOVEITCHIK Over the RABBI SOL ROTH RABBI JOSEPH GRUNBLATT past several years Rabbi Haskel Lookstein has presented to the Sunday Sup¬ The New York Region's Orthodox Union pointed Samson Raphael Hirsch Professor per Lecture audience the Torah outlook of Round Robin Lecture Series will in Torah and Derekh Erctz at Yeshiva begin on such giants of the past as Rabbi Israel Sunday evening, January 22nd with a panel University.
    [Show full text]
  • Who Let Jared and Ivanka Fly on Shabbat? by Jeffrey Salkin | 12 Hours Ago
    Who let Jared and Ivanka fly on Shabbat? By Jeffrey Salkin | 12 hours ago Don’t look at me. I didn’t do it. Not like they would have Remember that those same Israeli Reform and asked me. Neither was it the rabbi who married them — Conservative rabbis have demonstrated more than the venerable Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, the dean of New adequate knowledge of halacha and Jewish thought. And York’s Orthodox rabbinate. yet, an Orthodox rabbi issues such a questionable psak din So, what rabbi would have given them permission (or, (halachic ruling). Right about now, the overwhelming as some reporters put it, “dispensation”) to fly to Saudi majority of American Jews are experiencing a massive Arabia on Shabbat? disconnect. I can say with little fear of contradiction: there was Shoutout to my friend, Rabbi Uri Regev, and his simply no way that Jewish law would permit airplane organization, Hiddush, that has been fighting for religious travel – or any vehicular travel — on Shabbat or a Jewish equality. But if you really want to get into “bad for the holiday. Jews” territory, you need only see how some gentiles are responding to this on Facebook. Oh, wait — there’s one. That would be to save a life. When life is at stake, almost any Jewish law can be I am talking about some of my gentile Facebook friends breached. That doesn’t apply here. – especially the Catholics. Some have cynically suggested that Rabbi Ploni (a classic Hebrew way of saying Rabbi No, a multi-billion dollar arms deal with the Saudis Whoeverstein) must have received some kind of bribe for doesn’t count.
    [Show full text]
  • Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin © FALL 1979 O"Wn ,I
    SPECIAL MEMORIAL ISSUE Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin © FALL 1979 o"wn ,i RABBI JOSEPH H. LOOKSTEIN (rn n 'wk-n)" .. n•> Vsa wn tpi , "h d t 15 nx 'n tpi" And God was with Joseph And he was a successful man... [Genesis, 39:2] RABBI JOSEPH H. LOOKSTEIN DIES AT AGE 76 WAS RABBI AT CONGREGATION KEHILATH JESHURUN FOR ALMOST 56 YEARS The Week of Shiva On Friday afternoon, the 18th of Tammuz, 5739, .cor¬ The period of shiva was observed at the residence of Mrs. responding to July 13, 1979, at 4:45, Rabbi Joseph H. Joseph H. Lookstein. Throughout the week thousands of Lookstein died peacefully in Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami t people came through the Lookstein home in an expression of Beach. The Rabbi, who would have been 77 years old next love and respect. The minyanim were filled to Chanukah, had served in the rabbinate of Congregation overflowing. At Mincha and Ma'ariv services throughout the week there were Kehilath Jeshurun for almost 56 years. He came to the Con¬ as many people who had to remain downstairs in the gregation on Sukkot 1923. lobby of the apartment house as there were who Rabbi Lookstein had taken ill on June 28 and he remained crovyded into the apartment itself. People waited patiently to express their con¬ in the hospital for a period of fifteen days, until his passing. dolences in person to all the members of the bereaved Mrs. Lookstein, his daughter, Dr. Nathalie Friedman, and his family, including the Rabbi's brother, Arthur Lookstein, and his son, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, and son-in-law, Israel Fried¬ sister, Mrs.
    [Show full text]
  • Modern Orthodox Judaism: a Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted Material Foreword by Jacob J
    Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J. Schacter Contents List of Illustrations xxiv Foreword xxv by Jacob J. Schacter Preface xxix Acknowledgments xli Part 1. Orthodox Judaism and the Modern American Experience 1. Engaging Reform 3 Introduction 3 Section 1 | Charleston Clamorings and Other “Heresies” “Retrograde Instead of Advancing” 5 Mordecai Noah | 1825 New Lights and Old Lights 6 A Member of the Reformed Society of Israelites | 1825 This Happy Land 7 Isaac Harby | 1825 A Jewish Luther 9 Jacob Mordecai | 1826 An Open Letter to Gustavus Poznanski 12 Isaac Leeser | 1843 “Some Wolves Clothed in Sheep’s- Cover” 16 Abraham Rice | 1848 What Prevails among the Jewish People? 18 Mordecai Noah | 1850 Buy the book Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J. Schacter Section 2 | Living Orthodox Judaism This Is Religious Liberty in America 19 Abraham Kohn | 1843 Our Holy Place 20 Trustees of the Congregation Shearith Israel | 1847 Strange Misbehavior 21 Max Lilienthal | 1854 An Aunt’s Admonishment 24 Anna Marks Allen | 1858 Conclusion 25 2. The Traditional Talmud and Response to Reform Prayer Books 27 Introduction 27 Section 1 | Talking Talmud “The Talmud Is Not Divine” 28 Benjamin Cohen Carillon | 1843 At the Risk of Being Considered Hyper- orthodox 31 Henry Goldsmith | 1843 A Return to the Maimonidean View? 33 Abraham Rice | 1844 The Cleveland Conference 35 Isaac Leeser | 1855 It Is Decidedly Heretical 38 Morris J. Raphall | 1856 Section 2 | The Modified Mahzor An Ornament for Parlor- Tables 39 Bernard Illowy | 1855 A Letter from an “Enlightened Orthodox” Jew 41 Benjamin Franklin Peixotto | 1859 x Contents Buy the book Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J.
    [Show full text]
  • Hayyim Angel______251 W
    HAYYIM ANGEL__________________________________________________ 251 W. 71st St Apt. #1A, NYNY 10023 * 212-874-4241 (home) 8 W. 70th St NYNY 10023 * 212-873-0300 phone; 212-724-6165 fax (work); [email protected] EMPLOYMENT_________________________________________________________ CONGREGATION SHEARITH ISRAEL (NEW YORK) 1995-Present Rabbi: Sermons, pastoral work, and cantorial work. Coordinate adult education, youth programming, and family programming. Supervise full-time Hazan, Assistant Congregational Leader, Program Director, part-time staff. For thirteen years was principal of Hebrew School of 40 children. Adult Education classes. YESHIVA UNIVERSITY (NEW YORK) 1996-Present Adjunct Instructor of Bible: Teach Advanced Undergraduate Bible courses to 60- 75 students per semester. Courses taught: Joshua-Judges; Samuel; Kings- Chronicles; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Ezekiel, Hosea-Amos; Seven Minor Prophets; Haggai-Zechariah-Malachi; Psalms; Five Megillot; Ezra-Nehemiah (total of twenty-seven semesters). EDUCATION___________________________________________________________ YESHIVA UNIVERSITY (NEW YORK) 1989-1996 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, Semikhah June 1995 Bernard Revel Graduate School, M.A. in Bible-Parshanut May 1993 David J. Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education, May 1996 M.S. in Secondary Jewish Education Yeshiva College, B.A. in Jewish Studies May 1993 * Summa Cum Laude * Awards for Excellence in Talmud, Jewish Studies, Best Paper in Jewish History GRUSS KOLLEL (JERUSALEM) 1994-1995 YESHIVAT HAKOTEL (JERUSALEM)
    [Show full text]