7/29/2018 Peace Index shows nation divided over Jewish State

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רוּ ַח ִחדּוּשׁ - Ruach Hiddush רבנים וחזנים למען חופש דת ושוויון Rabbis and Cantors for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel

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7 ֲא ָדר Introduction February 22, 2018 - 5778 Friends, Must the People who The Peace Index: January 2018 sought asylum provide asylum to the persecuted by Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar when the formerly Hermann persecuted have achieved autonomy? The Peace Index column for January focuses on May a Jewish State two domestic matters that have been at the heart demand shabbat of the public discourse for weeks. One is the issue observance of all its of the asylum seekers; the other is the question of people as a matter of opening businesses and services on Shabbat, culture, or is that religious coercion? which is part of the bedrock debate on the role of Are Haredi prayers in religion in the society and the state. This month’s yeshivas as powerful a index will also look at an issue that is not only protector of the State of domestic: U.S. president Donald Trump’s Israel as the IDF? approach to Israel and the Palestinians and his The answers of Israelis declarations on the subject of Jerusalem. appear in this week's Peace Index, and show a Opening businesses on Shabbat: Against the nation divided over the backdrop of the ongoing struggles over the nature of meaning of living in a Shabbat in Israel, and the move by Interior Minister Jewish State. What would Deri to tighten enforcement among the local Israel look like if there authorities via the “convenience-stores law,” we

http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/577764/f39bcb83b4/ARCHIVE 1/5 7/29/2018 Peace Index shows nation divided over Jewish State were majority rule on gauged where the Jewish public stands on this religious issues? question. That omnipresent issue could be decided if Israel Devoting themselves to Torah study? We sought became the State of the responses to the claim that the study of Torah by Jews, as intended by its haredi young people protects Israel no less than the Founders, rather than The military service of non-haredi young people. Jewish State, as currently practiced. What is the role Haredim in the government: Only a minority of of the ancient category of the Jewish public (27%) prefers a government that mamzerut in modern life? includes the haredi parties, while the majority (53%) Must non-believers be prefers a government without them. coerced by ancient categories dependent upon Statements by rabbis against military service by a theology they do not women and against the chief of staff: A majority share, just because they of the Jewish public (61%) supports Defense choose to live in the only Jewish State in the world? Minister Avigdor Liberman’s denunciation of the Not to mention the statements by Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Rabbi continuing debate over Shlomo Aviner opposing military service by women. agunot that is intimately connected? FULL ARTICLE >>> My heart breaks when I read of women and Doomed At Birth children whose lives are nearly destroyed by a By Michele Chabin rabbinate that refuses, as For some Jews, ‘mamzer’ is more than a curse one woman said, to help word. It’s a life sentence of secrecy, stigma and her humanely resolve the problems exclusively shame. entrusted to the rabbinate. ... She discovered she was pregnant soon after he So much of the content of raped her. In her thirties, childless and aching to be a these debates turns on the mother, she decided to raise this unexpected baby on status of women. We in her own. the U.S. have in recent months also witnessed the Back then Sarah, who had divorced a few years results when earlier in a U.S. civil court, had no idea that her child powerlessness controls women's lives; and it's not could be considered a “mamzer” – the closest thing pretty. Fear, coercion, Judaism has to a bastard or an untouchable – not exploitation and because her child was conceived during a rape, but depression often follow. because, according to Jewish law, Sarah had been Can we imagine ourselves married when she was raped. living the destinies of those we love controlled FULL ARTICLE >>> http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/577764/f39bcb83b4/ARCHIVE 2/5 7/29/2018 Peace Index shows nation divided over Jewish State by sovereigns who have their own goals and not Women are ‘weak-minded,’ rabbi of West ours uppermost in their minds? As noted in the Bank yeshiva tells students article on mamzerut: once JTA upon a time there were remedies. But the State A rabbi who teaches at a pre-military yeshiva in sponsored rabbinate has the West Bank told students that women are no incentives to labor for “weak minded” and “just babble.” Rabbi Yosef the benefit of the common Kelner also said women have a “limited capacity” people, least of all women. See the for spirituality in the footage broadcast Tuesday unrepentant misogynistic by Hadashot news taken at a class on marriage comments by Rabbi Yosef and family. Kelner about women's innate abilities. ... He issued an apology shortly after the footage was broadcast. Our colleague at Hiddush, David Bogomolny, “I’m sorry this sort of thing ever came out of me. authored a most Sometimes a person fails. I wouldn’t say such things interesting article in Times today,” he said. of Israel, which I have chosen to include both Kelner added that his colleagues at the yeshiva are because it's interesting and “opposed to both the style and content” of the for the model it provides: comments. “Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his The yeshiva reportedly has distanced itself from the place.” (Avot 2:4) If only rabbi’s remarks. the official rabbinate thought, as David writes FULL ARTICLE >>> so articulately, how to

stand in another's place. What does that require? If Rabbi backtracks on apology after we take "speaking the deprecating comments about women language of the other" as metaphor, it might By Elisha Ben Kimon propose a solution to After issuing apology for discussing the 'spiritual many of our issues. limitation of women' during lesson at pre- We'd love to receive your military academy, Rabbi Yosef Kelner seems to comments at: [email protected] backtrack, saying his words were edited foolishly and he does not regret what he said. חג פורים שמח, Mark H. Levin ... Kelner argued that "malicious and foolish editing" Editor-in-Chief, of the recording of his lesson led to a Ruach Hiddush misunderstanding of his meaning. "The long http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/577764/f39bcb83b4/ARCHIVE 3/5 7/29/2018 Peace Index shows nation divided over Jewish State sentence that clarifies my intention was omitted: Contact us When I say that women are spiritually limited, the Email: intention is that ‘the high brow of world trends, the [email protected] increase of global perceptions, is not where we Phone (US): expect women to reach notable achievements.’ The 415-261-3404 omission precludes understanding that there is a Phone (Israel): deeper context to the words other than 'they are 054-779-1179 stupid,'" he wrote. FULL ARTICLE >>>

Speak to me in Arabic By David Bogomolny I’m not a political activist of any sort, but I do want to move beyond simply existing side by side with the Arabs around me. I want to gain more insights into their culture and worldviews. I want to engage with them in a substantive way. Most importantly, I want to practice my Arabic with native Arabic speakers, but I don’t know where to turn. FULL ARTICLE >>>

ַרוּ"ח ִ ּחדוּ"שׁ היא ארגון של רבנים וחזנים הפועל למימוש מלא של הבטחת מגילת הצעמאות לחופש דת ושוויון. מימוש הבטחה זו חיוני לחיזוק זהותה של מדינת ישראל כמדינה יהודית ודמוקרטית ולהמשך השותפות עם העם היוהדי לתפוצותיו.

Ruach Hiddush is a network of Rabbis and Cantors working to fully realize the promise of Israel's Declaration of Independence, which guarantees religious freedom and equality. The fulfillment of this promise is vital for strengthening Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and for maintaining the solidarity of world Jewry.

מיזם ש ל ִחדּוּ"שׁ a project of Hiddush

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