Jerusalem – The latest round of tensions between Diaspora Jewry and the Israeli religious establishment over Chief Rabbi David Lau’s criticism of Education Minister Naftali Bennett’s visit to a school of the Conservative Movement in New York has elicited another round of criticism on both sides of the debate.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America Jerry Silverman said on Thursday that Lau was wrong to have criticized the visit, while Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, one of the most prominent leaders of the hard-right wing of the national religious community said Bennett was wrong to have visited the school and said the non-Orthodox movements were bringing about a “spiritual holocaust.”
Bennett, who also serves as Diaspora Minister, made a stop at the Solomon Schechter School in New York which is associated with the Conservative Jewish denomination on December 1, speaking with the pupils and joining in a Hebrew singing session with them
On Wednesday, Lau criticized Bennett for the visit, saying it was “forbidden” to deliberately speak to the Conservative community in such a manner, that education in Conservative schools “distances Jews” from their tradition, that the movement was “losing its children and grandchildren,” and that he would have forbidden Bennett, who also serves as Diaspora Affairs Minister, from making the visit had Bennett asked him.
Silverman welcomed Bennett’s visit and his engagement with the non-Orthodox Jewish denominations however, and said that he should be praised not criticized for it.
“Israel’s Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau was wrong to criticize Minister Naftali Bennett for the minister’s visit to a Solomon Schechter community day school in Manhattan,” said Silverman.
“As the minister who covers both the education and Diaspora portfolios, Mr. Bennett serves a unique role in representing the Israeli government and must continue to reach out to all Jews wherever they are — including at religious schools, day schools and camps affiliated with all of the streams of Judaism,” he continued.
“By connecting and learning about Jewish educational experiences in the Diaspora, Mr. Bennett is doing exactly what is appropriate. There should not be suggestions that the Minister of Diaspora Affairs needs to ask for permission to experience Jewish education moments while traveling. In fact, Mr. Bennett should be recognized for his leadership with these efforts, not criticized.”
Alongside the backing from the Jewish Federations has come however severe criticism from national religious rabbis in Israel.
In an interview with the Kikar Hashabbat website, Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, one of the most respected national religious rabbis in the country, said that “Reform [Judaism] isn’t Judaism… it is forbidden for a man who observes the Torah and commandments to recognize the Reform.” Orthodox rabbis in Israel often conflate the Reform and Conservative denominations.
Eliyahu, who serves as the municipal chief rabbi of Safed, was also extremely critical of the Reform and Conservative movements and of Bennett’s visit to the school.
“The Reform and Conservatives are our brothers, but their path is a disaster, there’s no delicate way to put it, and it is forbidden to to give them encouragement, as a path by, drawing them close,” said Eliyahu in an interview with the Galei Yisrael radio station on Friday.
“We must help them to wake up, to do repentance, as we must for all Jews who we love… but remember that Reform and Conservatives are those who are leading assimilation in the US. In other words they are bringing about the annihilation of the Jewish people,” continued the rabbi, citing rates of assimilation and inter-marriage.
“They are of course not evil like the Germans, but they are bringing about a spiritual holocaust,” he said.
“To import this into Israel is a disaster, to give them legitimacy is a disaster, the education minister erred because he gave them legitimacy, and this is a shame. We need to draw them [the non-Orthodox] close as brothers but not give them legitimacy.”
As our Rosh Yeshiva zt’l used to say, “Their ‘rabbis’ should be sued for malpractice!!”
There is no doubt that the reform and conservative movements are against the orthodox. There is no doubt that the promote intermarriage and not doing mitzvot.
They are very much anti HaShem. They should be fought on all levels.
The spritual Holocaust that he is referring to would transpire with or without conservative and reform rabbis. There are many aspects of Torah that frei Yidden find objectionable.The reform and conservative movements do add a measure of legitimacy, but the exit from orthodoxy would go on regardless.
“To import this into Israel is a disaster, to give them legitimacy is a disaster,…” Of course it’s ‘a disaster’ but Bennett is probably ‘smelling the $.’ (He agreed to tear down the ‘Ayelet Schachar Shul’ didn’t he? Why? Can anyone give me a valid reason for this treacherous behavior or tearing down a ‘schul?’ [email protected]
Is it better that conservative people have a shule and a Rabbi or just not have a shule and no Rabbi? Sorry to burst your bubble but most Jews around the world a not frum at all.
The are not against the Othodox…They are against G-d and his torah…Most Reform rah-bbis don’t even believe in diety, let alone that torah misini..and same to other ‘movements
I dislike bashing other groups. Why not look within? What has happened to our spirituality? Every day, I look for the spirituality of my youth which I don’t see in my own children. It is so much better to look within!
So, in the חרדי community defrauding the government, the unnacceptable amount of גניבה וגזילה, and the enabling of child molesters and the repurcussions against victims who resort to the authorities are not causing a ‘Spiritual Holocaust’? While the Reform and Conservative movements are devoid of תורה, the so called Orthodox have no sense of עבירות בין אדם לחבירו. Just as the Reform and Conservative, over the top חרדים keep what they like in the תורה and ignore what they don’t. It’s very simple to note the faults of others while ignoring your own.
One level is not to practice the Torah, another is not to believe in it. But much worse than those is to hold a position of authority and tell others they don’t have to practice or believe – these Rabbis are going straight against Hashem and bringing others with them. They are responsible for every aveira someone does because of them.
In some countries and locations, the non frum only have orthodox Rabbis, and because of that, a lot more mitsvos are done than otherwise. Like some shulls in Stockholm or Malmo, Sweden.
We don’t need rebellious reform Rabbis.
Push away most of the jews in america who belong to these movements ,rather than encourage them to continue practicing whatever they know about the faith. It’s a mitzvah written in the torah, to hate all forms of zionism even their yeshivas. We should also hate every student that wears a knitted kippah or doesn’t wear a white shirt ,black pants and black large brimmed hat It’s a mitzvah in the totah that bnei yeshiva should never get a job,only sit and learn for the rest of their lives , everyone else is treif posul.
Don’t forget in WW2 the yeshivas saved themselves and families while letting the rest of their jewish brothers be shoveled into the ovens. They bought false documents and train tickets with donated money.