Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., February 10, 2008 Adar1 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 17:01 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Former Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu speaking in Jerusalem in 2002. (Eyal Warshavsky / BauBau)
Last update - 03:15 24/11/2007
Israel's Conservative movement threatens to sue ex-chief rabbi
By Yair Ettinger, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Judaism, Orthodox 

Israel's Masorti (Conservative) Movement is threatening legal action against former Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu for saying that "the reek of hell wafts" from Reform and Conservative synagogues, and it is therefore forbidden to walk by them.

Eliyahu, a leading religious Zionist rabbi, made the remark last week during his weekly Torah lecture. It was later reprinted in the bulletin Kol Tzofayich, which was distributed in synagogues throughout Israel over the weekend.

In his lecture, Eliyahu related that he was once invited to a circumcision in a building that contained three synagogues, one Orthodox, one Conservative and one Reform. The Orthodox synagogue, he said, was on the top floor, "and I wondered how I would enter and pass by these synagogues, from which the reek of hell wafts ... They told me that there was a sort of side kitchen through which one could go up without passing those synagogues, and I told them that I would only go up via that kitchen, and only if I would not pass the entrances to those forbidden synagogues."
Advertisement
Attorney Yizhar Hess, secretary general of the Masorti Movement, responded that "Rabbi Eliyahu crossed the border of good taste, and his hateful, malicious words scorned an entire community. It is inconceivable that a religious leader should use expressions that constitute a call for civil war. The rabbi would do well to retract his statements and apologize to the millions of Jews whose honor he impugned."

Related articles:
  • The end of the Conservative movement?
  • Jews who hate Reform Jews

    More Jewish World news and features
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Will power
    Shas Minister Yitzhak Cohen says only a complete Gaza power cut will bring results.
    The cost of security
    U.S. estimate: Preparing Palestinian security forces for statehood will cost $7 billion.
      1.   senile old man 03:30  |  Michael 20/11/07
      2.   He is right! WE MUST LIQUIDATE THESE MOVEMENTS)))) 03:53  |  VOICE OF THE JEW)))) 20/11/07
      3.   This is the "fruit of the lips" of an Orthodox Rabbi? 04:54  |  WOW 20/11/07
      4.   Eliyahu 05:02  |  Jay 20/11/07
      5.   Crybaby 05:57  |  John Donaldson 20/11/07
      6.   These movements are liquidating themselves 06:00  |  JD 20/11/07
      7.   Conservative movement is a flower 06:05  |  moshe 20/11/07
      8.   the reek of hell wafts from reform and conservative temples 06:15  |  david 20/11/07
      9.   Wait a second, no one told me that there were auditions 06:21  |  Jacob Blues 20/11/07
      10.   This won`t recruit me into orthodoxy 06:21  |  Rob 20/11/07
      11.   senile "rabbi" 06:40  |  Mike 20/11/07
      12.   Hell! I Don`t Know, But I do know........... 06:46  |  Eternal Jerusalem 20/11/07
      13.   Pre-emptive response 07:33  |  Rob 20/11/07
      14.   Typical haredi hatred 07:58  |  Yehuda 20/11/07
      15.   Conservative movement tries religious coercion 08:02  |  Mordechai 20/11/07
      16.   They don`t believe in Hell anyway 08:04  |  Dave 20/11/07
      17.   Liquidate, Number Uno? Jeepers, who does that remind me of?? hhmm 08:05  |  Allergic to Idiots 20/11/07
      18.   Rabbi Eliyahu 08:24  |  Choni Davidowitz 20/11/07
      19.   sue ex-chief rabbi 08:36  |  J.B. 20/11/07
      20.   LAWSUIT? NO NEED - HE AND HIS FOLLOWERS NEED TO BE IGNORED 08:49  |  B`Galil 20/11/07
      21.   Eliyahu Must Have a Very Sensitive Nose 09:04  |  F.Ishmarket 20/11/07
      22.   No 1 09:05  |  Liz 20/11/07
      23.   Reform Rabbies are worse than Hitler they should hanged like eich 09:08  |  Joseph 20/11/07
      24.   YIMACH SHIMCHA YOU OLD BAG 09:19  |  Iskander 20/11/07
      25.   Why bother suing a senile in-bred old man 09:23  |  yaron 20/11/07
      26.   Leftist hypocrites and "freedom of speech" 09:23  |  Binyamin Dissen 20/11/07
      27.   Is Orthodox Judaism that fascist-minded? 09:28  |  free-minded 20/11/07
      28.   #1 - Please explain who you are 09:34  |  Jay A Friedman 20/11/07
      29.   On how to answer 09:35  |  A person 20/11/07
      30.   Reply to #19 Joseph & the religion of hatred 09:51  |  SJ 20/11/07
      31.   Hateful Israeli orthodox 09:53  |  Shahama 20/11/07
      32.   Eliyahu and Dissin`s reply 10:01  |  Maerton 20/11/07
      33.   Eliyahu and Dissen`s reply 10:08  |  Maerton 20/11/07
      34.   the theology of the conservatives: 10:18  |  A jew 20/11/07
      35.   #7 and faded dried flowers 10:21  |  Joan 20/11/07
      36.   Even the reform are more alive than the conservatives 10:22  |  Leah 20/11/07
      37.   10 rob who would want you? 10:24  |  Alex 20/11/07
      38.   #24 and the only Jewish" words he knows- insults 10:25  |  Alexa 20/11/07
      39.   To Joseph (23) You are right on almost everything, but ... 10:25  |  Yohann 20/11/07
      40.   SJ and hatred 10:29  |  Another Jew 20/11/07
      41.   I LOVE JUDAISM, BUT ITS EXPIRED 10:31  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 20/11/07
      42.   #34 and irrelevance 10:33  |  Moshe 20/11/07
      43.   love people hate their ideas- simple 10:33  |  Another Jew 20/11/07
      44.   usual orthodox hypocrisy not coersion 10:34  |  shahama 20/11/07
      45.   Hate 10:44  |  j10 20/11/07
      46.   reply # 40 there you go again the Hate word 11:14  |  SJ 20/11/07
      47.   THE PROTOTYPE OF THE UGLY DOSSI 11:18  |  Iskander 20/11/07
      48.   Schism and Revival 11:18  |  Daniel Jackson 20/11/07
      49.   Secular and proud of it! 11:33  |  Mark 20/11/07
      50.   Rabbi Eliyahu`s statemments 11:43  |  Avi Yerushalmi 20/11/07
      51.   Don`t threaten, SUE HIM ! 11:44  |  Andrei 20/11/07
      52.   RELIGIOUS FIRECRACKERS. 11:55  |  JORDAN 20/11/07
      53.   Hanging??? 12:11  |  Uzi 20/11/07
      54.   Ayatollah? 12:30  |  Joe 20/11/07
      55.   What about Love one another doesn`t he understand? 12:55  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      56.   Attilla, God`s Word does not "expire" 13:07  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      57.   Gratuitous abuse 13:13  |  Motic 20/11/07
      58.   # 43 Another Jew, Few words, but I think you hit the bullseye!!! 13:17  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      59.   The Rabbi Represents a very sizable community and view 13:18  |  S Judah 20/11/07
      60.   Uhm, just curious, but... 13:24  |  Physicist 20/11/07
      61.   One does not need to be a scholar to know the Living God. 13:46  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      62.   Chillul Hashem 14:01  |  Hareidy Rov 20/11/07
      63.   Shalom, Love someone whos ideas you hate today 14:06  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      64.   61/63 Virginia - you are right, and, but 14:25  |  S Judah 20/11/07
      65.   #2 Cleansing the Land 14:31  |  chelemer 20/11/07
      66.   # 64 I Love the Rabbi and his wife of the Synagogue I attend. 14:57  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      67.   Hareidi Rov..Har Nof..A bracha! 15:00  |  meir Gush Etzion 20/11/07
      68.   chelemer #65 15:02  |  Physicist 20/11/07
      69.   And by the same means, sift my words accordingly. 15:14  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      70.   How does he know what hell smells like 15:18  |  Ethel Coxley 20/11/07
      71.   #70 Ethel Coxly 15:34  |  tbora 20/11/07
      72.   I am sickened by fascist talk here 15:36  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/11/07
      73.   And No, I don`t attend a reform or conservative congregation 15:39  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      74.   Our Reform Temple is OK.!! 15:58  |  Modern man 20/11/07
      75.   Virginia 66/69 Such Poetry - but how does it answer the problem. 16:08  |  S Judah 20/11/07
      76.   The Rabbi is right, conservatism is not Judaism 16:08  |  Jer 20/11/07
      77.   Well...who likes reform and conservative? 16:12  |  Ofer 20/11/07
      78.   RABBI`S JOB IS TO TELL US WHAT`S KOSHER.CONSERVATIVE NOT KOSHER)) 16:14  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 20/11/07
      79.   The men in white coats have come for Virginia 16:16  |  Bob 20/11/07
      80.   Ha Rav Mordechai Eliyhau speaks the truth! 16:24  |  Avraham 20/11/07
      81.   How does the rest of the Orthodox community feel 16:25  |  Bat Sheva 20/11/07
      82.   Reform and Mondrowitz 16:28  |  Lev Simcha 20/11/07
      83.   Virginia, I`m confused 16:29  |  goldenberg 20/11/07
      84.   What smells like hell 16:32  |  Tosefta 20/11/07
      85.   we are all nude of honesty 16:32  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 20/11/07
      86.   What`s the Problem? 16:34  |  Paul 20/11/07
      87.   STOP ENOUGH ALREADY 16:45  |  Avraham 20/11/07
      88.   Islam and Christianity not unique 16:47  |  W 20/11/07
      89.   Orthodoxy is Intellectually Dishonest 16:50  |  Meir 20/11/07
      90.   Just a joke 16:50  |  Tosefta 20/11/07
      91.   Rabbi is right 16:51  |  Gene 20/11/07
      92.   he is not jewish 16:52  |  manijeh 20/11/07
      93.   MEN ERR 16:53  |  Kooky Dennt 20/11/07
      94.   Lets all go to Attila`s Shul! 17:05  |  Moishe Moishe 20/11/07
      95.   Voice, where did you learn your genocidal ways? 17:10  |  newageblues 20/11/07
      96.   Think catholic vs protestant religions wars 17:11  |  Ofer 20/11/07
      97.   Lefties looking for reason to hate Orthodox 17:22  |  Baruch 20/11/07
      98.   #28, Jay, #90, Tosefta, thanks for the laughs 17:24  |  newageblues 20/11/07
      99.   SUE THEM ALL YOU WANT THEY ARE NOT JEWISH 17:37  |  mona 20/11/07
      100.   My Jewish Evolution in the U.S. 18:07  |  Steve 20/11/07
      101.   Law Suits 18:09  |  MS Frankel 20/11/07
      102.   Peaceful Religions 18:12  |  chelemer 20/11/07
      103.   #86, Paul, look who`s talking about arrogance 18:23  |  newageblues 20/11/07
      104.   to moshe 7 18:43  |  jlemm 20/11/07
      105.   #43 Has it Right 18:45  |  Tom 20/11/07
      106.   Orthodoxy isn`t Judaism 18:46  |  Sharon 20/11/07
      107.   To Ofer 18:48  |  Gene 20/11/07
      108.   Ahavat Yisrael?? 18:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/11/07
      109.   The Second Bais Hamigdosh 19:31  |  MichaelF 20/11/07
      110.   Conservawtive movement is a flower 19:34  |  elmex 20/11/07
      111.   "secular jews" 19:46  |  Michael 20/11/07
      112.   S Judah, I am not hearing "full adherence" in this Rabbi`s words. 19:55  |  Virginia 20/11/07
      113.   RE: to 12. Eternal Jerusalem 20:10  |  jlemm 20/11/07
      114.   Rabbi is correct 20:39  |  Baruch 20/11/07
      115.   Harry Truman was right! 20:40  |  Ira Rubin 20/11/07
      116.   VOICE OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 21:00  |  Robert 20/11/07
      117.   Freedom of Speech 21:20  |  Judith 20/11/07
      118.   a sad state of affairs 21:24  |  scott 20/11/07
      119.   to modern man 21:28  |  goldenberg 20/11/07
      120.   Question: In Israeli Judaism 21:41  |  Steve 20/11/07
      121.   Why is everyone getting so excited? 21:50  |  Avi Yerushalmi 20/11/07
      122.   modern man - correction 21:54  |  goldenberg 20/11/07
      123.   "The stench of dead ideas" 22:33  |  Yonatan 20/11/07
      124.   #75 S. Judah 22:45  |  Yonatan 20/11/07
      125.   #79 Bob - If you`re Orthodox, then Judaism is really in sad shape 22:49  |  Yonatan 20/11/07
      126.   "Rav Ovadia Yosef has had the courage to stand up and be counted. 22:51  |  Yonatan 20/11/07
      127.   Jew and JewISH 23:21  |  Common sense 20/11/07
      128.   #Say Yonatan 23:27  |  ballistic 20/11/07
      129.   Are you going to be healthy enlightened people one day? 23:29  |  Context 20/11/07
      130.   # 4 Jay...ELIYAHU..NICE AND HOLY NAME,PITY ON IT`S RECIPIENT.. 23:42  |  JOSH 20/11/07
      131.   Yaakov and Ahavat Yisrael 00:04  |  Ofer 21/11/07
      132.   #90 Tosefta 00:06  |  Smadar 21/11/07
      133.   # 122 Common sense..Jew and JewISH 00:21  |  JOSH 21/11/07
      134.   IF his brand is SO appealing why isn`t everybody his follower? 02:43  |  PETER SM 21/11/07
      135.   the rebbe`s cry for jerusalem 03:02  |  amariah 21/11/07
      136.   A case study in stupidity 04:06  |  Yair ben Avraham 21/11/07
      137.   They don`t` havve the guts 04:35  |  Mark Lincoln 21/11/07
      138.   anti-semitism must be outlawed in israel 04:59  |  michael 21/11/07
      139.   Would someone please kindly explain to me ... 05:45  |  Morris Valentine 21/11/07
      140.   J10 - # 45 06:28  |  Reid 21/11/07
      141.   Nobody`s Perfect 06:54  |  Ann Coulter 21/11/07
      142.   The Reformed Movement 07:08  |  Yosef ben Shalom 21/11/07
      143.   Conservethief Movment 08:05  |  Olmert 21/11/07
      144.   Religious madness 09:19  |  Benjamina 21/11/07
      145.   rabbi 09:39  |  elchonon 21/11/07
      146.   Ofer on True Ahavat Yisrael #131 09:52  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/11/07
      147.   voice of Moschiach 11:54  |  Maerton 21/11/07
      148.   hey Avi, so if you take a `tvila be mikve` in 12:16  |  Puhi 21/11/07
      149.   The reform tefilla 12:57  |  Maerton 21/11/07
      150.   Reid #140 13:54  |  J10 21/11/07
      151.   The Hamasistation of the Ultra Orthodox 15:05  |  ScotGuy 21/11/07
      152.   Steve the non-Orthodox in Israel 15:07  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/11/07
      153.   LOVE ALL JEWS. THEREFORE UNMASK HYPOCRITE CONSERVATIVE RABBIS)))) 15:12  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 21/11/07
      154.   Steve the non-Orthodox in Israel Part II 15:14  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/11/07
      155.   About suing a `movement` 15:27  |  Petra 21/11/07
      156.   THE FUTURE OF JUDAISM 15:57  |  soggy liberal 21/11/07
      157.   Non-Orthodox Judaism in Israel 16:05  |  Howard Katz 21/11/07
      158.   to all you cave dwellers - Ann Coulter # 141 is 16:05  |  Steve the Pals. 21/11/07
      159.   Torah Giant? 16:16  |  Mark 21/11/07
      160.   75 Yonatan - Gibberish disguised as reason 16:21  |  S Judah 21/11/07
      161.   Yaakov and Ahavat Osrael and reading disabilities 16:23  |  Ofer 21/11/07
      162.   Pass The Chaza 16:24  |  Avram 21/11/07
      163.   religious madness or national blindness? 16:27  |  amarah 21/11/07
      164.   #2 VOICE -- good idea 17:36  |  davidk 21/11/07
      165.   Yonatan - Full of Yap -123/4/5/6 Continued 17:49  |  S Judah 21/11/07
      166.   WILL HE ALLOW THEM TO FIGHT 17:51  |  TOBIA 21/11/07
      167.   Puhi TA #148 18:48  |  Avi Yerushalmi 21/11/07
      168.   GAY PRIDE: NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM! 19:00  |  Woody 21/11/07
      169.   All Ayatollahs are the same 19:16  |  Nathaniel 21/11/07
      170.   The sides are clear here 19:41  |  Baruch 21/11/07
      171.   voice of the jew 2 19:47  |  realism 21/11/07
      172.   why orthodox hate 19:53  |  steve dill 21/11/07
      173.   Justified Intolerance? 20:19  |  Sojourner 21/11/07
      174.   One Jew against another Jew? 21:38  |  Ezequiel 21/11/07
      175.   the future of Judaism 21:52  |  Baruch 21/11/07
      176.   Battling mythologies 23:50  |  LanceThruster 13/12/07
      177.   This Is Great News 02:56  |  Nite Owl 07/01/08
      178.   On what legal theory would such a suit be based? 16:21  |  Shlomo 10/02/08
     Today Online
    IAF kills top Hamas man; 2 brothers hurt in Sderot Qassam strike
    Responses: 46
    Livni: No hope for Palestinian state while Qassams presist
    Responses: 29
    IDF: Hezbollah Katyushas, missiles back in S. Lebanon
    Responses: 28
    Gaza and Israel - more like partners than enemies
    Responses: 33
    Silvan Shalom: For Israel, sanctions on Iran are best option
    Responses: 12
    Rosner's Domain
    McCain found a tool with which to woo conservative Republicans: Israel
    Why many Jewish men go beardless (WTR)
    New poll: Is it legitimate to cut electricity to Gaza?
    Factor: How's McCain better than Obama
    Jewish Republicans? More myth than reality


    More Headlines
    16:38 FM: No Palestinian state possible until rockets stop
    15:48 Several Sderot residents clash with police in Jerusalem protest
    10:47 IAF kills Hamas man; 2 brothers hurt in Sderot Qassam strike
    15:37 McCain found a tool with which to woo conservative Republicans: Israel
    16:59 Sharon documentary examines reasons for 2005 Gaza pullout
    11:01 Jewish Agency wages battle to retain monopoly over aliyah
    16:31 Palestinian group calls on Egypt FM to apologize to Gazans
    16:27 Fischer says he'll do everything possible to prevent recession
    13:09 Police chief: Officer tried to blackmail me with incriminating video
    16:51 Vandals trample flowers at Holocaust memorial in Berlin
    11:18 IDF says Hezbollah Katyushas, missiles back in S. Lebanon
    12:45 Police arrest Nazareth teens suspected of hurling rocks at cars
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Dead Sea Salt
    Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    U.S. CITIZEN IN ISRAEL
    Register now to vote in national election. Do not wait.
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved