Prominent Orthodox rabbi calls on Israel to recognize Reform Judaism

Could it be that the Reform movement is a latter day for of Shabatiaism, that beleives they have found the ways to keep the Jewish nation alive with . . . , as Shabtai Zevi did in his day. We know what happened to him and the so many of the Jews that were convinced he was the Messiah. If I read correctly in this paper Isacc Mayer Wise declared there was no Messiah--what was it that was supposed to Redeem the Jewish People?--I wonder.

For decades Reform clergy have sought recognition as rabbis because of their MHL degrees. They don' t accept the fact that because they never took the exams in Halacha, they are disqualified. Jewish liberals are Jewish, but their pastors are not rabbis. Some just don't get it.

The reality is that without the protection of American reform Jews, Israel would not exist. Orthodox Jews should pray that we reform Jews continue to supportand protect them despite their taliban like petty thoughts and inferior status regarding financial wealth and education.All they do is embarress Jews throughout the world.

Reform are a shame, they should go to Uganda instead of Israel.

Cherlow did the natural thing.

The fundamental difference between the Reform and Orthodox view on Judaism is its very definition. To the Reform, being Jewish is a sense of identity and history, and nationhood. To the Orthodox, being Jewish is being a part of a religion, in addition to a nation. The Rambam (Maimonides) speaks of 13 principles of belief that one must have in order to be Jewish. There is an important place for people who are not observant in the Jewish nation. And we must make those individuals close to the Jewish People. However, we cannot allow them to distort Judaism as a religion. Religion is not democratic. The Truth is not defined by the people. People are not inclined to care about what is true or not. (See the multitude of psychological studies that prove this) People are inclined to believe in what is easy or good for them. We must accept non-observent individuals into the People of Israel, but never give even the smallest amount of acceptance to their religious practices or beliefs (so long as they are directly incompatible with the Torah-Halachic Jewish Tradition).

Thorougly unexpected. I guess it's partly because he has a modern given name and not a traditional one, like Avraham.

cherlow is in the same facility as rav shai peron who just signed on with yair lapid.looks like they are competing for the title of the most obsequious 'dati' personality in the eyes of the non-dati. funny that he would come out with this during chanuka which is a holiday celebrating the victory over the reform (mityavanim)

this is such a joke no wonder haaretz is struggling financially... the reform movement will disappear within a few years anyway and conservative not long after that. why should the torah bend for people who despise it? the land of israel is the land of torah. why should it have to bend for people who reject it. let the reform start their own state.

Judaism is not a democracy; it is an absolute set of Torah-based laws. All Jews already have free will to observe Judaism or not or as they like, just not in a way that precludes others from observing Torah Judaism, but a "free market" could be suicide for Israel. If Israel, like the US already is, ends up with more Jewish citizens affiliated with formally recognized Reform/Liberal/Progressive and Conservative/Mastorti movements/synagogues, it will destroy the Jewish nature of the Jewish state... "anything goes" becomes the norm instead of Torah, and their "Jewish" religious leaders might not even be Jewish according to Torah, given the lax conversion standards of the "liberal" movements. Torah is the essence of Judaism; don't undermine Judaism and the Jewish state by letting apikorsim put mans transient desires above G-d's eternal mitzvot.

A chilld cannot tell the father what to do.

Finally somebody got the mesg! How this clear MSG has eluded us for all these years is shocking. Hopefully the orthodox Jews will accept this proposition. It would behoove them also.

Being decidedly wackier than everyone else does not confer any degree of authority about this to them.

This is long overdue. If all Jews aren't equal under Israeli law, what happens to Jewish unity and support for Israel? I'm a convert to Conservative Judaism. I've studied Hebrew and Torah for years and attend shul.. At times I've had difficulty supporting a country that's supposed to be my homeland yet doesn't accept me and other Jews as equals.

he must need money

Orthodox Judaism is a foss ilized corruption of Biblical Hebrew Religion and bears no moral ressemblance to it as it is a partner to oppressing the Palestinians. Bibiism is treif, Orthodox settlers are treif.

Is that there is almost no connection between it and Israel. They are more than happy to condemn Israel for nonsense alongside the Europeans. It's hard to believe that any religious movement that is so detached from Israel could call itself Judaism as it is one of our nation's central pillars.

A TREE IN THE DESERT. AS A REFORM JEW (a Jew none the less) I say welcome to the real world of majority Jewishness

Time is long overdue that the Reform Judaism should be recognized as an integral part of mainstream Judaism. Stop this endless squabbling !