Editor – Joel Katz
Rabbis have always been a contentious group of people and
that has not changed nor is it likely to in the near future.
Instead of providing more opportunities for rabbis to bicker
by maintaining a large, state-funded Chief Rabbinate, we should think of ways
of limiting to a minimum the functions of the Chief Rabbinate.
Perhaps we should even think seriously about doing away
altogether with the post of chief rabbi. Judaism would be better off for it.
By Akiva Novick
Closing the Chief Rabbinate of Israel is not the solution to the rampant corruption in the
institution. The solution is to elect a worthy, honest and more pleasant leadership for the institution.
The
national-religious organization Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah has for some time
been promoting a communal model for religious services in the country that
would radically overhaul the current system.
Instead,
it would put control of religious life to a much greater extend in the hands of
congregations and communities and wrest it from the centralized government
authorities, the Religious Services Ministry and the Chief Rabbinate.
As the
political battles over control of established religion in Israel become ever
sharper and more vicious, it may become even harder to prevent the ongoing
decline in legitimacy of the Chief Rabbinate.
Chief Rabbi Metzger bribery
case
Chief Rabbi Metzger molestation case
Editor – Joel Katz
Religion
and State in Israel is not affiliated
with any organization or movement.
