Interdenominational Pluralism: Open Orthodoxy style

In Orthodoxy Has Chance to Reshape Role, Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky states, "Orthodox rabbis have practically disappeared from interdenominational boards of rabbis. In some communities, the Orthodox Rabbinical Council actually forbids its members from joining interdenominational boards." However, one Orthodox sub-category where interdenominational participation is increasing is Open Orthodoxy - specifically Yeshivat Chovevei Torah graduates and proteges of Rabbi Avi Weiss, founder of the Open Orthodox movement. This is not unexpected as Open Orthodoxy encourages pluralism.

To understand the root hashkafa of Open Orthodox interdenominational pluralism one should read Open orthodoxy! A modern Orthodox rabbi's creed and an article by Rabbi Weiss presented on the Orthodox Union web site, Preaching a Common Message.

Pragmatic reasons why Orthodox participation on pluralistic board of rabbis is problematic:
- Pluralistic board of rabbis address issues and represent values that are antithetical to Orthodoxy.

- In a practical sense, Orthodoxy does not recognize the ordination of non-Orthodox rabbis. Nor does Orthodoxy bestow the title of Rabbi to a woman. So, I will assume that Orthodox participation on a pluralistic board of rabbis is to foster a spirit of Jewish unity with recognized non-Orthodox spiritual leaders. But what if members of the board weren't halachically Jewish?

There may be a time in the near future when much of the non-Orthodox representation on pluralistic board of rabbis is not considered Jewish by Orthodoxy (e.g. via patrilineal descent or non-Orthodox conversion). Currently, intermarriage is rampant. There already may be non-Orthodox rabbis that meet that criteria. If so, membership on a pluralistic board of rabbis epitomizes the acceptance of intermarriage, at least in perception. If an Orthodox rabbi embraces non-Jewish (according to Orthodoxy) rabbis as bona fide fellow members of a board of rabbis, then from an Orthodox perspective it appears that rabbi is trivializing the Orthodox Jewish status criteria to participate in the Jewish community. I believe it's that type of laxed attitude that has contributed to the general scrutiny of Orthodox conversions by the Israeli Rabbinate.

For a halachic discussion why Orthodox rabbis should not participate in religious pluralism, see Einei Haeda.

Related links:
- Religious Movements in Collision: A Jewish Culture War?
- Who is a Jew?
- Conversion to Judaism

Rabbi Darren Kleinberg
- Rabbinic peer group
- Denominational Landscapes

Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky
- Orthodoxy Has Chance to Reshape Role
- Jewish Journal - Letters - Orthodoxy’s Role
- Bnai David - Judea - Rabbi Profile

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld
- Board of Rabbis gets first Orthodox member
- A Rabbi's Unorthodox Revival

Interdenominational pluralism: retreat or embrace?

Click here for original source
The previous picture evokes strong disparate emotions depending on your point of view. If you are a religious feminist, the pictures may evoke emotions of pride - reflecting the religious liberation of women. If you are an Orthodox Jew you may feel something different.

The picture was taken at a Jewish interdenominational conference, Panim's Re-Imagining the American Synagogue rabbinical student retreat.

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah participation
The retreat was attended by three YCT students as discussed by YCT seminary student Drew Kaplan:

There, I, along with two other students from YCT, came together with students from several other rabbinical seminaries.
...
I enjoyed it, as I got to spend time working on trying to create some sort of vision towards my rabbinate and future shul(s), which was good.
-Re-Imagining the Synagogue Rabbinical Student Retreat

Drew Kaplan made it convenient to find pictures of the retreat, as photo gallery links were posted by him. For more Panim photos check out: set one, set two

RCA participation
On Dec. 7, the Rabbinical Council of America published a policy statement condemning the ordination of gays and lesbians, and same-sex "commitment ceremonies" in response to the recent acceptance of those practices by the Conservative movement.

On Dec. 8, the RCA published a Meet the Chaverim profile of RCA rabbi, Rabbi Asher Lopatin, a faculty member at the Panim retreat with other Jewish denominations that permit/accept gay and lesbian ordination, same-sex unions and corresponding sexual behaviors. So, it is possible that there were Reform or Reconstructionist gay and lesbian rabbis at the retreat. In the future, there may be Conservative G&L rabbis at such conferences. I assume that the RCA is aware of Rabbi Lopatin’s participation in the retreat as it published that information in his profile.

Is there an incongruity between RCA policy and practice?

Related links:
- What is [Reform] Judaism's view on homosexuality?

Blog Guest: Response to "Construction begins on Valley's first community mikvah"

"An emerging tradition: Construction begins on Valley's first community mikvah" (Jewish News of Phoenix, 11/17/06) discusses the construction of a community mikvah in Phoenix, AZ. The article states the following about Orthodox involvement in the mikvah:

Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, spiritual leader of KiDMa - The Southwest Community,which is Modern Orthodox, explained that CBI's mikvah "stands for hope and rebirth for the Jewish community." He added that the new mikvah is expected to be built "according to halachic standards" making it "kosher" for all denominations, including those who are Orthodox.

"The fact that this mikvah will be on the campus of a Reform synagogue does not make it a Reform mikvah," he said.

Rabbi Eliyahu Ferrell gave me permission to post a Letter to the Editor he sent to the Jewish News of Phoenix. Rabbi Ferrell states his concerns with Rabbi Kleinberg's involvement in the mikvah.

To the Editor:
In my opinion, any connection of Rabbi Darren Kleinberg to the new mikvah is very dismaying.

It seems to me that, in his house of worship, Talmudic law is abrogated at will. For example, the order of public prayer there does not include recital of the three Talmudic blessings through which a man thanks G-d for having been given the sanctity of a Jew and the responsibilities of Jewish manhood. [An individual man at services is allowed to say these three blessings on his own, though.] Instead, his service contains a made-up blessing. And--as I have documented in a previous Letter to the Editor--Rabbi Kleinberg's articles on the weekly Torah portion are rife with conceptions of G-d alien to Judaism.

In my opinion, he has thereby rendered himself unfit to certify the kosher status of a mikvah. And in my opinion, it is horrible that he will anyway "certify" the mikvah, because it will lead people to think it has an authentic Orthodox imprimatur.

Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell
Instructor of Talmud and Jewish Law
Passaic Torah Institute
Passaic, NJ

Positive Pluralism

There are two types of pluralism of interest to Orthodox Jews: interdenominational (e.g. Reform, Conservative, Orthodox) and interfaith (Christian, Muslim, Jew). An example of interdenominational pluralism is a non/multi-sectarian Jewish Federation. An example of interfaith pluralism is interfaith dialogue with non-Jews. Both of those examples can be positive in the proper context.

Pluralism is one of the first topics I should have written about. However, this topic is already well-documented and well-known, while other issues I have addressed are not. For completeness, I address this topic.

Some expressions of interdenominational and interfaith pluralism are quite controversial. Here are some positive viewpoints and examples of interdenominational and interfaith pluralism (albeit some are controversial):

Jewish interdenominational pluralism
- Pluralism and Jewish Unity - By Rabbi Marc D. Angel
- Pluralism

Interfaith pluralism
First and foremost, Jews must respect non-Jews:
- In The Image Of God
- Respect for others
- We Diminish Ourselves By Denigrating Non-Jews

Practical applications of interfaith pluralism:
- International Fellowship of Christian and Jews
- Noahide Laws
- Sanhedrin Moves to Establish Council For Noahides (note: my point is not whether this sanhedrin is valid or invalid, or this Noahide council is positive or negative, only that the concept of assisting sincere Noahides with Noahide matters is a positive expression of pluralism)
- RCA and OU Join with US Bishops in Calling for Expanded School Choice Options and Support

There are Jewish perspectives that consider faithful Christians to also be Noahides.

Mechitza magic: now you see it, now you don't

This post discusses some of Rabbi Darren Kleinberg's (Yeshivat Chovevei Torah class of 2005) views about mechitza. Foremostly, I wish to stress that his shul (Kidma) DOES have a mechitza. However, I make no assertions as to its usage or kashrus. You can see Kidma's mechitza in action at "YCT Alumnus Brings Open Orthodoxy to the Southwest" (YCT Fall 2006 newsletter, p.7).

Rabbi Kleinberg wrote an op-ed titled "Getting pluralism back on track" (8/11/2006). Here's an excerpt that implies that it's acceptable for a Jew to partake in a co-ed prayer gathering without a mechitza and without other non-negotiable Orthodox considerations:

For Jews from different segments of the community to gain a deeper understanding and therefore a deeper respect for one another, they must engage in a process of exposure to one another's experience as Jews. That includes crossing the thresholds of other denominations' houses of worship, not only for a celebration but also to pray together.

I addressed Rabbi Kleinberg’s assertions in a Letter to the Editor (8/25/2006):

Kleinberg states that we must cross "the thresholds of other denominations' houses of worship, not only for a celebration but also to pray together." However, it is against Halacha for an Orthodox Jew to pray in a synagogue with a woman cantor and without a mechitza (a divider between men and women).

For clarification of the mechitza issue, I had a brief email dialogue with Rabbi Kleinberg on 8/18/2006…

My letter to Rabbi Kleinberg:

In your recent article in Jewish News of Phoenix, you stated that we Jews must cross "...the thresholds of other denominations' houses of worship, not only for a celebration but also to pray together."

However, in an article in Forward magazine (9/20/2002), your mentor Rabbi Avi Weiss was quoted as stating: "Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, as an Orthodox institution, requires that its students daven only in synagogues with mechitzot."

Rabbi Kleinberg's Response:

Rabbi Weiss and I may well have different stands on this issue - although I believe that that statement refers specifically to regular attendance as opposed to what I was referring to.

My Response...
Via email, I said to Rabbi Kleinberg that I fail to see the difference between attending (a non-mechitza prayer service) one time or a hundred times.

Rabbi Kleinberg's Response:

In halacha we do have precedent for the idea that something can be done infrequently but should not become the regular practice. For an interesting example of this, see Rabbi Moshe Feinsteins discussion of "biah shelo c'darka" - i.e. sexual practice that deviates from the missionary position.

The reason I use this example is because it deals with an area of living in which one might expect halacha to be more rigid (compare to Catholics) - and yet R.Moshe is very broad-minded in his responsa.

So too here - the distinction between regular attendance in a non-Orthodox shul for fulfillment of one's personal prayer obligations and a more "now-and-then" attendance for the greater good of the Jewish people (if one sees it as such - of course many will not agree with me on this point either) is an important one.

An unnamed rabbi suggested that I should have titled this post, "Mechitza shelo c'darka". Or, I was thinking maybe a Shakespearean Jewish motif: "To be-ah shelo c'darka" or "Not to be-ah shelo c'darka", that is the question of mechitza.

The $64,000 question...where and how can I learn to make such fascinating Torah connections and insights?

Weeping for Psalms

Rabbi Josh Feigelson (Yeshivat Chovevei Torah class of 2005) reviewed two books on the translation of Tehillim (Psalms) in his article for Zeek Magazine titled “Singing God's Praises: Psalms and Authenticity”. One book was "Psalms in a translation for praying: A work in progress by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the other was "Opening to You: Zen-Inspired Translations of the Psalms" by Norman Fischer.

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi is the primary leader and a significant founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement. From Wikipedia, here's a brief excerpt describing Jewish Renewal:

Jewish Renewal is a new religious movement in Judaism that attempts to reinvigorate what it views as a moribund and uninspiring modern Judaism with mystical, Hasidic, musical and meditative practices drawn from a variety of traditional and untraditional, Jewish and other, sources.
...
In seeking to augment Jewish ritual, some Renewal Jews borrow freely and openly from Buddhism, Sufism, Native American religion, and other faiths; this is termed syncretism. Many Jews outside this movement view religious syncretism as outside the bounds of Judaism.

Norman Fischer is a Jewish-American Soto Zen Buddhist priest. He is what some refer to as a Jubu, a Jewish Buddhist.

Here are quotes from Rabbi Feigelson's article, with my commentary:

Zalman frequently switches God's gender back and forth between male and female, highlighting the limitations of our language and our thinking about sexuality and its ascription to God. Also, more often than not he addresses God in the second person, as You, even when the Hebrew original is in the third person. Take Psalm 77, for instance. The JPS opens, "I cry aloud to God; I cry to God that He may give ear to me." Who is being addressed here? The reader, who is told that the Psalmist is crying out to God, and is perhaps invited to participate, or comforted in knowing that someone else also wants to cry out to God. But Zalman dispenses with the middleman: "I raise my voice to cry out to You, God. I raised my voice and You gave ear to me." This is good stuff, helpful stuff-it brings the davenner, the person doing the praying, to a much more personalized encounter with God through the text. It is certainly a more comfortable translation for our non-traditional Jew than a traditional translation.

Response: Rabbi Feigelson states that in Schachter-Shalomi’s translation of Tehillim he “…switches God's gender back and forth between male and female” and “…addresses God in the second person, as You, even when the Hebrew original is in the third person.” Concerning this approach, Rabbi Feigelson states that “This is good stuff, helpful stuff…” Should an Orthodox rabbi critique Schachter-Shalomi’s approach with these affirmations...or maybe condemnations instead?

Fischer addresses God as "you," not "You." The style is comfortable and intimate, almost conversational, but still at enough of a remove to feel set-apart and holy.

Response: From a lashon hakodesh (Hebrew) perspective, addressing God as “you" or "You” in English seems to be a silly semantic point. However, it is not silly when an Orthodox rabbi discusses and affirms this convention in a context that is completely misaligned with Orthodoxy.

A better translation [of Psalms] from a language standpoint, however, is Norman Fischer's Opening to You: Zen-Inspired Translations of the Psalms. Fischer is a poet, as well as a Zen abbot, and he acknowledges in his excellent introductory essay that his is not a translation directly from the Hebrew: "Since I am a poet and a religious practitioner, and not a Hebraist, my work with the Psalms rests largely on the work of translators. In that sense they are 'versions' rather than translations, perhaps as much original English-language poems as faithful replicas of the Hebrew text."
…
He [Fischer] is not quite translating Psalms, as he admits-so is this Psalms at all? Does it matter? If it doesn't, what's the point of this project?

Fischer answers this question in his introduction, with a sharp insight: "Buddhism begins with suffering and the end of suffering." In contrast, "the Psalms make it clear that suffering is not to be escaped or bypassed… I would go so far as to say that for Western Buddhist practitioners, a sensitive and informed appreciation of the problematic themes included and so powerfully expressed in the Psalms is probably a necessity." (pp. xvi-xvii) Fischer is starting from Buddhism and using the Psalms to inform his Buddhist practice, and thus he has less at stake in the question of the authenticity of his translation. His work feels more comfortable in its own skin than Zalman's as a consequence.

Response: To a certain degree, Rabbi Josh Feigelson legitimizes Norman Fischer's book by reviewing it analytically instead of critically, and sometimes affirmatively. Why would an Orthodox rabbi bestow credibility onto a religious book written from a "Jewish Buddhist perspective", to be used by Buddhists? Why would an Orthodox Rabbi review this book at all?

An authentic translation, like any authentic and true human expression, cannot take place on the page. It can only-maybe-happen inside the mind and soul of a human being relating to the Other: God, human, or text.

Response: An authentic translation of Jewish holy writings begins with an accurate written lexical translation. An accurate translation can certainly convey emotion and elicit spirituality without compromising the content and context of the original text. Mistranslations may result in serious halachic ramifications. Rabbi Feigelson’s statement that an authentic translation “can only-maybe-happen inside the mind and soul of a human being relating to the Other...” epitomizes relativism.

Here is a partial list of related articles listed at the end of Rabbi Feigelson's article:
- Hasidism and Homoeroticism Jay Michaelson July, 2004
- How I Finally Learned to Accept Christ in my Heart Jay Michaelson June, 2000

To say the least, Zeek Magazine is an interesting choice of publication for an Orthodox rabbi to be published in...

Here are some quotes from the Zeek "About" page:

We welcome the heretical, honor the sincere, and are generally bored by in-jokes, apologetics, and irony.
...
We find the smugness of the cynic and the soft-mindedness of the believer equally repellent to truth. 'Secular' and 'religious' are idols of identity, which we wish to efface.
...
We are committed to building a new form of Jewish community and identity, one which is serious, playful, pluralistic, committed, inclusive, and cosmopolitan. We are interested in wherever the new Jewish cultures lead.
...
We are suspicious of any truths that claim to be universal...and any ideologies which reduce the complex to the simple.

Here is a sampling of articles published by Zeek Magazine:
- Star Wars, George Bush, Judaism, and the Penis
- God on Ecstasy
- Wrestling with Esther: Purim Spiels, Gender, and Political Dissidence
- How can you be gay and Jewish?
- Am I "Religious"?

Rabbi Feigelson's rabbinical alma matar, YCT, certainly respects his religious insights, as they have recently published a dvar Torah of his, "The Spirit of Song" (9/30/2006).

Relevant links:
- Josh Feigelson Northwestern Hillel Campus Rabbi
- The Feigelsonian Theory of Smurfian Communism in the Post-War Era

From Rabbi Josh Feigelson's Blog:
- Aaron's is Treif
- Slavery and Kashrut
- How to read the Bible

Now playing in synagogue theaters: Shonda, Shonda, Shonda

In September 2006, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah graduate Rabbi Darren Kleinberg organized a screening of "Sentenced to Marriage" in conjunction with his shul Kidma and the Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. Here's a description of the film:

...this shocking documentary exposes the Kafkaesque process of divorce for women in Israel where secular law does not exist, and divorce is dealt with according to archaic and fundamentalist orthodox Jewish law. Filmmaker Anat Zuria, maker of the award-winning Purity, gained rare access to the rabbinical courts to follow two women caught in the demoralizing legal labyrinth. Though husbands can live with other women and even withhold child support, wives are forbidden contact with other men. In some cases, these very modern, independent and well-educated women are forced to buy a divorce from their husbands for huge sums. As a result, thousands of Jewish women have lived in limbo indefinitely, both in Israel and in other communities around the world.

This is not the first time that a controversial video has been shown by a protege of Rabbi Avi Weiss. Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky and Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld organized screenings of "Trembling before G-d", a film that deals with Orthodox Judaism and homosexuality. Rabbi Herzfeld, assistant rabbi of HIR at the time, screened "Trembling before G-d" for the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in the Bronx. Rabbi Kanefsky screened the film for his synagogue.

Rabbi Kleinberg appears to have taken a different approach, screening "Sentenced to Marriage" in a pluralistic manner (see Reform Temple Chai Newsletter page 15). Kidma not only partnered with a "secular" film festival, but the film was shown at a Conservative synagogue. Afterwards there was a discussion panel of three rabbis that included Rabbi Kleinberg (Orthodox), and a Conservative and Reform (woman) rabbi.

The Orthodox agunah issue is a serious one that must be addressed. That said, whose issue is it? Why would an Orthodox rabbi spearhead the screening of a film (that portrays Orthodoxy negatively) with those whom the issue is not pertinent to? Conservative Judaism has its own way of dealing with their agunah issue. Reform Judaism does not adhere to the Orthodox or Conservative concepts of agunah. Regardless, "Sentenced to Marriage" deals with the Orthodox agunah issue.

Should Orthodox Jews proactively engage Conservative and Reform Jews (who may have been completely oblivious what an agunah is) about sensitive, Orthodox-specific issues such as agunah? Should an Orthodox rabbi seek opportunities to coordinate events with and at non-Orthodox places of worship to promote hotbutton Orthodox issues that are irrelevant to the non-Orthodox?

Some might say that we should do everything possible to promote understanding between the different sects of Judaism. However, profound culturally contextual issues such as agunah can only generate an unwarranted negative perception of Orthodoxy when addressed within the confines of a 1-2 hour film and discussion. Why not embrace issues that accentuate Orthodox similarities with the non-Orthodox instead of spotlighting culture-shock issues that radicalize our differences?

I reliably heard that Rabbi Kleinberg contacted other local Orthodox congregations to participate with this video presentation. They declined. I can't imagine why they said no...

Relevant links:
- Temple Chai Newsletter page 15
- "Till Death Do Us Part..."
- The Rabbis Respond contains interesting comments by Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld about "Trembling before G-d" (for a commenter: you shouldn't assume that my intention is controversy or condemnation merely because I list a link. I am merely providing relevant information of interest.)
- "Trembling before G-d" Aish.com review

Woman rabbi receives ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah...

...that is what the newspaper headlines may be in the future. There is interesting circumstantial evidence that this is the direction that YCT may eventually go in.

The Past: Let's start at the top of the slope...
The 1998 cover story from Religion & Ethics, "Women Rabbis" (Episode no. 124. 2/13/1998) featured the first Orthodox woman "Congregational Intern" at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, instituted by Rabbi Avi Weiss (rabbi of HIR and founder and dean of YCT).

MARY ALICE WILLIAMS: What you are looking at is a revolution, an innovation in Orthodox Judaism, and it's embodied in this 24-year-old. Sharona Margolin Halickman has broken through a gender barrier unbreached for 5,000 years. She is one of the first women to serve in a professional role like this in a Orthodox synagogue. Her title is Congregational Intern. She is not a rabbi, but she's darn close.
...
Rabbi MOSHE FASKOWITZ (National Council of Young Israel): What we've always learned is that it starts very innocently, very quietly and eventually -- there's an agenda here, and eventually what will happen is this internship will grow into a different kind of position, and it will be a different job definition, and it will include those areas in which women are absolutely prohibited.

Rabbi Avi WEISS: I respectfully disagree. I think that this enhances spirituality and brings more women into our fold. But look, when you do something that's different, it's bound to create controversy.
...
Ms. HALICKMAN: If we use the term "rabbi," you know, for something similar to what I'm doing, it would really exclude most of the Orthodox community, and it wouldn't become accepted, and we want to keep it accepted within the Orthodox community.

The Present: What's good for the faculty is good for the students
Rabbi B. Elka Abrahamson was listed as a member of the YCT adjunct faculty. She received ordination from Hebrew Union College, a Reform seminary. Rabbi Naomi Kalish, a Conservative woman rabbi, has also been listed as a member of the YCT adjunct faculty. All YCT instructors teach seminary-related classes. YCT is a rabbinical seminary, not a 4-year university.

By listing the title "Rabbi" before a man's or woman's name, YCT is certainly acknowledging that anyone with that title is recognized as a rabbi. I see no YCT distinction in the rabbinical title of their women rabbi faculty from that of Rabbi Avi Weiss (Dean) or Rabbi Dov Linzer (Rosh Yeshiva).

Based on their Reform and Conservative women rabbi faculty precedents, YCT may eventually hire an Orthodox woman rabbi. Recently, a woman received Orthodox rabbinical ordination (it was not from YCT, and it was noted that it was not exactly the same as for men). More Orthodox woman rabbis may follow.

If women rabbis are good enough to teach YCT male seminary students, then why shouldn’t YCT also ordain those same women? At a private religious seminary, doesn’t the student body typically reflect the faculty?

Anything you can do, I can do better
Ms. Dina Najman, an Orthodox woman, was appointed spiritual leader of an Orthodox-oriented congregation.

Concerning Ms. Najman’s appointment, Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh Yeshiva of Chovevei Torah, stated “She can do a better job than a large number of rabbis just coming out of rabbinical school.”

I will assume that Rabbi Linzer is referring to male orthodox rabbis ”just coming out of rabbinical school”. So, doesn’t his comment imply a rhetorical follow-up question…”Why not make her a rabbi?”

Rabbi Linzer’s comment can also be perceived as a backhanded compliment that Ms. Najman may better qualified than many men, but because she is an Orthodox woman she can never obtain the status/title of Orthodox rabbi.

Why even compare Ms. Najman to male rabbis? Why not compare her to learned men and women - focusing on her abilities instead of titles? Or better yet, why compare at all?

The Future...
Will YCT or a YCT sister school eventually ordain women rabbis? Only time will tell…

Side point: In the Hebrew language, the title "rabbi" may not be grammatically correct for a woman, however "rabbi" is unisex in the English vernacular. See On the Grammatical Question of Women Rabbis by YCT student, Drew Kaplan