Tensions in Judaism
Re “A Divisive Argument Is No Builder of Consensus,” Commentary, Feb. 11: Fredelle Spiegel’s analysis of the rejection of modernist branches of Judaism by Israel’s Orthodox authorities focuses on the ideological differences between the organized forms of Judaism that prevail in the U.S. and Israel. Such an analysis is incomplete.
The real difference is that Israeli Judaism is in Israel and American Judaism is in America. The Israeli public and government simply don’t want the rabbis of American Judaism having the power to decide how Israeli law will be applied on many important internal issues such as immigration. For example, for American rabbis to decide “who is a Jew” is for them to decide who automatically gets Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. American Judaism is not being rejected in Israel because it is “pluralistic” or “egalitarian,” but because it is so removed from Israeli political and social pressures.
LARRY SELK
Los Angeles
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* On Feb. 11, there was an article about the external enemies of the Jewish people (“President Speaks Out to Exorcise Dartmouth’s Anti-Semitic Past”) and Spiegel’s commentary about the infighting among Jews. I, for one, would welcome an article about a group that truly likes the Jewish people.
RABBI RICHARD HARKAVY
Temple Beth El, Riverside
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