It's a curious paradox is it not that Ultra-Orthodox punks attacked Jews of other Movements who were observing Tisha B'Av at the "egalitarian space" set aside (far aside) for non-Orthodox worship at the Kotel while Muslim worshippers were physically challenging Israeli police only a few hundr4ed yards away? Or maybe not paradoxical at all?
I remember decades ago when I was in Israel for a meeting (!) and got a call from a Large City Exec asking me to meet with Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, then (and maybe now) the Chief Rabbi of Israel and seek his intervention to put a stop to what were then the continuing assaults on Women of the Wall. It was an ugly time; you know, like now. I had attended a number of shivas in Jerusalem that week for victims of a series of terrorist bus bombings; Rabbi Lau was at most of them as well without regard for the Judaism practiced by the victims. This compassion did no stop Lau from publicly regarding Reform Jews as some form of treif.
I knew I was on a fool's errand. Yet, I also knew that there would be an opportunity to approach Lau -- I had been asked to be the MC at a wonderful event: Chicago's great philanthropist, our friend Manny Steinfeld, z'l, was dedicating a research library at Ammunition Hill in memory of his brother who had died in the memorable battle there. Rabbi Lau would offering his blessing.
The day came and the dedication ceremony was beautiful and meaningful. At its end I reached out to Rabbi Lau and shook his hand, reintroducing myself. Still holding Rabbi Lau's hand, I expressed my purpose with respect. I still remember Lau almost levitating out of my grasp as he said, "this is not my jurisdiction." I replied that I was sure that the Interior Minister "...would listen to the Chief Rabbi." Rabbi Lau finally agreed to an intervention of sorts.
And, today, a quarter-century later, yeshiva bochers set upon Jewish worshipers in violent ways on a site set aside for egaliarian prayer. THIS IS INTOLERABLE. To his great credit, the CEO of the Jewish Federation Metro West Federation, Dov Ben-Shimon, perfectly and publicly expressed his/our outrage. Kal ha'kavod.
Rabbi Lau, where are you?
Rwexler
Posts
3 comments:
This was sent by a Friend of the Blog:
"Paradoxical and yet so surrealistically appropriate. Here we have Tisha B' Av a holiday sadly commemorating destruction of the temple - twice! - in actuality illustrating the dangers of Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred). With all the real and actual dangers facing the Jewish community we still still this senseless expression of the age old internal challenges facing our people. We just can't learn. Strange."
Anon 7:55 is 100% right. We have always been our own worse enemy
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1993 to 2003.
He also served as Chief Rabbi in Netanya and Tel Aviv.
His son David Baruch Lau is the current Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi of Israel
Post a Comment