First They Came For The Reform…
The Jewish Week is distressed to report that Israel’s guardians of the faith are now refusing to accept conversions performed by several members of the Rabbinical Council of America, which is part of the Orthodox Union, the largest Orthodox group in the world. The article reports that since 2003, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel has accepted conversions from a list of fewer than 50 approved rabbis. Since the list includes rabbis who have passed away, the implication is that the Chief Rabbinate prefers conversions by deceased rabbis to certain American Orthodox rabbis. Now that’s just harsh.
Rabbi Seth Farber, the director of ITIM, an organization in Israel that helps potential converts navigate the bureaucracy of the Chief Rabbinate, said that body “is marginalizing the American Modern Orthodox rabbinate.
“By not recognizing the legitimacy of conversions approved by the Beth Din of America, they’re intimating that the Beth Din of America has no legitimacy whatsoever,” Rabbi Farber continued. “It’s a slap in the face to American converts and American Orthodox rabbis.”
That sounds familiar.
Such a shondah that Orthodox Jews should now have to experience the religious exclusion, lack of legitimacy and general contempt faced by the majority of Diaspora Jews when they wish to practice Judaism in Israel.
Full story.
Reform Jews don’t face exclusion. Reform clergy and converts do. It’s different.
Very different.
Reform converts are Reform Jews. Ergo, Reform Jews face exclusion.
“Reform converts are Reform Jews.”
Don’t be silly! If you put kittens in the oven, that doesn’t make them biscuits.
Funny you should mention ovens, considering they’d be dying right along with your Heeb ass in Auschwitz.
Glad we’re looking out for one another.
And kitten biscuits are actually quite delicious.
I’m sorry, but since when did Jews decide that Nazis should determine who is Jewish and who is not? Does that mean that before the Nazis existed, we didn’t have a definition of Jews? This has got to be the worst example of Jews defining themselves by the holocaust.
I agree with the kittens/oven thing in principle, but it’s probably an unhelpful way to frame the debate.
An over reference was perhaps not the best choice of frames. I heard it in Maine as a kid; it had no Holocaust reference to it, so I never thought of it as such.
PSL,
I you want to define Who Is a Jew according to Nazi defition, that is your choice, but I prefer normative traditional Jewish definitions, thank you.
But here’s a little nuance for you. I think who is part of a Jewish community and Who is a Convert are two different things. Someone may have a very strong attachment, for a variety of reasons, and be part of a Jewish family as well even if not Jewish temselves. I am not doubting that, nor am I minimizing that.
But it does not change the definition for me on Who is a Jew.
Yes it’s the exact same thing. The orthodox went their own way from the overwhelming majority of Jews who for thouasands of years were reform. They should live with that choice.
The last strawn was when the orthodox,against thouasands of years of tradition, decided the prayers at the western wall should be done with men and women separate.
Damn orthodox and their innovations!
DT, in a way the State of Israel decided “that Nazis should determine who is Jewish and who is not” when they created the “right of return” for all people with one Jewish grandparent, which was the Nazi criteria. It’s not “who’s a Jew,” it’s “who’s an Israeli citizen,” but certainly close.
DK, you’re entitled to define Who is a Jew however you want, but I know a lot of Reform rabbis and they are all very sincere and OBSERVANT Jews who are not rubber-stamping people into the tribe. I understand where you’re coming from, but to me it’s simply a double standard that a non-practicing, non-identifying, born-Jew gets a free pass but a sincere Reform convert who raises Jewish children and practices more Jewish rituals than 50% of born-Jews is not considered Jewish by you.
Orthodox conversion was not handed down from Sinai, it was made up centuries later and it’s time to revisit and overthrow it. Tribalism is not how we are going to be a light unto the nations in the 21st Century.
PSL,
You asked,
“I understand where you’re coming from, but to me it’s simply a double standard that a non-practicing, non-identifying, born-Jew gets a free pass but a sincere Reform convert who raises Jewish children and practices more Jewish rituals than 50% of born-Jews is not considered Jewish by you.”
There are frequently stronger requirements for new members of all sorts of clubs than there are for existing members. I don’t really understand the question. You can’t expect a group to eliminate all standards for entry to the lowest point of any existing member, or all quality goes to shit. A grandfather clause is used in all sorts of ways by all sorts of groups in order to increase regulation and standards for new members. Tribalism should hardly be the exception.
Reform converts are held to higher standards than Reform Jews, so they’re doing exactly as you say. What’s the problem?
hey, yeah, we have enough Jews actively engaged with jewish life — we don’t need no Reform converts overfilling our already overfull synagogues and educational institutions!
the jewish community is healthy, vibrant, strong, sustainable, and unified around one central idea of what a Jew is and what Judaism is — we don’t need all these random outsiders and their baked kittens around messing up our already perfect system. they go out of their way to become jewish? come on. we’re already overpopulated as it is and it looks like we’re headed for a big upsurge in both population and commitment. lock those gates, and fast.
PSL,
Because like most Jews in Israel, I don’t hold by the Reform Movement. It failed. Not just by my own intolerant standards, but by its own. Berlin did not prove to be our Jerusalem. They failed utterly in their desire to extricate nationalism from Judaism.
Therefore they have no credit to redefine what constitutes a new member of the Jewish nation.
“Tribalism is not how we are going to be a light unto the nations in the 21st Century. ”
———————
No, as I understand it that title only applies when you observe the commandments of the Torah. All of it.
So how is that coming along?
If the Orthodox rabbis were interested in community, then they would have an expansive view on conversion – any legitimate conversion, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, whatever, would be accepted. But they aren’t. And like the animals on Animal Farm, first its Jews, then it’s just Jews who are like us, and now the circle is a bit smaller.
By me, such decisions are unkosher, but I’m not a member of the Israeli Orthodox rabbinate.
Israel is one of a very small number of countries that has built in discrimination against Jews, on a religious basis.
As a Reform Jew growing up in Israel, I was forbidden to marry, divorce, or be buried in a Jewish cemetary. This loss of civil rights is most comparable to the plight of Gays and Lesbians in this country, except that here, getting a CU is much easier than getting married is in Israel.
Over time, I hope to see a growing divergence between the theocratic, sectarian and exclusionary Judaism of the state sanctioned orthodox in Israel, and the modern, liberal, vibrant streams based in the US. Given the history of state sponsored and funded religions, I’ve no doubt which one will thrive and make our people proud.
Proud Self Loather said, “I know a lot of Reform rabbis and they are all very sincere and OBSERVANT Jews”
Well, I haven’t met all Reform rabbis, but my Reform rabbi who I grew up with taught us more about Christianity and other religions than about Judaism. And I happen to know that, according to my Aunt who lives in Ohio, her Reform rabbi who hosted an interfaith Passover seder had no qualms about changing the wording of the Haggadah to talk about the “second coming of the messiah” in order not to offend the Christian attendees.
These and other experiences I’ve had with Reform clergy make me wonder… And then when people talk about “Reform conversion,” it makes me think that Reform is some religion all its own.
Remember when the “Who Is A Jew” thing raged hotly in the 1990s? Seeemed to quiet down a bit when the Second Intifada hit. I think the two were spiritually linked. Baseless hatred and all.
I’ve considered the problem and graciously decided to help. I hereby proclaim a new, fifth denomination – “J” Judaism. Under “J” Judaism, adherents will be free to do anything at all that they wish, and need not be born Jewish (although a donation to the founder of “J” Judaism would be appreciated). There will be no halacha, no text and no mandatory belief of any kind. And since consent (or even notification) of members will not be required, I have just drafted all of the world’s Christians into “J” Judaism. Hey, they’re monotheists (sort of), and they think very highly of at least one famous Jew. Our problems are solved. We now have over a billion Jews. And if that’s not enough, tomorrow I’ll draft all the Muslims, too.
Not only does the “J” rabbinate refuse to turn anyone away, there’s never even a reason to ask. You’re all already Jewish. Now please petition the Israeli electorate to replace those Orthodox hardcases with the only form of Judaism that doesn’t discriminate. (And did I mention the donation thing?)
G-d Squad,
I don’t think you can generalize all of Reform Judaism based on those experiences any more than I can generalize Orthodox Judaism based on messianic Chabadniks, Katrina-Is-God’s-Will sages or mass murdering Baruch Goldsteins.
ps: by “messianic Chabadniks” I meant those who are awaiting the imminent return of their rebbe, not those who generally anticipate the arrival of Mashiach. But you knew that.
“By not recognizing the legitimacy of conversions approved by the Beth Din of America, they’re intimating that the Beth Din of America has no legitimacy whatsoever,†Rabbi Farber continued. “It’s a slap in the face to American converts and American Orthodox rabbis.â€
Rabbi Farber needs to realize that it’s not up to him and his fellow American Orthodox “rabbis” to redefine Judaism any way they want. For millennia, there was a single definition of halacha and a single definition of “who is a Jew”, before these American Orthodox Jews decided that anything goes. They can do whatever they want in Riverdale and Teaneck, but they have no right to call it “Judaism”, or to expect Israelis to accept their American religion. In any case, it doesn’t matter how many faux “conversions” these American Modern Orthodox clergy carry out to inflate their numbers, because the charedim are still having more children, which proves that they’re right.
PSL: “I know a lot of Reform rabbis and they are all very sincere and OBSERVANT Jews”
I don’t doubt the sincerity, but given that the reform movement was based on rejecting most mitzvot, halachot and ritual, what do said rabbi’s observe exactly?
laya, I was thinking the exact same thing. I remember once, when I was spending a summer at a Reform leadership camp, one of the rabbis there was expressing his distaste of the “Orthodox monopoly on kosher certification.” He said the Orthodox have no right to think they’re the only ones who can say what is kosher and what isn’t… reminds me a little of the debate at hand.
Who exactly would go out of their way to eat food with a Reform heksher? Who would accept it? Why could it be trusted?
And EV, well, I don’t think I was generalizing, I said it all makes me wonder… which it does.
Reform Heksher? isn’t that a bit of an oxy-moron? From the beginning the reform movement outright rejected rejected Kosher laws. Even though the movement backpedaled on other positions like in 1999’s so called “New Pittsburgh Platform” kosher laws remain, to the best of my knowledge, null and void in reform Judaism’s stated theology.
there’s so much ignorance about contemporary Reform Judaism in these comments — really amazingly ignorant, for people who care so much about jewish life (although, apparently, only halakhic Jewish life)
there’s a real difference between Reform Judaism as a movement, with principles, platforms, a couple of rabbinical seminaries, and (these days) lots of rabbis wearing kippot and eating kosher food, and Reform Jews in general. same with Conservative Jews — a phenomenon i would surmise that people here would be more familiar with. same with Orthodox Jews, for that matter. and the most observant of all of them, to get back to the original point, tend to be the converts.
but i definitely agree that it’s a crying shame that all of these American Orthodox rabbis are running around criticizing the rabbanut, which is so beloved by Israelis. these silly American Orthodox rabbis should really butt out, right? (such a quaint notion, that they should have anything to say about Jewish life in the Jewish state) — and while they’re at it, they and the rest of the American Jewish community can also butt out of all the other israeli stuff they’re always meddling in, like sending millions of dollars over to israel every year to try to ameliorate israel’s unfathomably widespread social and economic ills — oh, and also to not a few organizations here and there who are picking up the pieces of the lives destroyed by the rabbanut’s inplacable stringency on matters of marriage, divorce, conversion, etc. etc. ad nauseum
The article is not “Reform vs. Orthodox.”
It is “Israeli Rabbinate vs. Orthodox Union.”
Does anybody have anything to say on the substantive question of whether the Israeli Rabbinate is justified in not trusting/recognizing the RCA and the Orthodox Union?
Dateline 2010, maybe sooner. Orthodox communities officially declare Reform Judaism a “religion distinct and separate from our own”. Why? “We simply have no way of knowing which of the people who follow that religion are actually Jews”.
Rather than bicker about whose theology is better, can’t we grab the bull by the horns and prevent this headline from ever becoming reality? The conservatives here– can you attempt a practical solution at this that does not include millions of people having a sudden affection for and devotion to halacha? The progressives– can you think of a way the Reform movement can remain part of the halachically Jewish “tribe” without necessarily coomprimising your core theology?
The Reform movement’s acceptance of patrilineal descent and their methods of conversion will ultimately lead to an intractable rift unless people on both sides can develop a REAL solution and not just spew dogma at one another. I only wish I had the bright idea that would save the day.
This discussion is exactly the problem I have with many people that follow halachah. As a Halachically observant Jew I notice that a lot of orthodox spend all their time worrying about following halachah, and in my opinion, rightfully so. What they forget, is to just be nice to other people. That’s a lesson any jew can take from the Reform movement… acceptance. Yes, it’s ok that they carry on Shabbos, to accept it doesn’t mean that you have to do it too. The real authority is G-d after all. You may disagree with me, but frankly you’re wrong. There is nothing bad about letting people live their own life. A better approach for us observant jews to take, is to explain to them why we follow halachah, and what they could get out of it. Through that approach we will have more success building bridges between the communities, and everyone will be better off.
“I have always a high regard for the individual who is honest and moral, even when I am not in agreement with him. Such a relation is in accord with the concept of kavod habriyot, for beloved is man for he is created in the image of God.” —Rav Joseph Soloveitchik
Erev Tov
The Reform movement’s acceptance of patrilineal descent and their methods of conversion will ultimately lead to an intractable rift
This is a red herring. The patrilineal descent policy (all things being equal) has zero adverse effect on Jewish unity. See this post for explanation.
BZ– I did mean equilineal. thanks.
Interesting post, but misses the point in my humble opinion. The practical effect is not on whether or not individual reform converts at some point choose to become members of the orthodox community. Of course that’s available to them as individuals.
It’s a question of– are we one people. In your post, you already seem to acknowledge that, de facto, we are not.
Good point Ronen. Really BZ – I expect more from a Harvard grad.
Hmm…
Look, there are 613 mitzvot.
No one is even trying to follow all of them.
(To illustrate, how about Deut. 22:28-29? Find me an Orthodox Jew whose daughter was raped, and see if he made sure she and her rapist were married, so that this mitzvah was properly observed.)
And then there’s the temple-related mitzvot dealing with Levites, kohanim, and sacrifices, which we’re only excused from because the Rabbis said so…
So whether you rely on sages, tradition, common sense, or personal conviction, everybody has a filter for the Law.
It’s not really the Reform movement that creates the schism…it’s the reaction to their filter — the decision that it’s invalid. Look even withing one Orthodox congregation, and tell me you don’t see disagreements on points of practice. I don’t think it should be that hard…try the question of whether you’re supposed to wear tefillin on Chol HaMoed, for instance.
So, my apologies if I have more faith in the mind that God has given me and the world He’s shown me than in the reported wisdom of others alone.
Noach- Well, that’s all very good and well. I guess your point was that every Jew can’t fulfill every mitzvah, so there’s no point in criticizing a movement that calls itself Jewish and discourages active observance of all the mitzvahs that can be observed.
Haven’t there been other “reformist” movements like that in Jewish history? What about the assimilationist Jews in Egypt, the Sadducees and the Hellenistic Jews during the Second Temple, the Samaritans, and the Karaites? What is their legacy? We don’t hear too much from them anymore.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, there wouldn’t even be any modern Reform movement if it wasn’t for classical rabbinic Judaism. As the decades go by, we’ll see whose grandchildren still identify positively as Jews.
Haven’t there been other “reformist†movements like that in Jewish history? What about the assimilationist Jews in Egypt, the Sadducees and the Hellenistic Jews during the Second Temple, the Samaritans, and the Karaites? What is their legacy? We don’t hear too much from them anymore.
If you asked the Karaites, we’re all assimilationist reformists!
Ronen writes:
It’s a question of– are we one people. In your post, you already seem to acknowledge that, de facto, we are not.
This is in fact precisely my point. In that post, I show that the extent to which we are or are not one people would be no different whether the Reform movement had passed this resolution or whether it had not. Assuming no change in the Orthodox position (and it’s not my place to say whether the Orthodox position should change), there is no possible remedy that the Reform movement can take, short of renouncing Reform practice or refusing all converts. So it’s inaccurate to use “patrilineal descent” as the punching bag that it has become.
Likewise, if both of these facts were simultaneously true:
1) The CCAR passes a resolution wishing Rabbi Eric Yoffie a happy birthday
2) Reform and Orthodox Jews disagree on “who is a Jew”
it would be inaccurate to claim “The Reform movement’s unilateral decision to wish Rabbi Yoffie a happy birthday has created an intractable rift in the Jewish people.”
CK writes:
Really BZ – I expect more from a Harvard grad.
See below.
“I may attack a certain point of view which I consider false, but I will never attack a person who preaches it.”
I guess what I’m trying to say is, there wouldn’t even be any modern Reform movement if it wasn’t for classical rabbinic Judaism.
And there wouldn’t be any rabbinic Judaism if it weren’t for biblical Judaism, and there wouldn’t be any biblical Judaism if it weren’t for (l’havdil!) Canaanite polytheism. The Reform movement isn’t denying its roots, it’s just taking a position different from yours about when evolution is appropriate.
As the decades go by, we’ll see whose grandchildren still identify positively as Jews.
If numbers are the measure of who is right, then we should all stop wasting our time and become Christian or Muslim.
BZ– basically reform conversion will remain a problem, yes, and even if the reform movement reverted to traditional matrilineal descent designation, the fact that their conversions are problematic have the same net consequence as equilineal descent (because somewhere around half the converts– the ladies– would STILL produce children that would be considered nonJews by orthos). Which is just another way of saying that the combination of these two situations is leading to an intractable rift. So both our points stand, I think.
But BZ, this is all fine in America where everyone does their own thing. It really does pose problems for Israel though, a state that needs to be able to define Jewishness for all kinds of legal reaasons. Does Israel have to play by the Reform movement’s (new) rules? If so, why? At a certain point will it be Israel who says “members of the American Reform movement can no longer be given the full rights and benefits as other Jewish olim”?
BZ wrote: If numbers are the measure of who is right, then we should all stop wasting our time and become Christian or Muslim.
Well no, becoming Muslim would never do. May as well stay Jewish. But that Christian thing, now that might have some merit. Let’s do it in increments though. First we’ll remove all references to Zion from our liturgy. Then we’ll dress our Rabbis and Cantors like Ministers. Then we’ll allow men and women to sit together (like in Church), we’ll serenade our parishioners with organs and choirs (like in Church), we’ll dispense with dietary restrictions (just like Christians) and the rules of Sabbath observance. After all that we’ll let nature take its course and within a few generations, most of us will in fact be Christians!
Ronen:
Do you propose a solution? What could the Reform movement be doing differently that would change this situation, short of shutting down operations?
It’s not just that some quality of Reform (or Conservative) conversions makes them “problematic”; it’s that the Orthodox rabbinate will under no circumstances accept *any* conversion performed by a non-Orthodox rabbi, or *any* conversion of someone who intends to live as a non-Orthodox Jew.
CK:
Fun! Next we’ll fight for the public celebration of Christmas, then we’ll declare that our leaders’ ex cathedra pronouncements are infallible, and finally we’ll pray for the second coming of our deceased messiah.
I have enjoyed this blog for several months, but I find some of the coments on non-O Jews here to be bordering on hate speech. It reminds me of a Jewish magazine I was looking at several years ago; I was thinking of subscribing, but when it featured an argument about whether or not it was OK to avoid saving a Gentile from drowning, I never looked at it again. I just don’t understand this at all; it’s appalling.
BZ and EV,
Truth be told, I don’t blame either of you for your Schadenfreude. If I were a religious progressive like both of you, I would feel the same way.
From where I am sitting, this is quite demoralizing. What I consider normative Judaism is taking a tremendous hit from both the Left and the Right.
I am miserable now.
But don’t be so smug. The Germans (Reform and Conservative) and the Muslims (Frummies) have made some impressive gains this week, but this kulterkampf is far from over.
nope, no solutions BZ. I honestly think it’s a pickle.
On one hand I think the orthodox community and rabbinate really needs to consider a practical way to address the problem– because just telling people “no no no no no” isn’t having much positive impact. They have to make a decision on priorities– based on the assumption that many Jews will never agree to live according to halacha, is it better to cut them off or is it better to keep them in? Maybe the answer is the former, which would be a bummer, but at least it would be an answer. In that case, we’re back to kittens and biscuits, but really the oven is going to get taken to the curb. I’d much prefer, though, that the orthodox Jews find a way to promote achdut as the chief priority in these matters.
On the other hand, I think CK makes an interesting point. My experience with the reform community has been that there is a core of deeply motivated and devoted people who serve congregations full of members who, largely, don’t really care much about Judaism or participating in Jewish life (but many of whom are definitely looking forward to a great bar mitzvah party). While the reform movement likes to claim that they are the victims of discrimination at the hands of the rabbinate/Israel, they are de facto discriminating against many Jews– for instance, if an ortho Jew wants to at least come to the luncheon for, say, his reform nephew’s bar mitzvah (after attending his own shul), he still couldn’t, because the reform synagogue will not keep a kosher kitchen and will have a DJ playing music in the social hall on Shabbat afternoon. So while Reform Jews feel that they’re theology isn’t accepted in ortho communities, they themselves will be accepted in those synagogues (at least for now, if they are nonconverts and the products of Jewish moms). An orthodox Jew, whose theology is also not accepted by the reform community, is de facto excluded from participating in a wide range of activities which could present an opportunity for communal bonding. The reform movement needs to stop playing victim all the time and start owning up to the fact that they have a share of the responsibility for this rift. Again, make achdut the priority, not acquiescing to an otherwise apathetic membership.
Maybe the only fair legal approach, from Israel’s POV, is to extend citizenship rights to anyone who considers themselves Jewish (as sanctioned by a major denomination), while allowing the orthodox rabbinate to make the final call on who may marry, where people are to be buried, etc. To that end, they would have to legalize civil marriages and sanction alternative cemetaries too. It would be kind of depressing though, to create an official distinction between the Jewish nation and the Jewish people (if you follow me). Sorry for rambling…
DK–While I understand your feelings on the subject, doesn’t this thread illustrate precisely what’s wrong with taking a “my way or the highway” position?
Us liberal Jews have been dealing with this stuff since the mid-19th century. It’s not about schadenfreude. It’s about hope. The hope that maybe receiving the same level of condescension and/or dismissal that we’re already quite familiar with will bring Orthodox Jews to a better understanding of us. Maybe then it’ll be easier for us all to get along.
Whoa, Ronen–you say Reform synagogues discriminate against Orthodox jews by failing to strictly observe halakha? What’s next? The US government is antisemitic because it doesn’t prevent pork from falling into Jewish hands?
DK,
I am not a “religious progressive.” Progressive, yes, but I’m antinomian and borderline atheist when it comes to religion. I just despise absolutist creeds, and within Judaism we get that mostly from the self-appointed “guardians,” yourself included, beyotch!! And I say “beyotch” with love.
I agree with Noach re. it’s not about Schadenfreude. I’m not smug about all this — it just gets worse and worse. That’s nothing to be smug about.
It would be kind of depressing though, to create an official distinction between the Jewish nation and the Jewish people (if you follow me).
Why? We already have this distinction. I’m a member of the Jewish people and I’m not a citizen of Israel, and millions of other Jews are in the same situation.
Ronen writes:
While the reform movement likes to claim that they are the victims of discrimination at the hands of the rabbinate/Israel, they are de facto discriminating against many Jews– for instance, if an ortho Jew wants to at least come to the luncheon for, say, his reform nephew’s bar mitzvah (after attending his own shul), he still couldn’t, because the reform synagogue will not keep a kosher kitchen and will have a DJ playing music in the social hall on Shabbat afternoon.
Likewise, if a Reform Jew wants to attend his Orthodox nephew’s bar mitzvah, he also “couldn’t”, because the service is not egalitarian. Or he could decide to suspend his principles for the occasion and attend anyway. The Orthodox Jew also has a choice between upholding the principles in question and staying home, or suspending those principles and attending. We all have to make choices.
Neither your example nor mine is a case of “discrimination”; they’re just cases of mutually exclusive principles on the individual and communal level.
I’m not asking that the reform movement insist that its members observe halacha, Noach– I’m instead suggesting that the reform movement could make accomodations to allow for a more integrated community. I certainly made no charges of anti-Semitism, so calm down. The reform movement is de facto excluding orthodox Jews from a great many of their activities (even beyond egalitarian prayer), and I think that is at least as discriminatiory as what the orthodox rabbinate in Israel decrees regarding non-orthodox converstions. Neither movement works towards achdut.
BZ, I was specifically suggesting that the ortho would not attend his nephew’s service– but can’t there be some “safe” space for all Jews in all (or at least most) Jewish institutions? An orthodox synagogue is open to all Jews (if they don’t like the tefilla, they certainly aren’t going to shun the kiddush stam) while that does not hold true for reform synagogues. And BZ, you seem to be missing my point entirely as far as Israel. I was talking about the legal situation for Jews IN Israel, not the legal status of diaspora Jews living outside Israel (that’s totally irrelevant to anything at this point).
For millennia, there was a single definition of halacha and a single definition of “who is a Jewâ€
not so much true.
Uncle Ben said, “Anyone meshugannah enough to want to be a jew, is a Jew!” The true house of Judah consists of Judah, Levi and Benjamin, so, what about the other tribes, of Israel, you know?
Sam says:
“For millennia, there was a single definition of halacha and a single definition of “who is a Jew†”
not so much true”
Indeed. It’s high time the public at large learned that Judaism used to be defined patrilineally by all Jewish sects at least until the 2nd half of the 1st millennium AD. The only Jewish division that ever deviated from this pattern is Rabbinic Judaism. The Karaites have retained the original definitions of Jewishness both for “tribe members” and converts, in accordance with biblical Judaism.
As for which tribes us Jews are comprised of, I never cease to be astounded at how so many have forgotten that Shimon is another that must be counted, even if it assimilated into Judah by 586 BCE.