Reform rabbis want recognition

High Court petition wants judges to instruct State to recognize Reform, Conservative rabbis who serve as neighborhood and community rabbis and accord them same status as Orthodox rabbis; Rabbi Miri Gold: I want same recognition, reward as any other Rabbi in Israel

Tal Rosner|Published: 09.20.05 , 16:10

Who should be considered a rabbi? The High Court of Justice is facing a hearing on a particularly contentious issue, after the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) submitted a petition Tuesday that forces the judges to determine who is qualified to be recognized as a rabbi.

IRAC, along with the regional council of Gezer, petitioned the court to instruct the State to recognize Reform and Conservative rabbis who serve as neighborhood and community rabbis and accord them the same status as that enjoyed by Orthodox rabbis.

One of the petitioners is Rabbi Miri Gold, who informally serves as kibbutz Gezer’s rabbi. Six years ago, Gold was ordained as a rabbi at the Hebrew Union College by the Reform movement.

In the petition, she demands to receive the same status and salary as those accorded to the 16 Orthodox male rabbis who serve at Gezer regional council communities.

“Every community chooses the rabbi that serves it, and it is very important for a community to be able to choose its rabbi,” Gold said. “Today there is no choice, because the State simply dictates the appointment of an Orthodox rabbi.”

“Our community is mostly Reform and it wants me,” Gold added. “I’ve been a kibbutz resident for 30 years and I provide religious services outside the kibbutz too.”

“I want to receive recognition of this status and a reward just like any other rabbi in Israel, so I can serve my congregation better. Our country is democratic and believes in freedom of religion and expression, and therefore must provide equal terms to non-Orthodox rabbis,” she said.

‘Israeli public is ready’

According to the petition, the State has been exercising “longtime discrimination directed at the Jewish public that wants liberal religious services, which the State consistently refuses to fund.”

The petitioners argue that the current situation constitutes “improper and blatantly illegal preference” of Orthodox rabbis, as well as discrimination against non-Orthodox rabbis, and particularly female rabbis.

Rabbi Gold, meanwhile, says she is convinced the Israeli public is ready to recognize non-Orthodox rabbis.

“In Israel there are more and more people who see that they can meet their Judaism needs with us,” she says. “I’m not rejecting any Orthodox rabbi, I just want me and my community recognized…rabbis should be chosen the way leaders are chosen.”