How can we give someone the title of RABBI whose movement goes completely against the very Torah it claims to follow? There is tremendous pressure from the reform and conservative movements in the United States to force the government of Israel to recognize their interpretations of Judaism as equally legitimate with that of "orthodox". Liberalism and Democracy are waved like flags of righteousness to justify alternatives to genuine Judaism. The Law of G-d, which was given to the entire Jewish People on Mount Sinai, is not subject to alteration. The only condition was either to accept it or not. We all agreed to accept it. We have no right to make changes in G-d's Law. If there are Jews who refuse to accept their obligations as Jews, that is their right. But no one has the right to sanctify that refusal by creating alternative religions, which reject any part of our Torah, and insist upon calling it Judaism. A reform Jew is no less of a Jew than is an orthodox Jew. But, that which is called reformed Judaism, is simply not Judaism. Thus a reform Jew is a Jew who has, for whatever reason, chosen not to accept Judaism. This does not make him less of a Jew. But, in the interest of preserving Judaism, we cannot accept the concept of various alternatives to Judaism as being legitimate "branches" of that religion when they are really negations of "unwanted" portions of G-d's Law. A graphic illustration of this fact is seen by those who include Christianity as a fourth branch!

For shame!

Jewish communities decide on their own Rabbis and leader. There is no official body in the Jewish world that has a monopoly on confirmation of the title Rabbi. Certainly not the Israeli Chief rabbinate which is corrupt, corrupting and laughable organisation with morally tainted hacks at it's head. President Katsav has shown his trie colurs as an ignorant and bgoted little man with now idea of hs role in the Jewish world as President of the State of Israel and one of the leaders of world Jewry. Alek.

This mockery of recognizing 'gay' marriage proves once again that Reform Judaism is not Judaism at all – it is nothing more than a pathetic parody of Judaism that makes a mockery of the sacrifices of our fathers and grandfathers. The Reform clergy does not teach Judaism – what they preach is a trendy version of the latest politically-correct new-age radicalism. The Reform clergy does not honor G-D. They openly defy his clearly-expressed commandments, as stated in the Holy Torah (Five Books of Moses). They pervert His Word by twisting His Law to mean the very opposite of what was intended. They mislead their flock, who include many decent and well-meaning Jews seeking to find meaning in Judaism. Instead, they are fed a diet of fraudulent liberal baloney. If they retain any respect at all for their religious ancestors, they should stop insulting their holy memory by calling this strange new religion 'Judaism' and bringing shame and disrespect, a CHILLUL HASHEM [profanation of His name] , upon G-D's holy people.

Practicing artificial Judaism is like giving a sick person poison instead of medicine. Look at the US for proof. Reform and Conservative did nothing to stop the horrible rate of assimilation. They tell their congregants that Judaism is just a bunch of folklore and they leave God out of the equation. Now they are importing it to Israel. People in reform 'temples' here today will probably see their kids marrying gentiles tomorrow, either here in Israel or abroad. Distortions of Judaism by the Conservative and Reform movements can cause terrible spiritual damage...time to embrace real Judaism not a cheap copy of it.

quit officiating at interfaith weddings along with priests....then maybe just maybe we would have no issues recognizing them in israel.

just google his trackrecord on the jewish state.

someone like yoffe who spent his career bashing israel, eating non kosher food, promoting same sex unions, abortion and mixed marriages does not sound like an authentic rabbi in my book.

I grew up in america as a reconstructionist Jew. What is that u ask? I too wonder. 20 years in that synaguage and the "rabbis" were ajoke. The same for all the reform synaguages I have been to and met the rabbis. Baruch Hashem, i am now living a torah observant life. I am fine with people being secular, reform, reconstructionist, or whatever. we all have free choice. But shouldn't your RABBI be religious. Really. Maybe they can all have a convention at the local Red Lobster.

This is the same megalomaniac Eric Yoffee who attacked evangelical Christians and Orthodox Jews last year, calling them "nazis" for opposing his movement's pro-gay policy. He never apologized for his outbursts. Why does he get to insult people with impunity, and the President of Israel has to grovel at his feet? Yoffe can go pound sand.

Yoffe never defended the Jewish State of Israel. He wants to split the Jewish people. He said so at a Press Conference during a General Assembly of the UJC.

I was not blessed to grow up in a dati home, I went to a non-sectarian private university, and didn't have a clue about what Judaism was and is until after I had already earned an M.A. from J.T.S.A. (the Celf-Cervative Movement's Rabbinical Seminary), and had taught the bar mitzvah class in a "flagship" Deformed Congregation for four years, as well as five years at other non-believing nor religiously observant congregations. In addition I was well received as a substitute rabbi, baal korei and adult ed. teacher, until I came to the shocking realization that for three thousand years that there had been something calling itself Judaism, and these congregations and their contracted franchizees, who are employed to be "Professional Jews", neither believed nor practiced a religion that went back more than about two hundred or so years. In no small part because on the one hand they were and continue apparently to be pre-occupied with not being done out of their fair maket share of the hearts, minds and pocketbooks, of the even less caring, and profoundly ignorant of the real thing masses, who their non-Jewish Judaism gave license, to call the Judaism. Sorry for another inconvienient truth, but: The bottom line is: BRAVO FOR THE MORAL COURAGE OF PRESIDENT KATZAV, WHO IS VERY SADLY AND VERY CERTAINLY CORRECT. MR. YOFFE AND HIS DEVOTEES, WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO BEGIN TO WANT TO BECOME BA'ALI TESHUVAHS!

"1.5 million" and 920 temples comes out to an average 1,630 members per temple. Actual temple membership and attendance figures are much lower. Sample membership and attendance figures from a reform rabbis listserv: http://al003.urj.net/index.html

Yoffe talks a big talk about intermarriage, but the Reform Movement does nothing about it. It's "Jewish Singles" groups are laughable (their members are overwhelmingly male). If Reform Jews want their sons to marry Jewish women, perhaps they should teach their daughters to grow up and get married. And maybe treat men a little better.