But now I know I don't like them. There is no such a thing in Judaism as "movement". Ortodox Judaism is the only one to be trusted. Ortodox religious people may have many things to change and think about,in my opinion,but the Judaism they teach and follow is the only one to be trusted,because they don't do "movements"on it and keep the way it is since Sinai. We don't want to create another kind of christianity,do we? We would be very stupid if we permited such thing, that ultimately would turn against ourselves.

keep inside of Torah."Movements"outside Torah should be forbiden. Masorti should explain,with Torah embasement ,why they are going against Rabbinate and encouraging couples to marry "their way".Maybe THEY are corrupt and want to slide to their side some extra money?After all,since when one does commercials to get people married " their way"? Inventing in Judaism ,is not legitimate at all and should be forbidden at all! Israel should opt to live with what is the tuth and stop inventing manners to circumvent their own consciences to cheat themselves.

So what's the difference between a "Masorti" wedding and a "Orthodox" wedding? If you want a different kind of wedding, get Yair Lapid to be your mesader chilonim.

....very engaging and romantic, happy :-) I hope that this Masorti movement get carried away with the other side !

Keren - You say: "Inventing in Judaism ,is not legitimate at all and should be forbidden at all!" With all due respect, you are either wrong or are practicing things you don't believe to be Jewish. Do you observe Kabbalat Shabbat? Do you chant L'Chah Dodi or Yedid Nefesh? Then you are practicing something beautiful that was invented in the 16th century. Does anyone you know belong to a Chassidische community? Do you think they are Jewish? The Baal Shem Tov wasn't around before 1698 CE. Do you use a siddur? Do you love the way it's arranged and do you recite the Amidah? Guess what? Prior to the 6th century CE, it wasn't around. And it's essential form evolved until the 11th century CE. And, it has still evolved, with Kabbalat Shabbat and the different way various groups recite Kaddish. So learn something.

The joke is that two children married accidentally when they made the correct declaration -- this was declared "halachic". But a Masorti rabbi who follows halacha cannot marry a couple legally. How is that?

I thought they were between orthodox and reform. Not too strict and not too lenient. However, if they cross the line and allow reformist stupidity enter, then they will be squeezed out by both sides

Orthodoxy is a movement in of itself. It has evolved into rabbinic Judaism, not Torah Judaism. Orthodoxy today is a mishmash of a multitude of sects led by rabbis who direct their congregations as if they were childen. Those sects cannot even get along with each other. They do not represent the Jewishness emanating from Sinai. Today they represent Eastern European varieties of Judaism, Portugese/Spanish varieties of Judaism. They cannot even see eye to eye what is Judaism even though they say they represent the best and finest of Jewish adherance to Torah. Kaen, you may not see it, but Orthodoxy has already turned against true Judaism.

Consider this: A mixed couple gets married overseas, is considered married by the State; the Rabbinate doesn't care. A Jewish couple gets married civilly overseas is considered married by the State, but not considered married by the Rabbinate. But if they have a Conservative wedding, the rabbis consider them married and will, if they split, need a get. You just can't have a Conservative wedding in Israel. For those who care, such a wedding *is* done per halacha (a rabbi isn't in fact required to make a wedding "kosher") except in one respect. Conservatives consider women valid witnesses; Orthodox still don't.

The orthodox chief rabbinate claims that a 13 & 14 year old who eloped and held a ceremony without any adult present had a legitimate wedding. However, as soon as an unaffiliated rabbi gets involved and threatens their political power, then they are up in arms. The fact is that no rabbi is required for halalchic wedding. The orthodox monopoly on weddings has nothing to do with religious standards and everything to do with money & politics.

I have been to several Masorti weddings. They are completely halachic. What's the difference between that and a so-called "official wedding"? There are no anti-Zionist extremist Haredi rabbis being paid off a ton of money. The fact is that the Masorti movement is probably closer to historic Judaism than the Haredim, who just get more machmir, machmir and machmir every day.

its about time to end the monopoly of the Ultra Orthdox, people should have a choice in life not to be dictated to by a bunch of extremist old cronnies who lets face it only concern is to make as much money as they can. If and when my daughter decides to marry i am detemined it will not be via the rabbinute, ied rather we all go to cyprus instead.

Avraham - Yes - Masorti means "Conservative". It is the same movement. It is not "Reform". It is a halachic movement, which allows for egalitarian change. It is most definitely Zionist. 33% of synagogue-affilliated American Jews are Masorti (Conservative).

i guess that means all the converative jews in america are not really married. i guess my parents were not really married. conservative jews are not recreating judaism. we are not creating another kind of christianity. you should educate yourself about this branch of judaism. we believe in the torah as the word of HaShem. keren you live in ISRAEL? then you know that most secular israeli's see the religious jews as destorying judaism. they take money from the goverment and do nothing for the state. they turn jews away from judaism. all HaShem wants us to do is be good to each other, that is the basis of our religion - the religious jews in israel treat there brothers as if they are not equal. I myself was in line to go to the wall and pray and a religious man pushed his baby stroller into my legs and hurt me. was this an act of KINDNESS?? I AM A JEW AND I AM PART OF THE CONSERVATIVE JEWRY MOVEMENT. Hopefully someday we capture the hearts of the israeli's that have turn away from torah. we will bring them back. We will take the sarcisam away from their voices and replace it with prayer.

David, Where did you get your information? Conservative/Masorti (sic) "Judaism" completely deviates from traditional Judaism & here is a few ways just for example: 1.Marrying of Kohanim to divorcees & converts which is clearly forbidden in the written Torah. 2.Marrying same sex couples also in violation of written Torah. 3.Women wearing talitot which is also forbidden in written Torah (prohibition against women wearing men's garments) Conservative/Masorti is no different than Reform other than the being 20 years behind in ratifying new blasphemous innovations.

We must stop all movements, return to living as nomads, bring back animal sacrefices and polygamy, and stone people who do nasty things. Those were the good 'ol days before all these nasty movements got their foot in the door.

I remember now seeing a description of a lot of Jews wearing funny fur hats and black suits with long white stockings all dancing round Mount Sinai when Moses descended with the Ten Commandments, and oh yes, they were chanting in a strange language.

that mr, Yitzhar Hess did support Ashkelon during the Operation Cast, my cousins told me about the masorti support, in the end they want to marry our girls, but our girls are far more highly qualified in terms of education , character an and achievements, so we told them, in our tradition we get married once and that is it....that is the orthodox way. They cant take our orthodox traditions....too bad we cant compromise also...tell me the day ? NEVER ! :-)~

The word masorti in Hebrew means traditional. But the Conservative movement is not traditional.They have women rabbis and cantors, marry Cohenim to converts and divorcees, perform gay marriages,convert people who will not keep even Shabbat and Kashrut, etc etc - the list is long. This is definitely not TRADITIONAL Judaism. Conservative and Reform forms of Judaism have done much damage to American Jewry. Keep them out of Israel. Keep Israel traditionally Jewish!!!

Hey you dati Jews... yes, I'm one of you, and sorry, but the religious bureaucracy brought this mess on all of beit yisrael, not just the orthodox. The wedding bureaucracy in Israel is just another scam to employ people and generate money. Anybody who wants a Jewish wedding does NOT need to go through the rabbanut. You need a bride, a groom, a couple of observant witnesses, and something of value (like a gold ring). The groom says the magic words, the bride accepts, the witnesses witness, and poof, you're a married Jewish couple. How much nicer an experience than dealing with the ugliness of the clerks and functionaries who force you to do everything on their time, not yours: witnesses that you are Jewish, witnesses that you aren't married already, go to family purity classes during work hours. And of course, the standard insult that an IDF combat veteran gets no discount on the fee to open a marriage file, but a yeshiva kollel student does. The orthodox stranglehold on the marriage market is bad for the Jews. Either the bureaucracy has to change and be responsive to the people's needs, or it should be thrown out and new methods put into place that promote love of Zion, not hatred of the Orthodox because of their corrupt love of money and power.

First of all: in order to be or become christian you have to believe in Jesus. Masorti and other movements within judaism - including the orthodox movement (!) - do not believe in the christian jesus and therefore cannot be or become christian. They are jewish. Secondly, in any religion - does not matter which one - there are different opinions and different interpretations towards their own religion. This creates movements. It's a logical step. There is not one truth as we cannot know the truth. It's about interpretation of what we believe is the truth and as long as it is interpretation, we might be mistaken. Doesn't matter to which movement you belong.

does not accept Masorti? Why?

jews are saying to you what i've said. will you listen now that it comes from them?

No

to sagi. what is your connection to israel?why did you choose to live there more than finland or jamaica?cuz you're jewish?whats the connection?cuz you like falafel?thats not a reason to claim israel.?the only reason is cuz its written in the tora.if you keep the tora and tht means you listen to the rabbis who have spent many years studying it IN YESHIVA AND KOLLEL,then and only then,can you say IM AJEW AND THE TORA SAYS HASHEM WLL GIVE IT TO ME.You dont agree?then the arabs can kick you out.and why should you care.

you know, your hand against everyone, everyone's hand against you. fits perfectly.

I will not extend a conversation with you and I hope you keep on and don't become obsessed . I will only answer to you that Jews are not against me.Only those who want to live in what is considered a sin by Jewish faith and want to push everybody to their ways,are against me.They are the Sodomites of our days,as I understand.Or Erev Rav or what ever,and I even don't see some of them as Jews-that's my opinion... Some absolutely non Jews, living in Israel ,are against me too,because I remember them who they are in our land and that if they live among us ,they must understand that they are not part of us and that we really just don't care about what they think or not.

Every one of us ultimately chase gelt.That's normal.Everybody does. What is not normal is injustices to occur ,as the one you state about a soldier and an Yeshiva student. There is also the problem of Army-it is not fair such an amount of youngs not to go to the Army and keep only "studying".In the Torah ,we read that men went to the Army;they didn't keep only "studying". I just think that in the point of strict Halachah it is correct what Rabbinate requires.Even if many of us do not keep in strictHalachah,or because are yet learning-Baal Ttzuvah-or because...,well many reasons,the example of what is correct must be there,as an anchor. I think the problems should constantly be exposed ,one by one, in order to be corrected.