G-d just isn't as real as he used to be. I think Christians complain about the same thing.

Those UK muslims as a group are no friends of Jews.Take it from me . Let that Imam go and get his flock to stop assaulting Jews (kids on buses and Old people in streets )-because they are Jews before he tackles Banks about money matters.. Im not impressed . Its going to take a lot of time to improve relations after all the Anti Semitism those UK Muslim s have been responsible for .

in the kind of community he envisions, no self-respecting Jew would go to that shul any more after the rabbi mixes Torah study and prayer with ecumenical efforts, especially with Moslems. It's just not what you do in a traditional shul. You focus on Jewish issues and Jewish life. Let the interfaith stuff go on in community organizations, if in fact it should go on at all.

Power corrupts

Now Jews have the individual freedom to decide for themselves how they want to live their lives without being dictated to by the Rabbis. And we are not going to turn back the clock. The Rabbis will just have to proselytize more.

Levi, you disappoint us. How abnormal can you be to think that it's okay to do that? Islam is diametrically opposed to Judaism, their war cry of allah achbar is a direct insult to the G-d of Israel, Jews are considered sons of pigs and monkeys, and you think the imam and his "followers" should be in a place where Jews worship Hashem? Nutso, Levi.

Maybe Rabbi Brackman is in favour of inviting Imams but that doesn't seem to be the main part of his argument. His point is that communities are not allowing their rabbis to lead them. Rather they tell their rabbis what services they expect them to perform and expect them to do that and only that. Anything else has to be run past the board. I have heard about this myself from [former] community rabbis. From the perspective of a rabbi with a sense of mission, and from the perspective of a congregant who would want guidance from his rabbi, a community which tells its rabbi, "you may not say XYZ [because we don't want to hear it]" is not really interested in being a growing community, it's one which is interested in staying exactly where it is - and those communities die.

Firstly, credit card interests rates are hardly a "religious" matter, much less a "Jewish" matter. They are secular matters of public - not sectarian - interest. Trying to make common cause with the Muslim community which nominally opposes the taking of interest presents an additional danger - that of involving itself with Islamic finance. Secondly, interfaith efforts with the Muslim community ignores a particular problem. Islam itself in its primary texts and doctrines is congenitally hostile to Jews and other "non-believers". Some Muslims, it goes without saying, either aren't familiar with or ignore those troublesome aspects of their faith. Rabbi Asmoucha therefore exceeded his mandate, and was reckless to boot by not first verifying that his guests were truly "friendlies".

The article mentions a senior Rabbi, a Rabbi Levy. If he's an assistant rabbi, if this isn't Rabbi Asmoucha's synagogue in the fullest sense - if it is in fact Rabbi Levy's synagogue - then the assistant Rabbi was a little careless with his invitation. If I've misread the article, and the synagogue is indeed led by Rabbi Asmoucha, then it's his call. Of course, the board need not renew his contract when it comes up for renewal; that's their call.

The overwhelming majority of the Jewish world has "voted with their feet" and are not interested in joining synagogues, yet most retain their affiliation with Judaism. Given the unprecedented availability of Jewish knowledge and the emergence of new social institutions, perhaps we are at the dawn of a new Jewish tradition. After all, just as rabbinical Judaism emerged in response to the destruction of the Temple, it too can be replaced in response to radically changed circumstances.

THE CHABAD IS THE POOREST EXAMPLE of how to serve Hashem. Each chabad rabbi running on his own, inexperience, unseasoned in life and family affairs,running loose in the streets in his zeal making more errors and problems in the name of serving Hashem,converting anyone without investigations of that person and family and intentions. I have seen this numerous times And I have seen the greatness of the chabad helping business travelers. I believe that Rabbis must have to answer to a head, or chief Rabbi to report to, about his conduct and communal affairs for a wiser experinced decision.And I mean a ''elder'' not just a older for guidance for these young men. The chabad movement has run wild of recent years and needs a reigning in . This is said by most other 'Rabbis and or communities.'' Chabad must report in to an senior rabbi senior in age and experience in leading a community. As I said Chabad is fantastic in helping business travelers in food, tifila during yom tov times when the business man has been on the road for a period of time. I spent YOM KIPPOR IN CHABAD CHINA because of trade show timing I was able to observe Yom Kippor and not miss a day of business after Yom Kippor . Nothing is perfect abd sometimes a little adjustment does wonders. ANOTHER GREAT PHILOSOPHY OF CHABAD IS WARMTH AND WELCOMING vs Rabbis that critisize publicaly our other rabbis from different sects where the goyeem laugh at us. but I remain firm that these young chabads running in the streets after people putting tephillin on non jews and converting without due investigations is damaging our nation and is NOT preparing for Mashiach

For several generations, the Hareidi (not just Hasidic) "shtiebel" (small shul, led by a rav) has grown, while the large establishment (and often very moderate, by nature) fancy shuls have been dying. The "official shul" only existed to make the government matters, so who needs it.

While it's true that the Unitarian Universalist - er, I mean Reform Religion certainly has no intention of submitting to anything or anyone (especially not Torah), the other end of the spectrum is just as ugly. Most people just aren't going to "follow" somebody UO or Haredi whose hate-filled, violent, misogynist and racist attitudes are being imposed by force on a shul, neighborhood or community. Checks and balances are necessary and good - we don't need any more little Rabbinic fiefdoms. It is THEY who are dividing Judaism, not moderns and moderates.

Rabbi Asmoucha may be in trouble with the Mahamad, but he has the absolute support of the Bevis Marks community and management.

It is sad commentary that well educated and learned pulpit Rabbis have to put up with board members who know very little about anything telling the Rabbi what to do and not to do.I know first hand I spent twenty five years protecting my former scholar Rabbi against these kind of people.

demographics are always changing, and the haredi in London and UK were very small till 20 years ago. In fact, worldwide, orthodoxy had a teririble couple of centuries. So now that there has been peace and there has been some rowth of the population, they think they are taking over the wrold. However, after a certain size, the haredi society starts to break apart, and it is already happening big time in Israel. So noone should talk of the demise of other shuls or promote their own brand,

Bevis Marks in is in the financial area of London. If no Jewish presence attended the anti-usury rally, then people would be making derogatory remarks of Jews being involved with the banks. With regard to dialogue with muslims, if we are ever to have peace, we need to communicate. Ignorance will only foster hatred. For the record, I and the rabbi are self respecting jews, and having dialogues with muslims does not conflict with Torah study or prayer

It's not such a great assumption, that congregations, or Jewish communities in general, should be led by rabbinic authority. We're supposed to be pursuing the development of an autonomous, secure, sound, halakhically- and ethically-informed moral capacity. Leaning back against some leader doesn't advance that at all. A rabbi who exhorts his co-congregants (yes, "co-") to do better, especially in light of local ethical/moral failures, is to be treasured. But one who encourages the attitude that the congregation is to rely on him for all requisite moral/ethical thinking, is no blessing. Judaism presents to the world the idea of the individual as a morally-responsible actor. Elevating the religious leader as some sort of mandatory authority runs counter to our purpose, our purpose to ourselves and to the wider world.

The control of life by Rabbis in the European Shtatel was the cause of many Jews emigrating to the U.S. and other places so that they could lead an unfettered life. In addition, tight Rabbinical control lead to the founding of other Jewish movements like the Reform. Rabbis should have the last say on Halacha; other areas are synagogue management concerns. However, if a Rabbi feels strongly about a non-religious issue he should feel free to make his views known in his sermons. Inviting an Inman inside the synagogue is in the very least a sign of poor judgment probably caused by his enthusiasm for his civil protest.

As the son of a US Rabbi who has personally seen the impact a board can have on a Rabbi's decisions, the issue at Bevis Marks is remarkable in that the Board made a good decision. This was a political rally. Before getting a synagogue involved in national politics, it is wise to clear that with the board before it appears the synagogue as a whole takes a stand. While I realize that interest rates may not have dire consequences, in this case it is the principle that over rules. Regarding security, I do not know what security is normally like at Bevis Marks, but if for large gatherings secrity checks are arranged or security must be notified, Rabbi Asmoucha clearly overstepped the bounds of his authority by not clearing that first. While I have no doubt that this was in fact a peaceful rally, this is still a breach of security and Has v'Shalom something actually did happen.

On some points of informaion: Rabbi Asmoucha had asked two members of the Bevis Marks committee and Gerry Temple of the executive/ Mahamad. He received no instructions to not participate. There is written evidence to prove this. The multi-faih participants asked to see inside this historical building and asked "What the Torah said about usury." This was his address, a Rabbi talking about the Torah. A Rabbi, a Priest and Iman along with London Citizens, a non political aligned organisation presented a bible, torah and Qur'an to the RBS. I hope this might help people's understanding. He is a wonderful, kind, spiritual leader. The executive are the type of Jews we read about on the 9th Av.

While I agree with Levi's point, I think R. Asmoucha should be fired if the events occurred as depicted in this article. The rabbi's actions had almost nothing to do with Judaism or Jewish life, but rather the political lives of his congregants and who is he to decide for them on political issues. Unlike Chabadniks, these people are not hasidim who have to follow the beck and call of their rebbe. One would hope that Levi had learned how to make a better argument for his case after all those years of Talmud study. Either, the rabbinical leadership of all the major American denominations are fast becoming irrelevant non-entities, both politically as well as for American Judaism.

Ronen read my comments please. Rabbi Asmoucha is NOT a poliical Rabbi and had the support of Bevis Marks and it's members. we had just fought to stop them making him redundant.

Even as a member of the congregation I'm uncertain of the management relationship between Rabbi Levy and Rabbi Asmoucha, but I'm pretty sure Rabbi Levy hasn't been inside Bevis Marks in the absence of cameras for decades

It's wonderful that synagogues and the Jewish population is dwindling in the Diaspora, because a Jew, in general, and specifically, post 1967, should not be there. All Jews should desire to come to Eretz Yisrael. With a 70% intermarriage rate and increasing anti-Semitism, supporting a Jewish institution in the galut is like giving money to AIG, Bernie Madoff, or GM -- it's a losing proposition. Invest in the future of world Jewry, Eretz Yisrael, to see a flourishing Jewish population.

The point missed, or not stressed strongly enough, by the writer of the article is that the Rabbis that start their own Shuls can do what they want, the Rabbis that are hired, cannot. That is life and not different than any sector in the workplace. If you want to be your own boss, start your own business. But most Rabbis, including it seem the writer, have no clue about things like work or business and focus instead on control. Although I had not previously heard of this case in the UK, it is clear that this Rabbi acted in a manner that is beyond his realm of authority and was not sensitive to his relationship with the people that hired him and are most likely interested in his success. I thank the Author for providing a good example of how a Rabbi should NOT do things.

I don't want to contradict you, my friend, but traditional synagogues are dying off. The basic reason? Well, because many Jews, like me, are questioning whether G-d even fits in to the equation and are choosing a Humanistic lifestyle rather than one ruled by a G-d that no one knows. Granted, a lot of people are becoming fed up because of the lack of leadership in the synagogue but, as mentioned before, we are not running to a more restrictive way of life but freedom from religion altogether. Does this mean that I've give up on Judaism? No, but I've given up on organized judaism and chosen Humanistic Judaism so that I have something to pass on to my children.