Voices
Religious intolerance makes me sick
I have taken umbrage over the past six months or so at some of the opinions in lead articles and letters by some “prominent” members of the community. Last week’s front-page headline, in particular, made me sick to the stomach, inferring that other brands of Jewishness are not good enough.
Jack Miller, Johannesburg
Most of the time, most Jews express tolerance and understanding of co-religionists, be they secular, atheist, modern, or halachically observant Jews.
Would the presence of orthodox rabbis at Limmud corrupt those rabbis, instead of them taking the opportunity to strengthen Jewish knowledge among different people? We have attended several Limmud Sunday sessions in Johannesburg, and we encountered attendees of all levels of observance, everyone exhibiting respect and the harmonious and intelligent interchange of ideas.
Would it not be preferable for the Beth Din and its rabbis to pay more attention to the problems of divorce, those of the agunot (anchored women), and other matters that impose suffering and cruelty on many lives?
Our community is rapidly diminishing. Would it not better to mekariv (bring someone closer to Judaism) than to create further controversy
Isn’t discussion and interchange of ideas paramount and central to Jewish life and values?