UK abuzz over contesting views on Limmud

Senior Jewish leaders in the UK have accused seven strictly Orthodox rabbis, led by the former head of the London Beth Din, of a “shocking failure of leadership” and “tactical power play” after they opposed new Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis’ stand on Limmud and urged a continued boycott and a stay-away from the organisation’s December conference.

Two weeks ago, South African-born Rabbi Mirvis did an about-turn on the views of his predecessor, Lord Jonathan Sacks, and announced he would be attending the upcoming Limmud conference.

Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, past head (and still a member) of the London Beth Din, and Rosh European Beth Din, was among seven signatories of the letter urging “any Jew whose heart has been touched by the fear of G-d and who wishes to walk upon paths which will be viewed favourably”, to stay clear of December’s annual cross-communal educational event.

In a reference to the fact that the conference features non-Orthodox rabbis teaching Torah, the signatories wrote: “Participating in their conferences, events and educational endeavours, blurs the distinction between authentic Judaism and pseudo-Judaism and would bring about tragic consequences for Anglo-Jewry.”

Just as in South Africa, thousands of participants of all ages and religious backgrounds attend the annual five-day Limmud conference, which boasts everything from Talmud study to art classes and jamming sessions to social opportunities.

The dissenting letter

The rabbis’ letter came just weeks after Rabbi Mirvis announced his plans to present at the December event, breaking with the decision of his predecessor. No specific mention was, however, made of Rabbi Mirvis in the letter.

The UK Jewish Online News last weekend published a  story on the issue, which they said “the entire community is talking about”, which included what they called a “stunning rebuke” by nearly 30 community leaders, politicians and philanthropists who said the Chief Rabbi’s presence “should be welcomed and not be the subject of misplaced and disrespectful criticism”.

The open letter – backed by Board of Deputies President Vivian Wineman, Jewish Leadership Council Chairman (formerly from Johannesburg) Mick Davis and several senior US figures – said their declaration that participants would not be viewed favourably by G-d, had the power to “cause great harm to our community and appears to be rooted in tactical power play, as opposed to religious principle”.

Since its inception as an inclusive, open space for Jewish learning for all South African Jews, Limmud SA has, from its inception, “enjoyed the input and participation of many world-class international Orthodox rabbis”, national co-chaiman, Brett Wilks told Jewish Report this week.

Learned Orthodox rabbis have proven popular at all Limmud conferences worldwide, says Wilks, and he looks forward “to the day when members of the UOS rabbinate are permitted to join us”.

The views of Limmus SA

Limmud SA has seen consistent growth in participation of Orthodox presenters, delegates and volunteers at their conferences, says Wilks.

 They said Rabbi Mirvis’ presence at Limmud in December “should be welcomed and not be the subject of misplaced and disrespectful criticism”, adding that the seven rabbis had “misrepresented” Limmud in suggesting it “espouses the ethos of pluralism… the upshot of this is no one is deemed to be wrong”.

Limmud, said the 30 to the seven, “is a marketplace that attracts massive levels of participation from across our community”.

Seeking to dissuade Orthodox rabbis and others from participating, they said, was a “failure of leadership” and would leave many Orthodox participants “bereft of rabbinic input”.

Wilks says Limmud SA believes that there are “clearly differing views within the SA Orthodox rabbinical community and the UOS”, and he stresses that Limmud SA “welcomes this debate”.

Limmud’s key principle, says Wilks, is “one of choice within our diverse community”. Limmud, he says, feels strongly that SA Orthodox rabbis should be given the choice to attend Limmud or not.

“We implore members of the wider community and the Chief Rabbi’s Office to welcome and not discourage this freedom of choice.”

Wilks reiterated the message he said was sent to UK rabbonim by Rabbi Dr Michael Harris of Hampstead in which he stressed that if they didn’t attend Limmud UK in December, “they would miss out on the opportunity to interact with a huge number of Jews who have little contact with Yiddishkeit and who are open to learning from us”.

Harris, says Wilks, also told rabbis that their absence would fail the hundreds of Orthodox Jews who attended Limmud, who wished to learn from Orthodox rabbonim and teachers. “And we further give the impression that we are afraid of ideological competition from the non-Orthodox, when we should have faith that the truth of our message will win over hearts and minds,” added Rabbi Harris.

SA Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein was asked for comment, but Jewish Report had not received his comment by the time of going to print.

Read the letter that the entire community is talking about

 We write as individuals actively engaged in communal work who are deeply interested in Jewish continuity in the United Kingdom, where Jewish life is vibrant and relevant.

In this context we warmly welcome the Chief Rabbi’s decision to attend Limmud. It is a decision that is consistent with the best traditions of anglo-Jewish Orthodox rabbinic leadership – namely promoting an open, approachable and inclusive Judaism while adhering to a firm halachic framework. As the Chief Rabbi himself recognised, there will be those individuals who make the personal choice not to attend Limmud.

However, we deeply regret the publication of a formal Gilui Da’at (Declaration of Opinion) by a number of Orthodox rabbis which claims that those who attend Limmud will, by implication, not be viewed favourably by God. The declaration has the potential to cause great harm to our community and appears to be rooted in tactical power play, as opposed to religious principle.

It also misrepresents Limmud which is not an organisation promoting pluralism. Limmud is a gathering of Jews, a market place that attracts massive levels of participation from across our community, including many from the Orthodox sector. It aims to increase levels of Jewish engagement, literacy and commitment.

To seek to dissuade Orthodox rabbis and others from taking the opportunity to articulate the classic Orthodox Judaism which has sat at the heart of this community for over three centuries is a shocking failure of leadership.

It would leave many Orthodox participants bereft of the rabbinic input and support they desire and deny many others the benefit of learning from outstanding orthodox teachers.

The fact that Jews of different levels of belief and practice participate in Limmud does not detract from this great endeavour nor does it legitimise or for that matter deligitimise any of the participants, educators or religious groups.

Respected and renowned Orthodox rabbis attend similar events in the USA, Israel and across the Jewish world on a regular basis and there is no reason why a different set of principles should apply in the UK. We feel compelled to speak out because fundamental principles are at stake including: the imperative to welcome every Jew who seeks a link with our community; the idea of a community that works together, regardless of religious differences, where it is able to so do and (equally importantly) the principle of not consigning Orthodoxy to the margins.

The Chief Rabbi has the wisdom, standing and mandate to take decisions of this nature for the communities that recognise his authority. His presence at Limmud should be welcomed and not the subject of misplaced and disrespectful criticism.

Signed by: Keith Barnett, Alex Brummer, David Dangoor, Mick Davis, Jonathan Goldstein, Michael Goldstein, Simon Jackson, Lord Michael Levy, Steven Lewis, Richard Loftus, Lord Jon Mendelsohn, Alan Mendoza, David Menton, Adam Musikant, Stephen Pack, Gerald Ronson, Peter Sheldon, Sir Harry Solomon, Louise Solomon, Jonathan Solomons, Michele Vogel, Arnold Wagner, Vivian Wineman, Michael Ziff, Sir Bernard Zissman, Sabah Zubaida