Local rabbis who once identified with the Tzohar Modern Orthodox group have taken the unusual step of publicly admonishing the organization, which they say is "crossing red lines" and using their names to garner support for initiatives they say pose a real threat to Israel's Jewish character.
In a letter recently sent to Tzohar organization heads, 12 local rabbis who say they were in the past "partners to Tzohar's marriage initiative [which helps couples marry independent of the direct involvement of the Chief Rabbinate]," which they called "a positive initiative that operated in conjunction with the Chief Rabbinate."
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It was at this stage that the rabbis said Tzohar garnered the support of a variety of rabbis, including many elders from the religious Zionist community.
However, over the years, the rabbis noted that support for the organization has diminished over its "crossing of red lines."
"Many activities were carried out over the years in the name of all the rabbis who perform marriage ceremonies that are unacceptable" to a majority of Israeli rabbis, they said. "All this without any internal dialogue between the rabbis in the organization and without a majority decision-making process," troubles them, they added.
According to the rabbis, "Red lines were recently crossed, and we can no longer remain silent. It seems the organization has begun to openly act against the … Chief Rabbinate, which is the spiritual center of the people and which rules on matters concerning all of Israel and the prominent signs of the State of Israel as a Jewish state.
"The weakening of the Chief Rabbinate's power and independence could genuinely threaten to turn the country into a country of all its citizens," they warn.
The rabbis appear to have been most angered by Tzohar's food supervision initiative, which provides kosher certificates to a variety of restaurants across Israel. The rabbis noted that this particular initiative has been "met with enthusiasm by Reform rabbis and organizations [who are] fighting against the country's Jewish identity."
In addition, the rabbis criticized the Giyur K'Halacha conversion courts, which operate outside of the Chief Rabbinate. Although the courts are not run by Tzohar, the "organization heads constitute a central component in the organization," the rabbis said.
The rabbis also spoke out against "various comments by organization heads that slander the Chief Rabbinate" in their letter.
"The use of the public legitimacy afforded to Tzohar by the wedding initiative and in the name of rabbis who perform marriage ceremonies serves to creates a false impression that there are supposedly many rabbis who stand behind processes that reflect the position of a very small minority. The conduct heretofore described constitutes in practice the background for our resignation from the organization (at various stages during recent years) out of the sense that enough is enough."
The rabbis called on Tzohar to immediately cease this conduct, which they said "constitutes public deception" and "end any activity that harms Israel's Chief Rabbinate."
In a statement, Tzohar said, "Let's first get to the facts. Many of those signatories to the letter have never performed wedding ceremonies as part of the Tzohar organization of rabbis. Others have not belonged to Tzohar for over 10 years."
"Second, while we respect everyone's views, we find it odd that in a week in which it was decided to file an indictment for suspected robbery against a senior member of the rabbinate's kashrut system, the rabbis chose to criticize those who seek to improve the kashrut system. It is strange that these rabbis are defending a kashrut system that a majority of the rabbis in Israel do not themselves trust and demand nothing but exclusivity and a monopoly for themselves. Over the last year, hundreds of restaurants and businesses that were open on Shabbat and sold treif (non-kosher food) have joined Tzohar's kashrut system and are now closed on Shabbat and [are] kosher in accordance with stringent Jewish law."
It continued: "The organization will continue to promote Jewish identity in the State of Israel in the field of marriage and kashrut and a wide variety of other fields to boost Judaism's image in Israel and beyond."
Generally speaking, Tzohar has defined its main objective as "identifying national Jewish issues and successfully evolving workable solutions in response." The group seeks to provide "accessible, contemporary, friendly, no-strings, can-do" religious services, particularly in areas where the Chief Rabbinate's stringent approach poses obstacles for Israelis who are seeking religious services.
