We should all be as Orthodox as Rabbi Avi Weiss

I know I said I didn’t want to spend time on this issue, but what is a blog for if not to put out some of things I am thinking, saying, or writing? Here is the email Rabbi Haskel Lookstein and I sent to the KJ community entitled “We should all be as Orthodox as Rabbi Avi Weiss.” It is basically the same as my previous post, but here you go:

Dear KJ Family,

Recently, there has been a lot of press about the Israeli Chief Rabbinate's questioning the status of Rabbi Avi Weiss as an Orthodox Rabbi and his reliability as a validator of someone's Jewish identity.  You can read about the issue here and see statements in support of Rav Avi here. 

It is unfortunate that time and energy are being spent on an issue that generates more heat than light.  We will only say one thing (that shouldn't need to be said): Rabbi Avi Weiss is an Orthodox rabbi, a great Jewish leader, and a very special mensch.  If all Orthodox rabbis were like him, we wouldn't be wasting time on an issue like this. We don't agree with everything he does, nor do we expect him to agree with everything we do. To question his commitment and reliability as a rav, however, is a new low.

There are real issues that require our attention.  We can all identify something more important on which to spend our time and energy.  Let's do so.

Haskel Lookstein           Elie Weinstock