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NEW YORK - (tTA) - The
transformation of as in
dividual’* aoa through surgery is
forbidden by Jewish Religious
Lear, accorabg to • Yeshiv*
University authority On the
Talmud. . ' ‘ ■ ’
Rabbi J. David Bloieh,
professor of Talmud at the un
iversity’s Rabin Isaac Elehanan
Theological Seminary and at
Stern College for Women, made
that assertion in a new book,
Contemporary Halakkie
Problems. The book is described
as analysing modern social,
political, technological and
moral problems from the
perspective of Jewish law.
He declared that there are
about 10,000 transsexuals in the
United States, persons born with
the anatomy of one sex but who
have an identification with the
other sex. He said it was es
timated that some 1,500 trans
sexuals have changed their sex
by surgical means.
Dr. Bleich cited Leviticus
22:24 in support of his conten
tion: “And that which is mauled
or crushed or torn or cut you
shall not offer to the Lord, nor
should you do this in your land.”
He declared this wsa an explicit
biblical prohibition of sex-
change operations.
He also noted arguments by
rabbinic scholars who intei
Tennis star Renee Richards,
nee Richard Raaldnd, is a no-
no.
as referring to any action uni
quely identified with the op
posite sex, the commandment:
“A woman shall not wear that
which pertains to a man, nor
shall a man put on a woman’s
garment.” (Deuteronomy 22:3).
Dr. Bleich added that once a
sexual transformation has taken
place, a host of practical
halachic questions arise, hinging
on “the crucial conceptual
problem of whether or not a
change of sex has indeed oc
curred from the point of view” of
Jewish Law. He cited as the
most obvious questions those in
Aliya from Britain
to Israel on rise
by Maurice Samualaon
LONDON, (JTA) - A sharp
rise in immigration to Israel
from Britain is revealed in the
latest statistics published by the
Jewish Agency’s Aliya and Ab
sorption Department in London.
In the first seven months of
this year, 436 people went to set
tle in Israel, compared with 277
.in the same period of last year, a
rise of 65 percent. The increase
would have been even higher if it
had included the 150 people go
ing on aliya this month, the most
for August since 1970. Moshe
Yotvat, the Aliya department’s
director, has no simple explana
tion for this significant increase,
which coincides with the end of
his own two-year tour of duty
here.
He noted, however, thst there
has been a "complete change of
atiposphere” towards aliya in
the organised Jewish communi
ty. In a briefing in Israel before
his appointment he had been
warned that Aliya was “a dirty
word” in Britain. Now, however,
the aliya department was deal
ing with 3,000 to 4,000 serious in
quiries a year.
The new atmosphere was also
reflected in the community’s es
tablishment of an umbrella
organisation, the National Aliya
and Volunteer Council, which
will have responsibility for all
aspects of promoting aliya from
Britain. The new body, headed
by Eric Moonan, MP, and MP
Trevor Chinn, grew out of a
“Solidarity for IsraeP* con
ference last year. The Board of
Deputies of British Jews, the
community's representative
council, is associated with it, as
are many other organisations.
Among the 112 immigrants in
July there is a wide range of
professions and occupations.
Teachers, of whom there were
12, were the main group. In
dividuals included an oil rig
steward, a telex operator, a
physiotherapist and a college ex
ecutive. Most were also in what
Yotvat called good age groups —
between 18 and 49. There were
39 under 18 and only 11 aged
over 50.
This was Yotvat’s first civilian
job since retiring from the Israel
army as a Brigade Commander.
He is to be replaced here next
month by Hannan Haniel, a
lawyer, who previously served
as an aliya emissary in the
United States.
“Soutt
of France”
A Country French Restaurant
and
Sidewalk Cafs Time*
Loach 11:31 a.m.-2:M pan.
DWt 8:30-11:30 p.m.
Breakfast til closhag
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volving marriage, divorce and
the performance of religious
obligations.
He also declared that while
Judaism does not sanction sur-
gieal reversion of sex, -trans
sexual!am is considered a dis
order "which should receive the
fullest measure of medical and
psychiatric treatment consistent
with Halacha.”
He asserted that trans-sexuals
should be encouraged "to un
dergo treatment to correct en
docrine imbalance, where
medically indicated, and to seek
peychiatrie guidance to alleviate
the grave emotional problems
which are frequently associated
with this tragic condition.”
Dr Bleich also commented on
“the uniquely American
phenomenon of changing
neighborhoods” which he allied
“of utmost significance” to
Jewish communal life. He
asserted that "at least a portion
of the responsibility for the
malaise of American Jewish
life” is due to this mobility.
He reported that for decades,
rabbinic authorities, in company
with lay leaders of the Jewish
community, simply reacted in
helpless grief to what appeared
to be an irreversible sociological
trend.
More recently, he aseerted, a
significant attempt has been
made to stop migration from
Jewish neighborhoods by
demonstratiiv that such action
is undesirable not only on the
basis of soda) considerations but
also often involves violation of
halachic precepts.
He cited various rabbinic
positions on the issue.
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