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Page 6 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE November 7, 1986 Cutting edge Orthodox, Reform reach accord in Baka by Edwin Black Pan oik — JERUSALEM An explosive situation was defused this week when Rabbi Eliahu Abergil, the ultra-Ortho- dox chief rabbi of Jerusalem’s Baka district, signed an accord with Israel’s Reform movement which in essence recognized Re form Judaism’s right to exits—at least in Baka. In exchange. Re form Judaism’s right to exist—at man agreed to drop criminal charges against Rabbi Abergil lodged when the chief rabbi led a violent raid against Weiman- Kellman’s Reform synagogue on Simhat Torah eve. Rabbi Abergil’s handwritten declaration condemned violence, apologized to the Reform con gregants, welcomed all Jews to Israel regardless of their “differ ent opinions,” and pledged “not to interfere” with Reform servi ces in Baka. By agreement, copies will be distributed “to every mailbox in the neighborhood.” The latest chapter in Israeli civil discord erupted suddenly on Simhat Torah as Reform Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kellman was lead ing his congregation of men and women in traditional joyous dancing with the Torah. Wei- man-Kellman’s Congregation Kol Haneshama, comprised of some 50 families, is temporarily located in the gym of the Baka commu nity center in south Jerusalem. Rabbi Abergil, Baka’s chief rabbi, an official of the Chief Rabbi nate, has long agitated against Kol Haneshama, according to congregation officials. The climax to the strife came Friday night, Oct. 24. Rabbi Abergil rallied his own ultra- Orthodox congregants in Baka to demonstrate at what he called “the whorehouse.” He then led a group of some 25 followers to Kol Haneshama for the confron Jewish Family Services, Inc. A f takes pleasure in presenting to the community The 2nd Annual Isenberg Lecture Jack Weltner, M.D. Distinguished psychiatrist, child and family therapist, and consultant to schools, clinics, and family agencies in the New England area will speak on “Children Under Siege: The Family in the 1980’s” Monday, November 17,1986 The Temple 1589 Peachtree Rd., N.E. Reception following at Jewish Family Services, Inc. 1605 Peachtree Road, N.E. 8:00 p.m. Open to the entire community For further information, call 873-2277 tation. “Abergil just suddenly in terrupted as we were dancing and demanded to speak,” recounts Rabbi Weiman-Kellman. “He called us evil, corrupt and a whore house.” Rabbi Abergil explains, “I was unaccustomed to seeing men and women dancing together, and dancing with the Torah.” At one point, “a young man tried to grab the Torah away,” remembers Rabbi Weiman-Kell man, “and when he couldn’t he and I struggled, and he let go of the Torah to kick me in the groin. I was still holding onto the Torah, to prevent it falling to the ground, while he was still kicking me in the groin.” Later, the police were summoned, and Rabbi Abergil was charged with felonious inter ference with a worship service and acts of violence. The incident might have re mained just another act of civil violence in Israel had Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu himself not commented on the affair over Israel Radio by not ing that there is “no freedom of worship” in Israel. Former Ash kenazi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren added that there might be no problem at all if "Reforms would not insist on calling themselves Jews.” And Zevulun Hammer, minister of religion, tried to dis miss the incident as “unimpor tant” because there weren’t enough Reform Jews in Israel to matter. Forces on both sides quickly began escalating their rhetoric and their determination to either persevere or obstruct future Re form services. Telegrams of con demnation of the Orthodox vio lence came in from around the world, Orthodox activists vowed to step up their campaign, and police protection was stationed around Kol Haneshama. The Dyb- byk of Israeli civil violence was about to re-appear in a new form: this time it was not religious vs. secular, but religious vs. reli gious. Baka suddenly became the new war-cry of those seeking a more democratic Israel, including the freedom to worship. Spearhead recognized.” More than simply lack of recognition, the Israeli bureaucracy, under pressure from the powerful religious factions, systematically forces Reform Jews out of Israeli life. For example, Reform congre gations—there are 19 of them countrywide—are regularly e- victed from their premises, espe- When verbalized, Orthodox intolerance can often seem repugnant. But from the Orthodox view, the Jewish people spent centuries striv ing to maintain and adhere to Judaic beliefs. To so do required perseverance over disper sion, occupation, assilimation, and extermina tion. The price was not cheap....Now the faith ful have come to the wellspring, to Israel. If it is indeed a Jewish State—even nominally, in their view—it is a disavowel of Jewish history to recast Judaism as a mere shadow of its former sense...’ ing the drive is the fledgling Israel Movement for Progressive Juda ism, the Reform movement in Israel. Five thousand members strong, their spokesman is Uri Regev, who was raised secular but who adopted the Reform denomination after visiting the United States. “Only when I saw Reform Judaism in America,” recalls Regev, “did I realized there were more than two options for a Jew: religious and secular. Among the Reform in America, I saw a vitality and intensity among chil dren and adults alike. I was im mediately drawn to it.” “All clergy in Israel are recog nized and funded,” explains Rabbi Weiman-Kellman, “including Christians and Moslem—but not Reform. We’re the only ones not daily when the property is owned by a governmental or political entity. Kol Haneshama itself was evicted from a clubhouse in Baka owned by the Labor Party, which is why it is now temporarily dom iciled in a gym. Ostracism is even directed toward children, who are often segregated in schools. The animus has even reached the Boy Scouts. Kibbutznik Matthew Sperber, 31, director of the Reform Scout movement tells of harassment even in a city as secular as Tel Aviv. “Although we are a member in good stand ing of the national scouting movement,” says Sperber, “the Tel Aviv M unicipality simply de clared we could not exist. They Continued next page. M NOW ON ATLANTATV the SHALOM SHOW We Bring the Best of Israel to You! Ric ho,d Peri., WVEU-TV—CH. 69 Sunday 6:30 a.m. ^ENTERTAINMENT • TRAVEL • DISCUSSIONS • RELIGION For local advertising information call (404) 455-1493 Shalom Show Host