A decision of the Beth Din (rabbinical court) that no Orthodox rabbi should attend any communal function also attended by a Reform rabbi threatened today to unleash a inter-religious war in the South African Jewish community.
The ruling followed an Orthodox-Reform press controversy which began shortly after Rabbi Ahron Opher, formerly of Chicago, took office several months ago as Chief Minister of the Johannesburg United Progressive Jewish Congregation. Rabbi Opher’s statements about the classical Reform attitudes of opposition to the Jewish dietary laws, skullcaps and related Orthodox sanctities sparked Orthodox charges that Reform was undermining Judaism.
At a meeting of the South African Jewish Deputies, Chairman Teddy Schneider appealed to both religious groups for moderation and avoidance of a communal schism. A similar appeal was made by Sidney Walt, chairman of the Cape Jewish Deputies Council, at a Capetown meeting.
Despite these appeals, the Johannesburg Beth Din issued its decision and sent a delegation to Capetown in an effort to persuade Chief Rabbi Abrahams and the Capetown Beth Din to follow suit. The mission reportedly was successful. The Jewish Deputies Board was exerting efforts to resolve the deadlock and avoid a rupture of South African religious Jewry into two opposing communities.
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