Thursday, March 11, 2010

ONWARD AND UPWARD WITH THE TSURIS


Here's something from the Reform Judaism Magazine, Spring 2010, page 45: "The State of Israel does not recognize the legitimacy of marriages performed by non-Orthodox rabbis."

WHAT??? WHAT did they say? Come on. Take a look at this punim. Take a look at my family tree on both sides. I'm Jewish. I'll never NOT be Jewish. It should count that I'm married to a Jewish man who has the same kind of punim and family tree. We were married by a conservative rabbi; we had a chuppah; we signed a ketubah; Jay smashed the glass on the first try; we had the shiva broches. What could possibly be added by exchanging our conservative rabbi for an orthodox one?

Good thing we have no urge to make aliyah. I wouldn't feel welcome in Israel. It's the Jewish state! I'm Jewish! (I already said that, but apparently I have to assert it again to make it stick.) This is going to be one very long diaspora. Yes, I realize that the Israeli law applies only to couples married in Israel, but I'm outraged at this pettiness, which leads to a certain amount of cynicism about tradition and laws and pronouncements. Why do I feel as if I'm an outsider? Thoughts? You are SO welcome to post them here.

3 comments:

  1. Jennifer SternMarch 12, 2010 at 5:50 AM

    You keep your traditions. You share your traditions with your family. You hope that your children, and their children and so on, will keep the Jewish traditions alive for many generations. I wont go where I am not welcome. My genealogy reports go back 11 generations of German Jews. I am Jewish. If anyone dares to tell me, challenge me that I am not, Ill send them the list of all those that perished in German. I carry their names in my heart. I might not follow the Jewish laws 100%, but I know in my heart that I am. Thank you for sharing this story and I am thrilled to have found your blog.

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  2. LeahMarch 13, 2010 at 2:51 PM

    Your quote said the state wouldn't recognize the legitimacy of your marriage. You'd still be recognized as a Jew. Orthodox Jews EVERYwhere look down on those of us who aren't. That's life. Forgive them and move on. Ah...but maybe, don't move to Israel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jim MilsteinMarch 13, 2010 at 10:15 PM

    Big deal. I too don't recognize the legitimacy of marriage.

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