Avi Weiss

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Rabbi Avraham Weiss (usually known as Avi Weiss or Rav Avi) is an American Modern Orthodox rabbi who heads the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Bronx, New York. He is an author, teacher, lecturer, and activist. In addition he is founder and Dean of the "Open Orthodox" [1] Yeshiva in New York - Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.

Rav Avi was twice selected as one of the "Fifty Jewish Leaders to Watch in the Year Ahead" by the Forward newspaper (1994, 1997); and was named Rabbi of the Year for 1993-94 by the New York Board of Rabbis.

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[edit] Activism

Weiss has been one of the Jewish Orthodox community's most visible examples of activism over the last generation. He has been vocal on many issues, including emigration and absorption of Soviet Jews, clemency for Jonathan Pollard, opposing terrorism, supporting Israel, preserving holocaust memorials, and exposing anti-semitism. In 1992 he founded Amcha - the coalition for Jewish concerns, a grass-roots coalition which engages in pro-Jewish activism.[2]

He has developed close political ties with New York governors and New York City mayors. He was an official emissary of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.[3]

In 1992 he led a "truth squad" which demonstrated at David Duke and Pat Buchanan rallies, attempting to expose them as anti-semitism.

He has argued that Jonathan Pollard should receive clemency for his crimes, and organized an unprecedented full page ad which appeared in the New York Times from 570 rabbis asking for leniency on behalf of Pollard.[4] He has also served as Pollard's personal rabbi since 1987, visiting him 42 times in prison.[5] In 1989, Weiss conducted a "freedom Seder" in front of the prison in which Pollard was incarcerated. [6]

In April of 2002, Weiss organized a large pro-Israel rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.[7]

Weiss has also been active for years trying to preserve holocaust era sites in Europe. Along with Rosa Sacharin of Glasgow, Scotland, he sued the American Jewish Community in New York state court to stop the construction of a path through the Belzec extermination camp in Poland.[8] He also tried to prevent the construction of the path by suing in the Rabbinical Council of America's rabbinic court.[9] He has also protested president Ronald Reagan's visit to an Schutzstaffel cemetery in 1985, and called attention to the Carmelite convent at Auschwitz in 1989 and the continued Christianization of Nazi extermination camp sites. He was once even arrested for protesting at the Church of Birkenau.[10]

[edit] Jewish Philosophy

Weiss coined the term "Open Orthodox", and founded Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, which operates under the same model, and aspires to foster intellectual openness, expanding the role of women in Judaism while adhering to Halakha, and cultivating spirituality.[11]

R. Weiss defined “Open Orthodoxy” as six points (1) The rejection of the approach of daat torah (the idea of relying on the opinions of a small number of gedolim (major) Torah scholars for all matters, including secular and political matters) in favor of Jewish learning combined with secular studies, and rabbis and individuals making their own decisions, (2) an expansive concern for all Jews, (3) open support for the modern State of Israel (4) More expansive roles for women (5) Pluralism, (6) Public political protest and activism.

He seeks to embrace as many people as possible including the mentally challenged, elderly, poor, and those in need.

[edit] Open Orthodoxy

"Open Orthodoxy" is a new philosophy of Judaism developed by Rabbi Avi Weiss. It represents an effort to combine traditional Jewish faith in Torah mi-Sinai, the Orthodox faith in an inerrant Jewish Law revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, with openness to modern culture and society. Open Orthodoxy is characterized by its distinct philosophy of Halakha (Jewish religious law) and by its open attitude towards modern society and culture. Its approach places it in the left wing of Modern Orthodox Judaism, although still distinctly to the right of both the Union for Traditional Judaism and Conservative Judaism.

Although the degree of acceptance of the Open Orthodox philosophy within Orthodox Judaism has yet to be determined and the philosophy has engendered substantial criticism within Haredi Judaism and other philosophical positions to the right, the approach has gained substantially more practical acceptance than the Union for Traditional Judaism, a previous effort to establish a philosophical position between Conservative Judaism and centrist Modern Orthodox Judaism, which generally failed to gain large number of applicants to its rabbinical school or attract affiliated congregations. Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the approach's principle rabbinical training institution, has attracted a comparatively larger group of interested donors, students, faculty, and congregations interested in placements.

[edit] Approach to Halakha

The Open Orthodox approach holds that Jewish Law "is not blind", but has an ethical messages, and that legal interpretation must attempt discernment of that message, yet nonetheless contains Divinely-revealed, eternal truths representing strictures to which human intellect, and present-day conceptions of ethics, must yield. Weiss writes that "Halakha is a partnership" between divine, Sinaitic elements and human, non-Sinaitic elements.

The fundamental difference between Sinaitic and non-Sinaitic law, according to Maimonides, is that laws from Sinai, coming as they do directly from God, are free from controversy. There is only one view on every issue. Non-Sinaitic law, on the other hand, which is the result of rabbinic interpretation, is subject to controversy. After all, two rabbis of equal piety, intellectual ability, or stature may disagree - and both may be right.
Thus, Halakha has a degree of flexibility. While bordered by a system that is external to humankind - the God-given law, Torah mi-Sinai, to which Jews are subservient - it also contains laws derived by the rabbis, to which there may be more than one view. It follows, therefore, that Halakha is a living structure that operates within absolute guidelines, yet one which is broad enough to allow significant latitude for the posek (decisor) to take into account the individual and his or her circumstances. Simply put, within airtight parameters, Halakha is flexible.

[edit] Distinction from the Haredi Judaism

Rabbi Weiss identified six distinctions between the Open Orthodox approach and the approach of Haredi Judaism whom Weiss views as the "Orthodox Right": The world's sacredness and the role of secular learning; relations with non-Jews and non-observant Jews; redemption and the role of the State of Israel; the role of women; religious pluralism; and social action.

[edit] The Goodness of the world: the role of secular learning

The first distinction lies in the question of whether there is sanctity in the ordinary world. According to Weiss, the Orthodox Right maintain that only Torah as taught in traditional Jewish texts is sacred, and hence interest in other matters, except to the extent necessary to earn a living or contribute to specifically Jewish learning (as in learning about chemistry in order to better understand kashrut), is at best a distraction from what is important in living a Jewish life. The Open Orthodox approach holds that the world as a whole is sacred, and hence learning about the world for its own sake is not a distraction from being a fully religious Jew.

Chemistry, language, medicine, and all disciplines are potentially aspects of Torah. In the words of Rav Kook, "There is nothing unholy, there is only the holy and the not yet holy."...In a word, there is nothing devoid of God's imprint. The way one loves, the way one conducts oneself in business, the way one eats...are all no less holy than praying and fasting.

Because of the importance of multiple sources of knowledge, Rabbi Weiss stressed that adherents of the Open Orthodox approach, while revering the wisdom of rabbinic authorities, should not blindly follow them.

The Orthodox Right maintains that the views of their leaders must be followed even in non-halakhic areas. We in the Modern Orthodox camp also revere the wisdom of our great rabbinic authorities...For our community, da'at Torah means leaving medical decisions to the doctors and military strategy to the generals.

[edit] Relations with non-Jews and non-observant Jews

The second difference involves relations with non-observant Jews and non-Jews. Rabbi Weiss stated that the Open Orthodox approach emphasizes that while Jews have a special mission in life, they have the same kind of soul as everyone else. Rabbi Weiss explained that the characterization of the Torah as darkhei shalom, "paths of peace", informs the viewpoint:

[O]ur relationship to non-Jews is predicated on the principle that every human being is created in the image of God, and thus, our responsibility is to reach out to non-Jews. This is the meaning of darkhei shalom. Shalom is one of God's names. As God is merciful to all, so we must follow the ways of God (darkehi Shalom) and be merciful to all. Darkhei shalom is not a pragmatic concern based on self-interest; rather, it evinces the highest ethical standard -- the challenge to be caring to all.

Rabbi explained a similar difference in approach with respect to relations with non-observant Jews. Following the philosophy of Rav Kook, the Open Orthodox approach takes the position that outreach must emphasize a Jew's inherent, pre-existing membership in the community and personal spiritual growth and yearning entitled to inherent respect regardless of personal practice:

For the Orthodox Right, the goal of outreach is to convince those being reached to become fully observant members of the Orthodox Right. For Modern Orthodoxy the goal is not only the observance of ritual, but the stirring of Jewish consciousness, the lighting of a spiritual fire, allowing those touched to chart their own direction...Moreover, outreach in Modern Orthodoxy is based on the principle that those reaching have much to learn from those being reached...a more appropriate term would be "encounter" which describes a mutual interaction...And the term also invokes how each of us, souls ignited, become involved in a process of continuous religious striving and, in this sense, come to encounter our inner spiritual selves.

[edit] Redemption and the role of the State of Israel

The Open Orthodox philosophy holds that the establishment of the State of Israel represents a concrete stage in the redemption of the Jewish people, and the world as a whole, and hence is fraught with religious significance. It is not a matter of importance to attempt to pinpoint precisely what stage it represents or precisely where we are now. The crucial distinction is that redemption is something that comes in small steps involving human beings' own active participation, individual and communal.

The view that human beings ought to play an active role in bringing that era about is based on the principle that redemption comes kima, in small steps....As much as we yearn for redemption, this theory goes, redemption yearns for us. As much as we await the Messiah, the Messiah waits for us. As much as we search for God, God, says Abraham Joshua Heschel, searches for us.

[edit] The role of women

According to Rabbi Weiss, the open Orthodox philosophy maintains a position in between the view that women are inherently different from men, and the view that society is optimized by an egalitarianism eliminating of all elements of gender roles and identity. The approach supports women working and attaining leadership positions while maintaining distinct gender identities and a legal framework supporting and encouraging, although not requiring, women's traditional private roles as a matter of free choice.

Hence, although the primary role of women is to see to it that the private function of Jewish ritual and societal concerns are carried out, Modern Orthodoxy not only supports women's equality in the workplace, it encourages women to assume a central role in the synagogue, school, and communal setting. This is manifested through women's prayer groups, women learning on the same quantitative and qualitative level as men, and the full participation of women in the highest levels of institutional leadership. Additionally, women must be protected when they are the victims of recalcitrant spouses.

[edit] Religious pluralism

According to Rabbi Weiss, the Open Orthodox philosophy is supportive of working with Conservative and Reform institutions and leaders on common matters, despite differences in perspective.

For myself, pluralism does not mean that the respective movements agree on every issue, rather pluralism means that each movement ought to present its beliefs with conviction, while recognizing that it is not the only one caring passionately about the Torah, the land, and the people of Israel. Moreover, each movement must find a way to profess its principles without compromise, while giving dignity, respect, and love to those with whom they disagree.

[edit] Social action

Rabbi Weiss wrote that the Open Orthodox approach is open to public protest and other forms of social action as a way of helping oppressed Jewry, noting that Haredi Judaism traditionally eschews public protest in favor of quiet diplomacy.

[edit] Distinction from Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism also believes that Halakha is a partnership with divine and human elements. Weiss distinguished Orthodox Judaism, and Open Orthodoxy within it, from Conservative Judaism by emphasizing what he argued were three essential differences: faith in the Divine revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai (and a rejection of modern theories of Biblical Criticism); reliance on precedent and traditional modes of rabbinic scholarship in considering new developments; and relying on lay practices only when done by a fully observant laity. Rabbi Weiss explained in a manner critical of the Conservative approach:

Still, despite variations in style and approach, the system that we hold as holy sets us fundamentally apart from our Conservative coreligionists whose vision of the Jewish legal process is so very different in each of these three fundamental areas: Torah mi-Sinai, rabbinic interpretation, and rabbinic legislation.
The belief in Torah mi-Sinai is, for all Orthodox Jews, the foundation of faith and at the core of the halakhic process. Conservative Judaism does not subscribe to this teaching. Moreover, in the area of rabbinic law, we Orthodox - Modern and Right alike - contend that legal authority is cumulative, and that that a contemporary posek (decisor) can only issue judgments based on a full history of Jewish legal precedent. In contrast, the implicit argument of the Conservative movement is that precedent provides illustrations of possible positions rather than binding law. Conservatism, therefore, remains free to select whichever position within the prior history appeals to it. Likewise, we adhere and turn to the wisdom of the most distinguished religio-legal authorities in making Halakhic determinations. Not so the Conservatives. Truth be told, when the Conservative movement faced some of its most controversial "new halakhot", such as the ordination of women, it turned away from its own Talmudic scholars and experts in Halakha, who had almost universally rejected the reasoning on which this new practice was to be based, and who have since virtually all left the faculty of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Finally, in understanding the value of rabbinic law legislated by today's rabbis, it must be appreciated that at this juncture in our people's history in America, the Orthodox community is blessed with large numbers of ritually observant Jews. Across the spectrum of Orthodoxy, myriads of people meticulously keep Shabbat (the Sabbath), Kashrut (the Dietary Laws), Taharat ha-Mishpaha (the Laws of Family Purity)]], and pray three times a day. Thus, if a "permissive custom" is accepted, it can become binding. This is not true of Conservatism's constituency, which is generally not composed of ritually observant Jews. Thus, only in our community if a "permissive custom" is accepted, can it be meaningful.

[edit] Distinction from Union for Traditional Judaism

The approach of the Union for Traditional Judaism combines a belief in a rigorous halakhic process with an openness to a critical view of the origin of the sacred Jewish texts, including consideration of the Documentary hypothesis and other elements of modern Biblical Criticism. Rabbi David Weiss Halivni, the founder of the Union for Traditional Judaism, attempted in his books Peshat and Derash and Revelation Restored to harmonize biblical criticism with traditional religious belief by developing a concept he termed Chate'u Israel (Israel sinned), in which he stated that the biblical texts originally given to Moses have become irretrievably corrupted.

By embracing belief in Torah mi-Sinai involving faith in an unbroken chain from revelation of the Torah by God to Moses at Mount Sinai to the present day, Open Orthodoxy involves a position of theological belief, although not necessarily practice, to the right of the Union for Traditional Judaism approach.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] See also

[edit] Books

  • Weiss, Avi, Haggadah for the Yom HaShoah Seder, Jonas Pub, March 2000 ISBN 0-615-11519-5
  • Weiss, Avi, Principles of Spiritual Activism, Ktav publishers, November 2001 ISBN 0-88125-737-0
  • Weiss, Avi, Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women's Prayer Groups, Ktav publishers, January 2003 ISBN 0-88125-719-2

[edit] References

  1. ^ Weiss, Avraham Open Orthodoxy! (pdf) Judaism 46:4, Fall 1997, p. 409
  2. ^ Amcha, the Coalition for Jewish Concerns (English). Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  3. ^ Amcha, the Coalition for Jewish Concerns (English). Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  4. ^ "American Rabbis Ask Bush to Give Pollard Clemency", The Jerusalem Post, 1992-10-25. Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  5. ^ Amcha, the Coalition for Jewish Concerns (people) (English). Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  6. ^ "A Reflection Of Our Fears", The Jewish Week, 2002-06-28. Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  7. ^ Fost, Dan. "Groups Battle Media Over Perceived Bias", San Francisco Chronicle, May 2, 2002.
  8. ^ Berkofsky, Joe. "Avi Weiss rekindles battle to block camp memorial", The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California, 2003-07-25. Retrieved on 2006-06-10.
  9. ^ http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=8273
  10. ^ http://www.hir.org/amcha/Amcha4.12.02.html
  11. ^ YCT Rabbinical School - Who We Are. Retrieved on 2006-05-16.

[edit] External links

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