7/16/2015

My Writings on Religion and State

I've been getting a lot of questions about my views on religion and state in Israel since this past Saturday night, when Israel's Channel 2 News interviewed me for a story on Orthodox rabbis who officiate at weddings not under Rabbanut auspices (and TOI followed up with an article that makes it look far riskier than it is). I've also been asked to write a manifesto of sorts on my religion-state views; someone's even talking about a book project.
Either way, here is a list of articles and blog posts that I've written on the subject over the past 8-9 years for various outlets. Meanwhile, I'll get working on that manifsto:

Jewish Review of Books
Why I defy the Israeli Chief Rabbinate
https://jewishreviewofbooks.com/articles/1917/why-i-defy-the-israeli-chief-rabbinate/

Halakha and State: An Exchange
https://jewishreviewofbooks.com/articles/2056/halakha-and-state-an-exchange/

Mida
The Riskin Opportunity for Religious Privatization
http://mida.org.il/2015/06/25/the-riskin-opportunity-for-religious-privatization/

(Hebrew version)

The Myth of the Conversion Crisis
http://mida.org.il/2015/05/22/there-is-no-conversion-crisis/

Why Rabbi Goren Matters: The Legacy of the Langers
http://mida.org.il/2015/02/06/rav-goren-matters-legacy-langers/

Elazar Stern's Conversion Bill: Bad for Religion, Bad for the State, Bad at Math
http://mida.org.il/2014/04/07/elazar-sterns-jewish-conversion-bill-bad-for-the-state-bad-for-religion-bad-at-math/

(Hebrew version)

Moment
The Israeli Rabbinate: The Origin Story
http://www.momentmag.com/opinion-the-israeli-rabbinate-the-origin-story/

Jerusalem Post
Got Kosher Milk?
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Got-kosher-milk

Jewish Ideas Daily
Love, Marriage, and the Israeli Chief Rabbinate
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/1012/features/love-marriage-and-the-israeli-rabbinate/

Tal Tales
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/4619/features/tal-tales/

Yair Lapid's Religion
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/5979/features/yair-lapids-religion/

New York Jewish Week
God's Gatekeepers: Signs of Progress?
http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/opinion/gods-gatekeepers-signs-progress

Does the US now have a Chief Rabbinate?
http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/opinion/does-us-now-have-chief-rabbinate

Regime Change, Realpolitik, and the Rabbanut
http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/opinion/regime-change-realpolitik-and-rabbanut

Middle Class Rising? (not about religion and state per se, but touches on it)
http://www.thejewishweek.com/special-sections/israel-now/middle-class-rising

Not all Orthodox Rabbis Oppose Civil Marriage in Israel
http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/opinion/not-all-orthodox-rabbis-oppose-civil-marriage-israel

A Gaon in Every Sense (an obit for Rav Ovadia)
http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/israel-news/gaon-every-sense

Intermountain Jewish News (cross-posted to TOI)
A Jewish Holiday and a Civic Dilemma
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-jewish-holiday-and-a-civic-dilemma/

Book Chapter

TOI Blog Posts
Why Israelis don't Realize that Martin Luther King Jr. was Religious
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/why-israelis-have-trouble-realizing-that-mlk-was-religious/

Same-sex Unions and Intermarriage: Against as a Jew, For as a Citizen
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/same-sex-unions-and-intermarriage-against-as-a-jew-for-as-a-citizen/

An Ironic Observation on Freedom of Religion at Israel's Holiest Site
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-ironic-observation-on-freedom-of-religion-at-judaisms-holiest-site/

Personal Blog Posts

On Tzohar Rabbis Accepting Pay to Officiate Weddings
http://adderabbi.blogspot.co.il/2009/07/on-tzohar-rabbis-accepting-pay-for.html

Conversion Collision Course
http://adderabbi.blogspot.co.il/2007/10/conversion-collision-course.html