Modernist success for women even amongst Jews in Israel

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Assalamu alaikum

Below is an article demonstrating the Modernising of all faiths across the world - even the Jewish religion it seems - away from the Orthodox (or the present versions) to one that is in accord with contemporary modern ways, e.g. have female Rabbis instead of the previous Jewish way since the time of Prophets Abraham and Moses of male Rabbis only.

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Legal blow to Israel's Orthodox hegemony

    * Jason Koutsoukis, Jerusalem
    * May 21, 2009

ISRAEL'S High Court has ordered the state to provide equal funding to Reform and Conservative Jewish conversion institutes as it does to Orthodox Jews, a decision that could shatter the exclusive control of Israel's Orthodox rabbinate over Jewish religious affairs.

The unanimous decision, handed down on Tuesday, is the first time the court has dealt directly with the issue of equality in state funding for religious services and is seen as strengthening laws underpinning freedom of religion in Israel.

Until now, the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements - which are the largest Jewish denominations in the United States and are significant in Australia - have had no official recognition in Israel.

The Reform and Conservative movements have different rules for Jewish conversion and allow women to be ordained as rabbis.

The Reform movement's director-general, Rabbi Gilad Kariv, said Tuesday's decision was momentous, and constituted another step along the path of ending the Orthodox monopoly in Israel.

"The decision is the harbinger of a series of High Court decisions to come," Rabbi Kariv said.

The court is expected to rule soon on petitions calling on the state to pay the salaries of non-Orthodox rabbis and to allow non-Orthodox converts to use public ritual baths.

At the time of the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Orthodox rabbinate was given formal jurisdiction over Jewish religious affairs, including dietary laws, burial, marital issues, the status of Jewish immigrants and the power to decide who is or is not Jewish.

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The above articles is taken from http://www.theage.com.au/world/legal-blow-to-israels-orthodox-hegemony-20090520-bfnl.html