Q&A: An Alternative to the Chief Rabbinate
An Alternative to the Chief Rabbinate
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi!
How are you in such a nice month of Tammuz?
I was thinking about this literally today—what is the alternative to the Chief Rabbinate?
It’s clear to everyone that it’s a harmful institution, but what’s the solution for the day after?
If you take the main things it is responsible for—kashrut, marriage, divorce, ordination, etc.—and open them up to competition, so that anyone who wants can set up their own supervised body, wouldn’t it end up being the same thing?
I don’t think this is a topic worth a column, so use your judgment—but if you have any nice alternatives to suggest, I’d be happy to hear them.
Hooray!nbsp;
Thank you for your time
Answer
For everyone? Apparently not. The fact is, it’s still here.
There is no need at all for a central institution. What’s needed is a regulator, like in any other field.
Discussion on Answer
I don’t know. There are problems and nepotism in every selection process.
Ha, right.
What does the Rabbi think about that regulatory body being chosen by a body made up of city/neighborhood rabbis, who would be chosen by neighborhood rabbis who would in turn be chosen by the neighborhood residents, and so on?
I also think one rabbi should stand at its head.
That’s it, enough utopia for today.
Just thinking about the politics there would be around zoning.