Sydney Beth Din: High Court in its sights
The four rabbis in the centre of the Sydney Beth Din contempt of court fracas will not resign according to the Jewish judicial organisation.
Rabbis Moshe Gutnick, Michael Chriqui, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman and Rabbi Eli Langer have been defended by the SBD.
The organisation stated: “The Sydney Beth Din unequivocally rejects calls for any of its members to resign from any Rabbinic positions they hold. Such calls are misguided and are based on a complete misunderstanding of the Halachic imperatives under which the Beth Din operates as well as a complete misunderstanding and indeed misrepresentation of the legal issues involved. The Beth Din is of the opinion that the source of some of these calls, and the distortions contained therein, are mischievous and the motive is simply to undermine the Beth Din and the Orthodox Rabbinate. In this and other matter,s no Rabbi should ever be expected to resign for upholding legitimate Halachic principles.
The issues of freedom of religion that are still to be resolved deserve not to be clouded by a media feeding frenzy. The Beth Din is gratified by the tremendous support it has received from many, including senior members of the Australian and Israeli Rabbinate as well as from members of the legal profession both in Australia and from Overseas.
The Beth Din has also received significant support from members of the legal profession and the Rabbinate who are urging it to take this matter to the High Court. The Beth Din and its legal advisors are still considering its options in that regard and can therefore make no detailed comment on the circumstances of this case.
The Sydney Beth Din went to the Supreme Court over a year ago when an orthodox businessman sought an injunction against threatened religious junctions being imposed upon him by the Beth Din following his refusal to appear before the Jewish court on a matter of a commercial dispute.
The Halachic framework is 100% logical, coherent, honorable and justifiable for those within the system. But for some reason it appears unjust, inconsistent and discriminatory to those outside the system. This is apparently due to the ignorance and lack of cultural sensitivity of the ‘misguided’ outsiders. Very peculiar indeed.
In this instance, the beit din is the four rabbis. There do not appear to be any other members of the beit din, in law or fact. As such, the article should reflect that the rabbanim involved defended themselves.
forgive them father for they know not what they do
ben