Long Island Board of Rabbis
Encyclopedia
The Long Island Board of Rabbis is an organization of Conservative, Orthodox
, Reform
, and Reconstructionist
rabbi
s on Long Island, New York. Its headquarters are located in Deer Park, New York
.
As of 1988, the Board represented nearly 300 rabbis. They, in turn, served an estimated 700,000 Jews on Long Island.
. Issues that it has focused on have included anti-Semitic incidents on Long Island, the Holocaust, taxation of houses of worship on Long Island, domestic violence
, drug abuse, and anti-Black racism.
presented awards to Rabbi Louis Stein of the Board and three other Long Island religious leaders (Bishop John R. McGann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
, Rev. Jack Alford of the Long Island Council of Churches, and Rev. Lawrence McCoom of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island) in recognition of their jointly issuing a policy statement affirming the need to study the Holocaust in schools. In 1987, the Board invited Palestinian speakers to address the Board.
In 1988, some Orthodox Jews in Israel were seeking to change Israel's Law of Return
so that only converts who had been converted to Judaism by Orthodox rabbis would be entitled automatically to Israeli citizenship. Rabbi Esor Ben-Sorek wrote a letter, as President of the Board, to Israeli leaders urging them "to use your good offices to prevent any changes in the status quo regarding the definition of `Who is a Jew' or `Who is a Rabbi.'" While he signed the letter as President of the Board, he said the letter only reflected his personal views. The Board reacted by issuing a statement, saying that it had voted:
In 2001, Charles O'Shea, a Nassau County
assessor, began to enforce an 1896 New York State law requiring that special tax assessments be paid on homes bought by synagogues and churches for their rabbis and ministers. At the same time, New York State law provided houses of worship with a tax exemption on property used for religious purposes. Board President Rabbi Ronald Androphy (East Meadow Jewish Center
) observed:
In April 2007, 59-year-old President of the Long Island Board of Rabbis Moses Birnbaum, who had never before been arrested, was arrested and taken to central booking along with 21 other rabbis for taking part in a sit-in
opposite the United Nations
. They were demanding that Iran be ousted from the UN for saying Israel should be “wiped off the face of the earth”, and repeatedly threatening Israel.
Jewish Center), Tobias Rothenberg (Huntington
Jewish Center), Esor Ben-Sorek, Arthur Schwartz, Philip S. Krohn, Paul Kushner (Congregation Shaarei Shalom), Stuart Geller (Temple Emanuel
in Lynbrook
), Bruce Ginsburg (Congregation Sons of Israel), Alan F. Lavin (Temple Hillel of North Woodmere), Ronald L. Androphy (East Meadow Jewish Center), and Moshe A. Birnbaum (Plainview Jewish Center).
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, Reform
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
, and Reconstructionist
Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of Mordecai Kaplan . The movement views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. It originated as a branch of Conservative Judaism, before it splintered...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s on Long Island, New York. Its headquarters are located in Deer Park, New York
Deer Park, New York
Deer Park is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 27,745 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
As of 1988, the Board represented nearly 300 rabbis. They, in turn, served an estimated 700,000 Jews on Long Island.
Issues
The Board has issued resolutions and policy statements from time to time on various issues. At times it has done so by itself, and in other instances it has done so jointly with other organizations, including the Long Island Council of Churches, and the Commission on Christian-Jewish Relations of the Episcopal Diocese of Long IslandEpiscopal Diocese of Long Island
The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the counties of Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk, which comprise Long Island, New York...
. Issues that it has focused on have included anti-Semitic incidents on Long Island, the Holocaust, taxation of houses of worship on Long Island, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, drug abuse, and anti-Black racism.
History
In 1981, Nassau CountyNassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
presented awards to Rabbi Louis Stein of the Board and three other Long Island religious leaders (Bishop John R. McGann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre comprises the territory of Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state, USA. Founded in 1957, this diocese was created from territory that once belonged to the Diocese of Brooklyn...
, Rev. Jack Alford of the Long Island Council of Churches, and Rev. Lawrence McCoom of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island) in recognition of their jointly issuing a policy statement affirming the need to study the Holocaust in schools. In 1987, the Board invited Palestinian speakers to address the Board.
In 1988, some Orthodox Jews in Israel were seeking to change Israel's Law of Return
Law of Return
The Law of Return is Israeli legislation, passed on 5 July 1950, that gives Jews the right of return and settlement in Israel and gain citizenship...
so that only converts who had been converted to Judaism by Orthodox rabbis would be entitled automatically to Israeli citizenship. Rabbi Esor Ben-Sorek wrote a letter, as President of the Board, to Israeli leaders urging them "to use your good offices to prevent any changes in the status quo regarding the definition of `Who is a Jew' or `Who is a Rabbi.'" While he signed the letter as President of the Board, he said the letter only reflected his personal views. The Board reacted by issuing a statement, saying that it had voted:
to disassociate itself from recent statements about Israel by its president, Rabbi Esor [Ben-Sorek] ... While each rabbi harbors his and her own personal feeling regarding the Law of Return, it is the consensus that the Long Island Board of Rabbis supports Israel unequivocally, and calls upon congregants to continue their strong support emotionally, financially, and with visitations to Israel.
In 2001, Charles O'Shea, a Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
assessor, began to enforce an 1896 New York State law requiring that special tax assessments be paid on homes bought by synagogues and churches for their rabbis and ministers. At the same time, New York State law provided houses of worship with a tax exemption on property used for religious purposes. Board President Rabbi Ronald Androphy (East Meadow Jewish Center
East Meadow Jewish Center
East Meadow Jewish Center is a Conservative Jewish synagogue located in East Meadow, New York.-Early history:Ground-breaking ceremonies for the synagogue took place on February 27, 1956. EMJC began with 115 founding members. Harry W...
) observed:
There is a long history in this country of a separation of church and stateSeparation of church and stateThe concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
, and the exemption of religious property from taxes. I think it's a dangerous precedent to set, because if the government can assess taxes for one purpose, what is to prevent it from assessing taxes on church and synagogue property in general? My great fear is that down the line governments might assume that the right to tax gives them the right to regulate. That would be an extremely dangerous breakdown of the separation of church and state.
In April 2007, 59-year-old President of the Long Island Board of Rabbis Moses Birnbaum, who had never before been arrested, was arrested and taken to central booking along with 21 other rabbis for taking part in a sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
opposite the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. They were demanding that Iran be ousted from the UN for saying Israel should be “wiped off the face of the earth”, and repeatedly threatening Israel.
Leadership
Past Presidents of the Board include Rabbis Simon Resnikoff, Julius Goldberg (PlainviewPlainview, New York
Plainview is a hamlet located on Long Island in the town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, USA. The population of the CDP as of 2010 was 26,217. The Plainview post office has the ZIP code 11803....
Jewish Center), Tobias Rothenberg (Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
Jewish Center), Esor Ben-Sorek, Arthur Schwartz, Philip S. Krohn, Paul Kushner (Congregation Shaarei Shalom), Stuart Geller (Temple Emanuel
Temple Emanuel
Temple Emanuel, founded in 1889, is the only Reform Jewish congregation in Roanoke, Virginia or the surrounding area. The name, Emanuel, is Hebrew for "God is with us" and is a name shared by over 60 other Reform congregations in the US, including Temple Emanu-El, the first Reform congregation in...
in Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
), Bruce Ginsburg (Congregation Sons of Israel), Alan F. Lavin (Temple Hillel of North Woodmere), Ronald L. Androphy (East Meadow Jewish Center), and Moshe A. Birnbaum (Plainview Jewish Center).