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Correspondence

June 12, 1961

Letter from Haham Gaon about the Status of the Bene Israel (1961)

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Correspondence

Letter from Michael Th. Michael about the Status of Bene Israel in Israel (1961)

Dear Sir, In view of the recent article in the press about the Benei-Israel community who have emigrated to Israel, and further to our letter of 15-5-1961 in this connection, I wish to bring to your notice the following facts: Members of the Benei Israel community in Israel are, and have always been regarded as jews by both the Government of Israel and the Rabbinical Authorities, nor is there any question of their purity. Moreover, the very fact that they are enjoying the right to emigrate to Israel under the provision of Law of Return, as any other jew elsewhere, proves their unquestionable jewishness.In Israel as in many other countries marriage ceremonies of members of various communities are performed by their Religious Authorities. The Government having no jurisdiction, has no authority to decide on this matter. The Benei Israel community in Israel, as other communities, is also subjected to the Jewish Religious Authorities, as far as religious ceremonies are concerned, a fact which again proves undoubtedly their jewishness.In their country of origin there was little encouragement given to marriages between members of Benei Israel communities and other jewish communities. In fact such marriages rarely took place. This custom was imported to Israel and whilst a few Rabbis have seen fit to follow this tradition, the others have not, and for that reason marriages of Benei Israel jews with jews of other communities are performed.With the election of a new Chief Rabbinate it is hoped that the problem will be brought to its attention.I am authorised by my Government to state that there is no, there has never been, and never will be, any question of discrimination of any community in Israel.Yours sincerely,Y. Yalit(Michael Th. Michael)Consul General of Israel
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Itamar about the Chief Rabbinate's Decision on the Bene Israel (1961)

Dear Rabbi Itamar: Please excuse me for not answering earlier your communication containing the text of the Chief Rabbinate's decision concerning the Bene Israel. The information you provided was of considerable help in our deliberations here in New York. We would like to do all that is within our power to help in this situation. We are meeting shortly in order to plan our approach. However, I am personally confused by the conflicting reports that issue from Israeli journals and newspapers. Is the decision of the Rabbinate final? And if so, why have no instructions been passed on to the individual Rabbis in the country? Is there a possibility that right wing opposition will nulify the "Heter"?Furthermore, in connection with the inner-workings of the interested parties of Jerusalem, could you pass on to me some confidential information? I am particularly interested in the following: what role is being played by Tartakower? Has there been any political interference and, if so, what is its nature and intensity?I realize that these are delicate questions, but I will promise , if you so indicate in your report, I will keep the answers confidential and not disclose them to anyone except our very close circle who will similarly be interested to treat the information as completely secret. With very best wishes,Sincerely yours,Rabbi Norman LammNL:ffCC: Dr. Weiss Mr. M. Feuerstein Rabbi JungLtr sent to Dr. Weiss to copy and return
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Sassoon about the Status of the Bene Israel (1961)

Dear Rabbi Sassoon: I feel somewhat guilty in writing to you because of my neglect in doing so until now. My visit with you in London last January left a very deep impression upon me and I, by all means, should have corresponded with you instead of merely exchanging regards through various visitors and via correspondence with others. The matter about which I write to you now is quite urgent. I am sure you are in close touch with the complex developments in Israel on the Bene Israel question. The situation as it stands today is that Rabbi Nissim has announced a permissive decision, but has not yet instructed the local Rabbinate to act on the basis of this “heter.” A good part of the "right wing" of the Israeli Rabbinate has been quite articulate in opposing the decision.I spoke with Rabbi Unterman via overseas telephone this morning and he informed me that one of the key issues is the announcement made by the leaders of the Sassoon Synagogues in Bombay, reversing the old ban on intermarriage with Bene Israel and urging Iraqi Jews to welcome the Bene Israel as their brothers. It seems that simultaneous with or shortly after this proclamation, the archives of the correspondence with the Beth Din in Baghdad were burnt.In a series of articles in the Agudist newspaper in Jerusalem, Rabbi Weidenberg has pointed to this event as proof that the Baghdadi Beth Din never permitted intermarriage and that the action of the community leaders was one of open resistance to the religious authorities.Rabbi Unterman now seeks clarification of this somewhat mysterious event. His own analysis of the episode is that the community leaders of Iraqi Jewry in India were all pious and devout people and would not have done what they did without ecclesiastical approval.What is needed, therefore, is a clarification of what happened at that time. Do you have any specific information about this event? Do you think that, in any event, the community leaders would have taken the law into their own ha…
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