Friday, December 16, 2005

Distress at the Jewish Press

New York's The Jewish Press is distressed.

Following up on the Tendler Affair (now, whether there was an "affair" or "affairs" or not, I don't know. I just used the word in its neutral sense), it is reporting that:

The Jerusalem Bet Din ruling [basically nullifying the RCA decision to boot Rabbi Tendler] has reportedly had a ripple effect in Chicago because of the involvement of Rabbi Gedaliah Dov Schwartz in both the RCA and the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

Rabbi Schwartz, who sat on the panel that expelled Rabbi Tendler from the RCA and who was named as a defendant in the case Rabbi Tendler brought to the Jerusalem Bet Din, serves as the av bet din of both the RCA-affiliated Beth Din of America and of the Chicago Rabbinical Council`s bet din. He also heads the CRC`s kashrut supervision. Sources say several companies have indicated they are reconsidering the CRC supervision in light of the Jerusalem Bet Din ruling.


Now, I don't know whether this was the intended effect, but from protecting Rabbi Tendler, the paper is now trying to bring down Rabbi Schwartz, persoanlly and paransa-wise. This is a bit disturbing.

Living in Israel, I know little about this whole business. But I wish to ask, if the JP is tackling Chicagoan Schwartz, why are they supporting the decision to deliberate the case davka in Jerusalem, far-away from all the action?

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