3. to encourage a creative and consistent cultivation of involvements in the Jewish community and synagogue. (CCAR Yearbook, vol. 33,p. 97)
These resolutions clearly state the position of the Reform rabbinate in this matter. They reflect only the latest steps in the long struggle against mixed marriage which began in Biblical times. The Responsa Committee has written a long responsum on this subject.
If we consider a“Messianic Jew” as an apostate Jew, what would his status be for us? Judaism has always considered those who left us as sinners. but still as Jews . They could always return to Judaism through feshuvah and the exact response of Judaism depended very much on the conditions of the time. Hai Gaon (as quoted by Adret, Responsa VII,#292) felt that an apostate could not be considered as a Jew. Centuries later the rabbis of the Mediterranean lands had to face the problems of the Marranos(anusim). Their attitude differed greatly and may be summarized under five headings:(1) Apostates are Jews who sinned but, nevertheless, are considered Jewish (Isaac bar Sheshet: Simon ben Zemah of Duran but on some occasions he did not grant this status, Solomon ben Simon Duran ; Zemah ben Solomon).(2) The apostates are considered Jewish only in matters of matrimony(and so their offspring are Jewish ), but not in any other area(Samuel de Medina).(3) Marranos(anusim) are considered nonJews in every respect, including matters of marriage; their children are not considered to be Jews (Judah Berab, Jacob Berab , Moses ben Elias Kapsali, etc.).(4) An apostate is worse than a Gentile(ben Veniste, Mercado ben Abraham)(5) Descendants of the Marranos who have been baptized are like Jewish children who have been taken captive by non-Jews and their children are Jewish (Samuel ben Abraham Aboab). All of these references and excerpts from the
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