Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
Rabbi Alan Yuter’s Jerusalem Post article discusses how far one can bend Jewish tradition . . . and who is doing the bending.
Haredi Orthodoxy is grounded upon Jewish law, as well as a studied counter-cultural parochialism that finds religious virtue in being extra strict and socially “other.” ” Its religious narrative valorizes the traditions, memories, and good old days and folkways of Eastern Europe. . . . For modern Orthodoxy, God gave a Torah at Sinai, not a lifestyle. Since the Torah does not condemn modernity, modern Orthodoxy has chosen to embrace it. Consequently, modern Orthodoxy’s approach to conversion is also more flexible and open. Its agenda is determined by the plain sense understanding of Judaism’s sacred library. Is this flexibility a breach or an application of tradition? Which of these two Orthodoxies is more authentic, based upon the Oral Torah benchmark tradition?
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Educated and first ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rabbi Alan J. Yuter earned additional ordinations from Yeshiva University, supervised by Rav Moshe D. Tendler, and the Israeli Chief Rav Mordecai Eliahu. He further received Yadin Yadin from Rav David Weiss Halivni and earned a PhD in modern Hebrew Literature from New York University.
A founding member of the UTJ, Rabbi Yuter served as a faculty member at the UTJ’s rabbinical school and has held multiple pulpits, including extended stints in Springfield, NJ, and Baltimore, MD.
Rabbi Yuter is a prolific writer on ritual and philosophical issues, underpinnings of halakha, Biblical criticism, and much more. His essays can be found on UTJ’s Viewpoints . He is also a frequent contributor for The Institute of Jewish Ideas and Ideals.
In addition to his activities with the UTJ, Rabbi Yuter teaches at Torat Reva in Jerusalem and is associated with the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding, affiliated with Ohr Torah Stone in Efrat.
Rabbi Yuter and his wife Linda reside in Israel.