by Rabbi Noah Gradofsky
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.
In his Jewish Week op-ed, “‘Orthodox’ Is Not A Trademark Of The OU,” Noah Gradofsky argues that the Orthodox Union should include the “Open Orthodox” camp within its organization, and further that Open Orthodoxy has a legitimate claim on the term “Orthodox.” The full article can be read here.
I am only tangentially invested in this debate, since I prefer my affiliation with the Union for Traditional Judaism and am more concerned with following halachah [Jewish law] than with earning the label “Orthodox.” However, since for many “Orthodox” is synonymous with “authentic,” this struggle will have serious implications for the future of halachic Judaism. I believe the OU should define its standards of membership as broadly as possible. More importantly, everyone should accept the possibility that different interpretations of halachah can be equally authentically Orthodox, as can be demonstrated by reviewing several of the halachic flashpoints in Orthodoxy.
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Ordained by the UTJ’s Institute of Traditional Judaism in 2004, Rabbi Noah Gradofsky has remained a steadfast member, serving for years as a member of the UTJ Executive Board, the board of Morashah - UTJ's rabbinic fellowship - and as chairman of the UTJ conference committee.
Rabbi Gradofsky served as a full-time rabbi at Temple Israel in Long Beach, NY, for 6 years and has since served a number of synagogues on a contract basis. He is also a full-time practicing attorney.
Rabbi Gradofsky is also a moderator of the UTJ Facebook group, and he is a prolific writer on Jewish law and sociological topics affecting the religious Jewish community. Among his essays and writings are:
To learn more about Rabbi Gradofsky and access any essays not yet included in Viewpoints, go to: www.e-ark.net
Rabbi Gradofsky is married to Dr. Melissa Klapper and lives in the Philadelphia area.