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...'ayin l'Ttziyon tzofee'ya... u'bochiya (The eye yearns for Tzion, and cries. A pun on a verse from Hatikava, Israel's National Anthem)

A Jew who lost his son in one of Israel's wars was tossed off the podium at a remembrance service for fallen soldiers, and prevented from leading the assemblage in the Kel Molay. Why? Because he is a reform rabbi. Also, a big stink was made about whether or not he should be called "Rabbi."

Can we please reason together? This wasn't a religious event. It was a community memorial. The man's role wasn't religious. His role was grieving father. Why did the right politicize the ceremony and chase this man away? Is it their position that only the sufficiently Orthodox are entitled to mourn publicly?

Side point: This whole silly refusal to use the word Rabbi to refer to reform clergy is tiresome. They want to be called Rabbi? Let them be called rabbi. What does it cost? What do you lose? Affording someone a bit of dignity and addressing him in the way he wishes to be addressed isn't to agree with everything the man represents. Osteopathy isn't medicine -it is the very opposite - but I'll call an osteopath "doctor." Wouldn't you? Same thing here. (Note: I don't use the word Rabbi for Reform Rabbis on this blog, but I don't use the word Rabbi for anyone, almost. This is a different, unrelated issue.)