Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, who
appears undecided between opposition to the Reform and
working for "cooperation" with all Jews, went one step
further last week toward cooperation.
Rabbi Dr. Sacks is a long time member of the Council of
Christian and Jews. Now, Rabbi Dr. Sacks has come up with a
new idea: he would like to create a new position of
"assistant" committee member, in order to include a
representative of the Jewish "Progressives."
There are several different Reform groups in England, with
varying degrees of departure from Judaism. In Rabbi Sacks'
opinion, the "Progressives" are, evidently, the least
removed, and he would like to be mekarev them. There is
already been a pact signed between the United Synagogue and
Reform organizations. Then, as now, Rabbi Sacks explained
that this does not imply granting of legitimization to this
group, but instead, it is to prevent their complete cutoff
from Judaism.
Other observers explained, perhaps a bit tongue in cheek,
that one can say in Rabbi Sacks' favor that he believes that
Reform and Liberal representatives are fully appropriate
candidates to sit together with Christians.
