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Here Is The Chief Rabbinate’s ‘Blacklist’ Of 160 American Rabbis

(JTA) — The Israeli Chief Rabbinate has a list of some 160 rabbis it does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants.

To get married in Israel, immigrants must prove they are Jewish to the Chief Rabbinate, often via a letter by a congregational rabbi attesting to the immigrant’s Jewish identity. This list comprises rabbis whose letters were rejected during 2016. Rabbis from 24 different countries appear on the list, which includes several prominent American Orthodox leaders.

The PDF of the full document, in Hebrew, can be viewed below. In addition, JTA has transcribed the list of 65 United States rabbis into English, and has listed the 59 verifiable names below in alphabetical order, along with denomination.

JTA obtained the list from Itim, an organization that guides Israelis through the country’s religious bureaucracy, which has called the list a “blacklist.” JTA’s publication of this list should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Below is the list of United States rabbis, in  alphabetical order by first name. Several of the rabbis have died, but may have written letters attesting to congregants’ Jewish identity while still alive.

  • Alberto Zeilicovich, Conservative
    Alexander Davis, Conservative
    Alfredo Winter, Conservative
    Amos Miller, Conservative
    Arthur Rulnick, Conservative
    Arthur Weiner, Conservative
    Arthur Zuckerman, Conservative
    Barry Dolinger, Orthodox
    Baruch Goodman, Orthodox
    Bernard Gerson, Conservative
    Dan Ornstein, Conservative
    Daniel Kraus, Orthodox
    David Rosen, Orthodox
    David Wortman, Reform
    David Zaslow, Renewal
    Eli Kogan, Orthodox
    Eliezer Hirsch, Orthodox
    George Nudell, Conservative
    Gerald Serotta, Reform
    Gil Steinlauf, Conservative
    Harold Berman, Conservative
    Irwin Groner, Conservative
    Isaac Lehrer, Conservative
    Jacob Max, Orthodox
    Jason Herman, Orthodox
    Jay Rosenbaum, Reform
    Joseph Potasnik, Orthodox
    Joseph Radinsky, Orthodox
    Josh Blass, Orthodox
    Joshua Skoff, Conservative
    Ken Carr, Reform
    Kenneth Roseman, Reform
    Leonard Gordon, Conservative
    Leonid Feldman, Conservative
    Marcelo Bronstein, Conservative
    Mario Karpuj, Conservative
    Melvin Sirner, Conservative
    Michael Pont, Conservative
    Michael Siegel, Conservative
    Morris Allen, Conservative
    Paul Plotkin, Conservative
    Paul Schneider, Conservative
    Paul Yedwab, Reform
    Peter Grumbacher, Reform
    Pinchas Chatzinoff, Orthodox
    Sam Fraint, Conservative
    Seth Adelson, Conservative
    Seymour Siegel, Conservative
    Shay Mintz, Orthodox
    Shimon Paskow, Conservative
    Shimon Russel, Orthodox
    Stephen Denker, Reform
    Stephen Goodman, Reform
    Stephen Mason, Reform
    Stephen Steindel, Conservative
    Steve Schwartz, Conservative
    Yaakov Kalmanofsky, Conservative
    Yaier Lehrer, Conservative
    Yehoshua Fass, Orthodox

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