Chaim Rapoport
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Chaim Rapoport is an author, lecturer and Judaic scholar. He is a member of the UK’s Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks
’ cabinet where he holds the Jewish medical ethics
portfolio. Rabbi Rapoport is a visiting professor at the Jewish Learning Exchange in London and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
Rabbinical School in New York. He has written several scholarly books and articles.
's largest synagogue
s – Higher Crumpsall Synagogue – for some 40 years. After his schooling, the young Rapoport attended the Yeshivot of Manchester, Gateshead, Torat Emet in Jerusalem and the central Lubavitch Yeshivah in New York. After receiving his Rabbinic diploma (semichah) and his marriage to Rachel Clara in 1984 he continued his studies in the States.
In 1987 Rabbi Rapoport and his wife joined the community Kollel in Melbourne, Australia, where – in addition to his post graduate studies – he officiated and lectured in several communities, including the far flung Launceston in Tasmania
.
In September 1997 Rabbi Rapoport was appointed as Rabbi to the Ilford Synagogue, Beehive Lane. He was later sacked from this position in February 2005, along with the synagogue’s Chazan Avrom Levin, which led to a storm of controversy about the United Synagogue withdrawing funding from its smaller Jewish communities. Rabbi Rapoport rarely speaks publicly about the issue, although it caused a great deal of resentment within Ilford's Jewish community who accused the United synagogue of, “insulting and degrading” Rabbi Rapoport, whilst “leaving Ilford’s community to die."
In 1998 Rabbi Rapoport was appointed as member of the Chief Rabbi’s Cabinet and Advisor to the Chief Rabbi on matters of Jewish Medical Ethics. In 2005 Rabbi Rapoport established Machon Mayim Chaim, to explore "unique approaches" to Jewish learning. He also lectures to the United Synagogue Rabbinate at the London School of Jewish Studies.
Rapoport's book The Messiah Problem: Berger, the Angel and the Scandal of Reckless Indiscrimination (Ilford 2002) is a rebuttal to Dr. David Berger
’s critique of Chabad
Lubavitch. Berger's book was titled The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference
.
Rapoport's book, Judaism and Homosexuality: An Authentic Orthodox View (Vallentine Mitchell, 2004), stakes out a position on Homosexuality and Judaism
designed "to mitigate the painful consequences of Orthodoxy's uncompromising rejection of homosexuality.". The volume explores the intersection between halakhah and homosexuality.
He is cautious about human cloning:
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
’ cabinet where he holds the Jewish medical ethics
Jewish medical ethics
Jewish medical ethics is a modern scholarly and clinical approach to medical ethics that draws upon Jewish thought and teachings. Pioneered by Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits in the 1950s, Jewish medical ethics centers mainly around an applied ethics drawing upon traditional rabbinic law...
portfolio. Rabbi Rapoport is a visiting professor at the Jewish Learning Exchange in London and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School is a "Modern Open Orthodox" yeshiva founded in 1999 by Rabbi Avi Weiss.Currently located in Riverdale, New York, it seeks to "recruit, professionally train, and place rabbis" who will promote its founder's philosophy...
Rabbinical School in New York. He has written several scholarly books and articles.
Upbringing and education
Rabbi Rapoport's father served as the Rabbi of one of ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's largest synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s – Higher Crumpsall Synagogue – for some 40 years. After his schooling, the young Rapoport attended the Yeshivot of Manchester, Gateshead, Torat Emet in Jerusalem and the central Lubavitch Yeshivah in New York. After receiving his Rabbinic diploma (semichah) and his marriage to Rachel Clara in 1984 he continued his studies in the States.
In 1987 Rabbi Rapoport and his wife joined the community Kollel in Melbourne, Australia, where – in addition to his post graduate studies – he officiated and lectured in several communities, including the far flung Launceston in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Career
In 1989, Rabbi Rapoport took up position as head of the Leeds Kollel, a position which he occupied until the end of 1994. In the years 1994 - 1997 Rabbi Rapoport served as Minister in Birmingham and the Head of the Birmingham Rabbinic Board.In September 1997 Rabbi Rapoport was appointed as Rabbi to the Ilford Synagogue, Beehive Lane. He was later sacked from this position in February 2005, along with the synagogue’s Chazan Avrom Levin, which led to a storm of controversy about the United Synagogue withdrawing funding from its smaller Jewish communities. Rabbi Rapoport rarely speaks publicly about the issue, although it caused a great deal of resentment within Ilford's Jewish community who accused the United synagogue of, “insulting and degrading” Rabbi Rapoport, whilst “leaving Ilford’s community to die."
In 1998 Rabbi Rapoport was appointed as member of the Chief Rabbi’s Cabinet and Advisor to the Chief Rabbi on matters of Jewish Medical Ethics. In 2005 Rabbi Rapoport established Machon Mayim Chaim, to explore "unique approaches" to Jewish learning. He also lectures to the United Synagogue Rabbinate at the London School of Jewish Studies.
Controversial views
Rapoport's book The Messiah Problem: Berger, the Angel and the Scandal of Reckless Indiscrimination (Ilford 2002) is a rebuttal to Dr. David Berger
David Berger
David Berger may refer to:* David Berger , deputy district attorney, Los Angeles, California* David Berger , former member of Canada's Parliament and ambassador to Israel...
’s critique of Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
Lubavitch. Berger's book was titled The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference
The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference
The Rebbe the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference is a book by Rabbi Dr. David Berger on the topic of Chabad messianism and the mainstream orthodox Jewish reaction to that trend...
.
Rapoport's book, Judaism and Homosexuality: An Authentic Orthodox View (Vallentine Mitchell, 2004), stakes out a position on Homosexuality and Judaism
Homosexuality and Judaism
The subject of homosexuality in Judaism dates back to the Torah, in the books of Bereshit and Vayiqra. Bereshit treats the destruction of the cities of Sedom and Amorrah by God...
designed "to mitigate the painful consequences of Orthodoxy's uncompromising rejection of homosexuality.". The volume explores the intersection between halakhah and homosexuality.
He is cautious about human cloning:
However, there was an "equally challenging responsibility" to avoid the temptation to follow paths that could "wreak havoc for mankind," continued Rapoport, a member of the UK chief rabbi's cabinet, and responsible for medical ethics.
He warned of the risks of ending up with a disproportionate number of clones of a particular gender, or an imbalance in the distribution of attributes and talents. Cloned humans also could suffer physical, psychological and sociological damage, he added.
Finally, Rapoport said, Jewish law had never been comfortable with fertility techniques involving "different men and women who do not themselves represent organic family nuclei."
Works
- Judaism and Homosexuality: An Authentic Orthodox View" (Vallentine Mitchell, 2004)
- The Messiah Problem: Berger, the Angel and the Scandal of Reckless Indiscrimination (Ilford 2002)
- The Afterlife of Scholarship: A Critical Review of 'The Rebbe' by Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman (Oporto Press, 2011) ISBN 978-0-615-53897-6