The State of Georgia's Kosher Food Labeling Act mandates that any food labeled kosher in that state must be certified to be in accordance with "orthodox Hebrew religious rules and requirements."
Which isn't a problem, unless you're a Reform or Conservative or other, non-Orthodox Jew in Georgia.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Kosher Food Labeling Act. By mandating that any food sold as kosher in the state of Georgia must meet the "Orthodox Hebrew religious rules and requirements," the challenged statute delegitimizes alternative interpretations of kosher adhered to in other Jewish communities.
The lawsuit was filed in Fulton County Superior Court on behalf of Shalom Lewis, rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim in Cobb County who, as a conservative Jew, is unable to fulfill his rabbinical duties to supervise food establishments because his theological interpretation of the kosher laws differs from that of Orthodox Judaism.
"Having the state choose which rabbis are 'legitimate' and which are not puts many rabbis in a precarious position," said Debbie Seagraves, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia. "Congregations rely on their rabbis to provide the kind of religious guidance that this state law prohibits them from providing, unless they are Orthodox. The state of Georgia should not hold the power to define who is 'official' Jewish clergy. That is clearly a matter of faith, not the proper role of government."
According to the ACLU's lawsuit, the Kosher Food Labeling Act violates the religious liberty guarantees of both the U.S. and Georgia Constitutions by endorsing only "Orthodox Hebrew religious rules and requirements" and criminalizing the practices of the many people across the state who, while seeking kosher products, subscribe to interpretations of kosher that differ from those of Orthodox Jews.
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A Short Snap Shot of Rabbi Arthur Segal
 Click to Order | THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge |
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 Click to Order | A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge |
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(001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal
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In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality.
- Price : $19.99
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(002) A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud
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A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us.
- Price : $24.99
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(003) Tzadakkah Bundle
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The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal and A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud. Purchase both books as a set, and I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to the tzadakkah of your choice. -- Rabbi Segal
- Price : $44.98
