Olympic Soap Opera Israeli Style

[nsacpi]

JERUSALEM — When gymnast Artem Dolgopyat stepped off the podium as only the second Israeli to win an Olympic gold medal, he triggered one of Israel’s many cultural tripwires: It quickly emerged that the country’s newest sports hero is banned from marrying his fiancee here because he is not considered Jewish enough by the rabbis who control Israel’s marriage law.

Immediately after Dolgopyat took top honors in the men’s floor exercise, his mother took the chance to complain that Israeli religious law is keeping her engaged 24-year-old son from tying the knot because only his father’s side of the family is Jewish.

Marriage law is tightly controlled by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate. And for generations, couples who are of mixed religions, or who are atheists, gay or inadequately Jewish, have been forced to marry outside the country.

Dolgopyat’s training schedule has made that impossible, said his mother, Angela Bilan.

“I want grandchildren,” Bilan said Sunday in an interview with Israeli radio.

Dolgopyat himself told reporters he wanted to focus on his victory, not the controversy, leading some commentators to speculate that rushing to the altar is more his mother’s cause than his own.

His fiancee, Maria Seikovitch, said Monday that the couple became engaged last year, as she displayed her engagement ring to TV cameras.

Since her son’s Olympic triumph, Bilan’s maternal gold meddling has sparked a furor. Several top government officials pledged to seize the chance to break the rabbis’ longtime grip on marriage law and allow civil unions to be recognized for the first time. (Muslim and Christian Israelis also must be married within their religious institutions.)

“It’s intolerable that someone can fight on our behalf in the Olympics, represent us and win a gold medal and not be able to get married in Israel,” Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the Jerusalem Post.

But ultra-Orthodox political leaders warned against weakening the religious nature of the state.

“Winning a medal doesn’t make him Jewish,” Aryeh Deri of the religious Shas Party told the newspaper. “Our laws are consistent: For 73 years, marriage in this country has been run by Jewish law.”

The office of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who called Dolgopyat in Tokyo to congratulate him, declined to comment on the marriage dust-up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...ough-to-marry/

[Jaw]

The country was literally formed to give Jews their own nation. I don't blame them for wanting to keep it that way.

Dolgopyat should build his own country.

[thethe]

The country was literally formed to give Jews their own nation. I don't blame them for wanting to keep it that way.

Dolgopyat should build his own country.

The Judeo/Christian foundation that all of Western Society is built upon needs to be taken down for the Marxists to take control.

That is why the BDS movement exists.

This person can suck it up and live elsewhere.

[nsacpi]

The country was literally formed to give Jews their own nation. I don't blame them for wanting to keep it that way.

Dolgopyat should build his own country.

man...you have no idea what kind of fight you are stepping into

my wife is jewish...so is our son...he had a bar mitzvah and all that...but neither of them would be considered jews by the grand rabbis who get to decide these things

[thethe]

Oh shucks - They can't get married in the "JEWISH STATE".

What an outrage.

[nsacpi]

Oh shucks - They can't get married in the "JEWISH STATE".

What an outrage.

It goes beyond that. In some cases they can't be buried next to their spouses. In this country.

[thethe]

It goes beyond that. In some cases they can't be buried next to their spouses. In this country.

Sounds like poor planning on those individual parts.

We are the longest lasting tribe with a documented history in the world. We have been systematically eradicated numerous times the last 5k years. We have every right to preserve our faith as has been practiced for over five thousand years.

[sturg33]

I keep looking forward to the lectures on Biden working with tech companies to censor people, Biden quintupling border crossings, Biden overtly admitting to breaking the law, bidens advisor admitting masks are useless, and a host of other things we were lectured about having to vote out in order to avoid.

But i guess he will get around to it after these random lectures

[nsacpi]

Sounds like poor planning on those individual parts.

Not really. My mother-in-law converted so she could be buried next to her husband in his family plot. Then she had to do it all over again cuz one group of rabbis did not recognize a conversion by another group of rabbis.

[Jaw]

man...you have no idea what kind of fight you are stepping into

my wife is jewish...so is our son...he had a bar mitzvah and all that...but neither of them would be considered jews by the grand rabbis who get to decide these things

Is that because you're not a Jew?

I know they have quite a few hoops to jump through. My understanding from a Jewish coworker is that the differences between Israeli Judaism and American Judaism might surpass the differences between Protestants and Catholics at this point. Strict rules like this may be the reason that the Israeli branch hasn't been overrun with Western Progressivism like the American branches.

[thethe]

Not really. My mother-in-law converted so she could be buried next to her husband in his family plot. Then she had to do it all over again cuz one group of rabbis did not recognize a conversion by another group of rabbis.

Sounds really annoying and I'm a victim of not being a 'true Jew' as well but its again an example of poor planning.

The Jewish people have absolutely every right to preserve their faith.

[nsacpi]

I keep looking forward to the lectures on Biden working with tech companies to censor people, Biden quintupling border crossings, Biden overtly admitting to breaking the law, bidens advisor admitting masks are useless, and a host of other things we were lectured about having to vote out in order to avoid.

But i guess he will get around to it after these random lectures

i was turned down by Biden's rapid response team...my feelings were hoit...so you won't find me posting much in defense of him even when i agree with whatever his latest transgression might be...besides after watching the heroic efforts of you and others the past four years i realized i wasn't up to the job...yours is a tough act to follow

[sturg33]

i was turned down by Biden's rapid response team...my feelings were hoit...so you won't find me posting much in defense of him even when i agree...besides after watching the heroic efforts of you and others the past four years i realized i wasn't up to the job

Right. A proper approach after being made a fool of so many times

[thethe]

Is that because you're not a Jew?

I know they have quite a few hoops to jump through. My understanding from a Jewish coworker is that the differences between Israeli Judaism and American Judaism might surpass the differences between Protestants and Catholics at this point. Strict rules like this may be the reason that the Israeli branch hasn't been overrun with Western Progressivism like the American branches.

I wouldn't lump all American Jews into the 'American Judaism' bucket.

There are whole collections of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews that follow the faith and want to preserve the survival of the Jewish people.

[Jaw]

I wouldn't lump all American Jews into the 'American Judaism' bucket.

There are whole collections of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews that follow the faith and want to preserve the survival of the Jewish people.

Well, I did say "branches" at the end because I was worried about that. And for some reason I thought the Orthodox group was actually anything but orthodox, but I admit that I'm sailing in waters I don't have a chart for.

[thethe]

Well, I did say "branches" at the end because I was worried about that. And for some reason I thought the Orthodox group was actually anything but orthodox, but I admit that I'm sailing in waters I don't have a chart for.

To be fair as well there is a significant overlap between Orthodox/Hasidic Jews with Hasidic representing a more strict interpretation of the faith that would most usually fall under Orthodox. Sadly the Reform/Reconstructionist Jews are a part of the trash Progressive poison that has infected Western Society but those are the Jews that don't really practice the faith after they are Bar/Bat Mitzvah'd. So when they attempt to speak about injustices by the Israeli government they are saying it from a position where they have no skin in the game for the preservation of the Jewish State.

[nsacpi]

Is that because you're not a Jew?

I know they have quite a few hoops to jump through. My understanding from a Jewish coworker is that the differences between Israeli Judaism and American Judaism might surpass the differences between Protestants and Catholics at this point. Strict rules like this may be the reason that the Israeli branch hasn't been overrun with Western Progressivism like the American branches.

In my wife's case it has to do with the fact she was adopted. At the time, her mother had not yet converted. Of course, my wife was raised Jewish and had a bat mitzvah. But the rabbi who supervised her education is a reformed rabbi. She is as Jewish in terms of how she self-identifies as anyone could possibly be. Before we were married she asked me to make a commitment that our children would be raised Jewish. It was something very important to her.

[thethe]

In my wife's case it has to do with the fact she was adopted. At the time, her mother had not yet converted. Of course, my wife was raised Jewish and had a bat mitzvah. But the rabbi who supervised her education is a reformed rabbi. She is as Jewish in terms of how she self-identifies as anyone could possibly be. Before we were married she asked me to make a commitment that our children would be raised Jewish. It was something very important to her.

There is your issue.

[nsacpi]

Well, I did say "branches" at the end because I was worried about that. And for some reason I thought the Orthodox group was actually anything but orthodox, but I admit that I'm sailing in waters I don't have a chart for.

Even within the Orthodox there are some large differences.

[nsacpi]

There is your issue.

Not mine. I am a goy. But my favorite rabbi happens to be Hasidic. He is the closest thing I have to a spiritual advisor. I think he gets a kick out of providing me with advice and guidance. He occasionally praises my Jewish sense of humor.