Member of Isreali legislative government being attacked for saying ''Reform is not Jewish''

A member of the Israeli legislative government was slammed for his alleged comments about Reform Judaism on Wednesday, after media outlets reported David Rotem stating, "The Reform movement is not Jewish … they are another religion."

The statement shocked members of the Jewish community worldwide, especially as characterizing the Reform movement as another religion has political implications relating to Israel's Law of Return, which prevents non-Jews from making aliyah, or immigrating to Israel. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that a statement released by Israel's Reform movement explained that by using the term "another religion," Rotem effectively stated that "Reform Jews have no place in Israel."

Gilad Kariv, executive director of the Reform movement in Israel, called on the Knesset speaker to reprimand Rotem, who is the Knesset Law, Constitution, and Justice Committee chairman. He said, "An assertion such as this makes it impossible for lawmaker Rotem to continue to chair discussions on sensitive issues such as conversion, who is a Jew and other topics that are associated with religion and state matters, and the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora," according to Haaretz.

ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman wrote an open letter to Rotem that said, "We are deeply disturbed by reports of comments attributed to you about the Reform movement 'not being Jewish.' Such views are inappropriate, offensive and unjustified," reported The huffpost

In a Wednesday statement, Rabbi Julie Schonfeld of the Rabbinical Assembly and Rabbi Steven Wernick of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, as well as other Conservative leaders, lamented “the utter lack of leadership that makes these outrages so frequent and undermines the very aspirations that are the foundations of Judaism and the Jewish state."

On Thursday Rotem responded to the uproar, writing on Facebook, "Comments attributed to me regarding the Reform Movement have been misinterpreted by elements within the media. I have never said belonging to the Reform Movement makes anyone less Jewish."

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A Califonia pastor has been arrested for having sex with one of the teenage girls he took into custody, injuring his dog too

BCCN1 A California pastor was arrested for allegedly injuring his dog and having sex with one of the two teenage girls he had taken under his wing.33-year-old Hyo Bin Im, known in San Ramon as Pastor John, was charged with child concealment, unlawful sexual intercourse and animal cruelty on Tuesday. The bizarre list of charges were a shock for members of Im’s Contra Costa Korean Presbyterian Church. The youth pastor announced his resignation on Sunday, but didn’t explain why he was leaving. He told the police that he was the founder of The Living Well Ministries, a Christian non-profit that allegedly helped widows, homeless, and orphans.But he apparently never brought these high-minded goals home. The Police also found two 17-year-old runaways living in the youth pastor’s house, BBCN1 reports.

After Retiring from Ministry in 2010, Pastor Dennis Leonard Is Back and Will Open Heritage Christian Center Church in Colorado

Bishop Dennis Leonard preaches the prosperity gospel during a Sunday morning worship service at the Heritage Christian Center in Denver in 2006|| BCCN1 Dennis Leonard built Heritage Christian Center into a flourishing multiracial church by connecting with hurting people.From the pulpit, the preacher mined his past life frequenting nightclubs and recovering from divorce. Members volunteered at a church food bank and fed the homeless. The choir was top-notch. Leonard also preached a gospel of prosperity suggesting a bountiful return for those who gave generously to the church — that has been criticized for preying on the vulnerable.Then he walked away, retiring in 2010 and moving to California. Leonard is about to embark on a second act in Colorado, announcing plans to open a Heritage Christian Center in Aurora with a 1,500-seat sanctuary in a former sporting goods store the church bought.“I want you to know we are coming back for you,” Leonard said during a Friday night guest appear...

Weeping Virgin Mary Statue In Tarshiha, Israel, Draws Hundreds To See 'Miracle'

Hundreds of people have flocked to a small town in northern Israel to view a statue of the Virgin Mary that residents say "weeps" oil. Members of a Christian family from Tarshiha, near the Lebanon border, say they have witnessed a miracle in their living room. Osama Khoury said Tuesday that his wife Amira found the statue "covered with oil" recently. Amira said the statue "spoke to her" and told her not to be afraid. After a neighbor witnessed the oil, word soon spread.Parts of the statue appear to be slick with moisture, even after it is wiped off.The family says it is most striking when a "tear" seems to roll down the statue's cheek.. more brief more image below: courtesy: huffpost

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