British Chief Rabbi Criticizes Court's Decision On Admission To Jewish Schools

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks, writes in last Thursday's Jewish Chronicle, sharply criticizing an appellate court decision that struck down the admissions policy of a publicly-funded Jewish school in London. The Court of Appeal held that JFS, by following the traditional Orthodox definition of who is a Jew, engaged in "racial" discrimination rather than in admissions based on religious preferences. (See prior posting.) Sacks argues:

[I]f Jewish schools are compelled by English law to impose a test of religious practice instead of the existing test of membership of the Jewish faith, they will no longer be able to teach the Jewish faith to those who have little or no experience of practising it.... The implications of this ruling are vast and affect us all. To be told now that Judaism is racist, when Jews have been in the forefront of the fight against racism in this country, is distressing. To confuse religion and race is a mistake.