H-Net Discussion Networks - H-AS LUSTHAUS: British Court decides who is a Jew

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From: "Dan Lusthaus" <yogacara@gmail.com>
List Editor: Yocheved Menashe <menashe@MAIL.H-NET.MSU.EDU>
Editor's Subject: H-AS LUSTHAUS: British Court decides who is a Jew
Author's Subject: H-AS LUSTHAUS: British Court decides who is a Jew
Date Written: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:25:54 +0200
Date Posted: Sat, 13 Nov 2009 09:25:54 -0500

I am curious what others on this list think of this decision by the British
legal system. It has far-reaching consequences not only for Jews but for all
religions, since it seems to insist that a religion is defined by individual
belief (a Protestant criterion), not the religious community.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/world/europe/08britain.html

The issue may not be how liberal one might wish the Orthodox definition
ought to be, but rather who gets to decide -- and by which criteria -- what
that definition legally, and thus officially is.

Those who might be more familiar with this case than the NY Times article
presents, or know of differing or better informed accounts, please do let us
know.

Thanks.

Dan Lusthaus
Harvard University


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Yocheved Menashe
List Editor, H-Antisemitism

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