Joseph Dweck

Joseph Dweck
Rabbi Dweck
Position Senior Rabbi
Position Rosh Yeshiva
Yeshiva Barkai Yeshiva
Position Senior Rabbi
Organization The S&P Sephardi Community, London
Predecessor Abraham Levy
Personal details
Birth name Joseph Dweck
Born 17th May 1975
Los Angeles, California
Nationality American
Denomination Orthodox
Spouse Margalit Dweck
Children 5
Occupation Rabbi

Joseph Dweck was born in Los Angeles and is of Syrian-Jewish origin. He has served as the Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Shalom in Brooklyn since 1999 and Rosh Yeshiva/Head of School at Barkai Yeshivah in Brooklyn between 2010-2013. He studied at Yeshiva Hazon Ovadia in Jerusalem, and received his Rabbinic ordination (semikha) from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, under the auspices of the Sephardic Rabbinical College.

He was appointed Senior Rabbi of The S&P Sephardi Community of London, England in 2013.

Summary

His wife, Margalit, is a granddaughter of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef,[1] the former Chief Rabbi of Israel under whose tutelage Rabbi Dweck studied, and who referred to Rabbi Dweck as his "heart's desire"[2] "the esteemed Rabbi who brings merit to the community"[2] and in an approbation[2] written for Dweck's book on Jewish blessings (berakhot).[3]

Prior to Shavuot 2017, Rabbi Dweck gave a lecture in London as part of his Perspectives[4] series in Hendon, in which he presented his approach to society's current manifestation of homosexual love, declaring that Jewish law does not legislate against the feelings involved (sexual relations, he stated, are prohibited by the Torah). He suggested that contemporary developments on this issue, while problematic, are also positive for the world as they force humanity to rethink the question of love, and potentially remove the stigma associated with platonic love and emotion between men.[5] He preceded his words with caveats and stated his awareness of the controversial nature of the topic, explaining that he had been thinking about it for years and felt the need to discuss it because "no one was talking about it in Orthodox Judaism." [5] This lecture proved highly controversial and while some welcomed and supported it,[6][7] others strongly rejected it,[8] including Rabbi Aharon Bassous, a Haredi Rabbi in London.

In June 2017, a prominent Haredi rabbinical court in Israel published an open letter declaring that Rabbi Dweck's lectures are "complete heresy." Other Haredi courts joined in, such as Beth Din Tzedek of Bnei Brak, which is headed by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, one of the most respected leaders in the Haredi world.[9] The brother of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, his wife's uncle, also expressed his criticism in a public letter.[10]

Rabbi Dweck issued a letter explaining his stance and its accordance with Jewish law, while reassuring others of his good intentions when making the speech.[11] Some of his many audio and video lectures were dissected by many detractors, and more seemingly controversial opinions of his were publicised and criticised.

Consequently, in July 2017, an agreement was achieved,[12] led and governed by British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, that Rabbi Dweck would remain in his role as the Senior Rabbi of the Sephardi community.[13] Rabbi Dweck, however, temporarily stepped down from both the Jewish legal position of a Judge (Dayan) of the Sephardi Beth Din. In addition, his future public communications and lectures were to be under scrutiny.

The former British Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks, publicly expressed his support for both the conclusion and for Rabbi Dweck's contribution to British and worldwide Jewry.[14]

In January 2018, Rabbi Dweck resumed his Hendon lectures with a new series at the London Jewish School of Studies, attracting hundreds of people each week.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, 2013 April 8, "Sephardi Leaders Select New Senior Rabbi"
  2. 1 2 3 https://postimg.org/gallery/3dufy8gp8/
  3. ↑ "Album — Postimage.org". postimg.org. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  4. ↑ Rabbi Joseph Dweck (11 January 2016). "Perspectives: Episode 1 - God" – via YouTube.
  5. 1 2 sarkuf yiddishkeit (4 June 2017). "Rabbi Joseph Dweck - Male Homosexuality Shiur - May 2017" – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ "A modern day inquisition". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  7. ↑ "Michael Harris on Dweck". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  8. ↑ "Rabbi attacks Sephardi leader for dangerous gay love speech". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  9. ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, 2017 June 19, "New attack on Rabbi Dweck in ‘gay love’ dispute"
  10. ↑ https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/chief-s-concern-over-divisive-dweck-affair-1.440091
  11. ↑ https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/rabbi-joseph-dweck-issues-clarification-of-controversial-gay-love-comments-1.439451
  12. ↑ https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/rabbi-dweck-can-remain-as-sephardi-leader-rabbinic-panel-says-1.441710
  13. ↑ "Rabbi Dweck can remain as Sephardi leader rabbinic panel says". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  14. ↑ "Goldstein reaction to Dweck". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  15. ↑ "Full house for rabbi Jjoseph Dweck's lecture on Maimonides at the London School of Jewish Studies". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
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