CLOSE-UP
Orthocto 's
Guardian ngel
IRA RIFKIN
Special to The Jewish News
As president of the Rabbinical Council of America,
Rabbi Marc D. Angel walks a theological tightrope.
teering a middle
course through
the turbulent wa-
ters of Orthodox
Judaism's organi-
zational politics
has become increasingly dif-
ficult, given the sharpness
with which positions have
been staked out.
Topping the agenda is
the growing schism bet-
ween the Orthodox, who
subscribe fully to tradi-
tional Jewish law,
Halachah, and the
majority of American Jews,
who do not, yet often con-
sider themselves as fully
capable of deciding on
questions of practice as are
their Orthodox co-
religionists.
Equally troublesome,
however, are the charges
traded within the Orthodox
camp by the right, which
has become increasingly
dominant, and the center.
The right is concerned with
perceived compromises
that, it argues, detract
from tradition. Centrists
say the right has displayed
a narrow-mindedness that
seeks to stifle any indepen-
dent thought.
The issues seem
Ira Rifkin is assistant editor of
our sister newspaper, The
Baltimore Jewish Times.
unresolvable, and the fero-
ciousness with which they
are debated seems beyond
rapprochement.
Into this quagmire has
stepped Rabbi Marc D.
Angel, a mild-mannered,
self-described middle-of-
the-roader; the "peace"
candidate who stresses an
"open," "human-centered"
Orthodoxy and who, at the
relatively tender age of 45,
has become president of the
1,000-member Rabbinical
Council of America (RCA),
an Orthodox group which
is the world's largest rab-
binic body.
Rabbi Angel is the second
youngest man to hold the
post, as well as the first
from a Sephardic
background.
"Some rabbis, you ask
them a question and the
first thing they do is look in
a book to give you the an-
swer," Rabbi Angel said
during a recent interview
in his cramped office at
New York's Congregation
Shearith Israel, also
known as the Spanish and
Portuguese Synagogue.
"Another rabbi first
looks in your eyes, comes
up with an answer, and
then looks in the books.
The Sephardic tradition
tends to favor the second
approach."
That Marc Angel is a
moderate within the main-
stream of American Or-
thodoxy is agreed upon by
all.
"Marc's a conciliator,"
remarked Malcolm
Hoenlein, executive direc-
tor of the Conference of
Presidents of Major Ameri-
can Organizations. "He's
very warm and there's not
Rabbi Angel's
moderation must be
viewed within the
parameters of
Orthodox beliefs.
much of a difference bet-
ween his public and private
personas."
"His ability to relate to
all aspects of the commun-
ity is his greatest at-
tribute," added Rabbi
Rueven Bulka, an RCA
vice president based in Ot-
tawa, Canada.
However, as Rabbi Angel
makes clear, his modera-
tion must be viewed within
the parameters of tradi-
tional Judaism. Halachah
and Torah are paramount,
he says, and however
moderate he may be within
his world, he leaves little
room for compromise when
it comes to dealing with
Jewry's more liberal
majority on questions per-
taining to theology and re-
ligious practice.
That is not to say that he
looks with disfavor, as do
far right Orthodox, upon
working with non-
Orthodox Jewish leaders in
such areas as Christian-
Jewish dialogue or defen-
ding the State of Israel.
But because he believes
that Orthodox Judaism
alone contains the "whole
truth," even if that truth is
not fully understood by all,
Orthodox Jews included,
he also believes that at-
tempting to seek theologi-
cal accommodation is a
fruitless task.
"The word pluralism —
we don't accept as a word,"
Rabbi Angel said.
"Pluralism isn't a relevant
concept...within the
framework of religious
thinking. There aren't
pluralistic truths. Either
God gave the Torah or did
not give the Torah, either
He gave us the oral law or
did not."
Orthodox Strength
Rabbi Angel assumed the
presidency of the RCA in