'Former chief rabbi called for civil war'

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu says in halachic ruling that non-Orthodox synagogues 'have the fragrance of hell'. Conservative Movement demands apology, considers taking legal action. Movement's head: Rabbi hurt dignity of millions of Jews.

Following a halachic ruling issued by the rabbi, in which he stated that one must not enter or pass by these prayer houses, the Conservative Movement announced that it planned to take legal action against Eliyahu and demanded an apology.

"The rabbi should take back his words and apologize to the millions of Jews whose dignity he hurt," Hess said.

Rabbi Barry Schlesinger, head of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel, sent a personal letter to Rabbi Eliyahu, in which he told him that his remarks had contributed to "sinat chinam" (hating for no reason) and have given a bad reputation to the movement's prayer houses and places of Torah study, where millions of Jews engage in Torah study, work and charity, in Israel and abroad.

"The rabbi must self-examine himself and for forgiveness," Schlesinger said in his letter.
The Conservative Movement announced that it would sue the rabbi for slander. More..