Arguing Austritt

by R. Gil Student As we discussed previously, on July 28, 1876 — 150 years ago — the Prussian parliament (part of the broader German legislative system at the time) passed a law allowing secession (austritt) from a Jewish community without formally renouncing affiliation with Judaism. This was a law that Rav Samson Raphael … As we discussed previously, on July 28, 1876 — 150 years ago — the Prussian parliament (part of the broader German legislative system at the time) passed a law allowing secession (austritt) from a Jewish community without formally renouncing affiliation with Judaism. This was a law that Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch had lobbied heavily for. Once austritt became legal, Rav Hirsch ruled that Orthodox Jews in his city of Frankfurt am Main were religiously obligated to secede from the Reform-dominated Jewish community and join his independent Orthodox community.