With an outstretched hand

Evidently your cheder education was wanting on issues of shmiras haloshon, too.

Ms Frazer's post here is entirely spiteful and vindictive and in no way concerned with halachic considersations; only how to make a cheap shot at a religious man with a beard.

Yes, Ms Frazer, some people live lives differently to yours, with a set of standards that are different to yours. Some people will compromise on some things and not on others. The JC is supposed to be a journal of Jewish pluralism, which must include the entire spectrum of Jewry, including those for whom negiah is an important day-to-day consideration.

My understanding is that Rabbi Sufrin takes the entire Torah and halochos seriously and does not compromise. Perhaps, rather than trying to induce smug chuckles over the foolish unenlightened rabbiner it might be worth considering whether this approach to life and to the Torah and halochoh is in some way an aid to Rabbi Sufrin's achievements. The halochos that govern hand-shaking and conduct with members of a different gender are rooted ultimately in the same source as those that promote tikun olam and kovod habriyos.

You were just mean, frankly.

On another note: A bit of respect for the reigning monarch would not go amiss, either. "Liz". I'm sure your cheder education extended to a prayer for the state and the acknowledgement that monarchs are to be accorded a certain respect.

Sadly Ms Frazer, your cheder education was wanting. The laws of 'shomer negia' and 'yichud' apply to all adult males and females regardless of a woman being of child-bearing age or not.

Even if this an aspect of Judaism that many nominally Orthodox United Synagogue-goers choose not to care about (or simply don't know about because of their poor cheder education), it is clearly important to how Rabbi Sufrin chooses to live his life. That should be respected rather than belittled by someone who admits herself that her knowledge of Jewish law is probably somewhat lacking.

It comes across in your piece that you were just trying to have a cheap joke at someone else's expense -- someone else who has been brave enough to step outside his own community and comfort zone to make an incredible contribution to people's lives regardless of their religion. If someone would crack a similar cheap joke about a Muslim woman who would prefer not to shake hands with the prime minister, they'd most likely be branded a racist. You seem just as cynical, petty, insensitive and highly unappreciative as a skin-head yob. Obvious signs of a poor cheder education if you ask me.

Shame on you Ms. Frazer! And shame on the JC for publishing this kind of cheap and pathetic nonsense!