- Vaad
::For the "Va'adat Ezrah Vehatzalah", known as the "Vaad", see
Aid and Rescue Committee Vaad is a Hebrew term for a council of
rabbi s. It is a diasporic phenomenon, having no precedent inTalmud ic times. A Vaad has different responsibilities from a "beth din " (rabbinical court).__TOC__Historical
Older examples include the
Council of Four Lands . Since the Enlightenment and the subsequent emancipation of Jews living in European nations, Jewish communities no longer have their own autonomous governments, and vaads with governmental powers no longer exist.Vaads still exist as rabbinical councils, each with its own purview. Some deal with maintaining communal standards of
kashrut (kosher food); others deal with communal standards of marriage, divorce andconversion to Judaism .Modern day
Modern day vaads in "
Orthodox Judaism " include the Vaad Halakha and the Beth Din of America, both sponsored by theRabbinical Council of America . Another example is the Vaad Harabonim, part of the Rabbinical Council of New England. It supervises thekashrut of foods for many food manufacturers inNew England , USA.Modern day vaads in "
Conservative Judaism " include theRabbinical Assembly 'sCommittee on Jewish Law and Standards , and theMasorti movement's "Vaad Halakha".References
* [http://www.kashrut.com/agencies/ Kashrut certifying agencies and vaads]
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