The Mks highlighted the need for religious pluralism and equality

21 MKs responding to Pittsburgh - “Time for Equality”

The MKs highlighted different aspects of the need to respond to the Pittsburgh massacre, not merely by identifying with the loss and pain of the Jewish community, not only by decrying growing anti-Semitic outbursts, but by changing Israel’s policies.

08/11/2018 00:29

Tags: Nachman Shai ·  Michael Oren ·  Aliza Lavie ·  Rachel Azaria ·  Yael Cohen Paran ·  Mossi Raz ·  Amir Ohana ·  Michael Rozin ·  Elazar Stern ·  Stav Shaffir ·  Sharren Haskel ·  Dov Khenin ·  Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin ·  Merav Michaeli ·  Yair Lapid ·  Leah Fadida ·  Ksenia Svetlova ·  Pittsburgh massacre

Amir Ohana, source: Wikipedia

At the initiative of the Israeli Reform and Masorti movements, together with MKs Nachman Shai (The Zionist Union), Deputy Minister MK Dr. Michael Oren (Kulanu), MK Dr. Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid), Rachel Azaria (Kulanu), MK Yael Cohen Paran (The Zionist Union), and MK Mossi Raz (Meretz), a meeting was called on November 7, 2018. The goal was to strengthen Israel-Diaspora ties, advance religious tolerance, and recognize all streams of Judaism.

The MKs, belonging to both coalition and opposition parties, and religiously identifying as Orthodox, non-Orthodox, and secular, highlighted different aspects of the need to respond to the Pittsburgh massacre, not merely by identifying with the loss and pain of the Jewish community, not only by decrying growing anti-Semitic outbursts, but by changing Israel’s policies. They highlighted the need to move towards religious pluralism, equality, and inclusiveness. Here are some of the main statements made by the MKs during the meeting. (Thanks to the detailed reporting of the Masorti movement’s “Jewish Pluralism Watch,” which monitors Knesset position statements and legislative initiatives - for a fuller account, click HERE)

MK Amir Ohana’s (Likud) words moved the participants of the session and are of particular importance since he is an active political leader within the Likud, and he is an LGBTQ activist. Of note is that he chaired the special Knesset committee that prepared the final draft of the Nation-state Basic Law.

Ohana:
“There is much ignorance among the Israeli public regarding Diaspora Jewry in general and the US Jewish community in particular. When I traveled to the US with my husband and our babies that were just born, and wanted to go to a synagogue on Friday, the synagogue we found was not Orthodox, but the embrace and love that we received there was something I and Alon will never forget. After I started serving as a member of Knesset, I really started getting to know the Jewish communities in the Diaspora, and I really wish more Israelis were exposed to this. These are people who have endured many disappointments. We need to come together, all political sides, so that we will finally deserve the title ‘The State of the Jews’ – the state of all Jews!”

MK Michael Rozin (Meretz) expresses that which many in the Diaspora do not fully grasp. There is a growing sense among secular Israeli Jews that the non-Orthodox streams are important, not only in the sense that this is what democracy and religious freedom demands, but also because it creates an existential opening for masses of Israeli Jews who were hitherto exposed only to Orthodoxy and found it to be irrelevant and alienating. Namely, supporting the rights and equality of Reform and Conservative is, first and foremost, an avenue to strengthen Jewish identity and contemporary Jewish relevance.

Rozin:
“I am one of those girls that Judaism passed over. I chose a Reform synagogue, not in order to support the Reform or Conservative stream. I chose it for me and for my children because I wanted them not to be disconnected from Judaism in the same way that I grew up. This battle is for me, for my children, and for the majority of Israeli society. It pains me that we wake up all of a sudden and speak about unity and the importance of the bonds, only after a horrific event like this. Do we need a murderer to remind us that we are all the same people, and that equality is needed? I am here and I will continue to fight for all the movements and all the streams, but the ultimate goal is Israeli society being Jewish and democratic.”

MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid), a former IDF general and an outspoken activist on matters of religion and state, plays a key role in shaping Yesh Atid’s policies on these matters, and he represents a growing level of openness and support within the Modern Orthodox community towards the principles of religious pluralism. These sentiments were echoed in this special meeting also by MKs Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid) and Rachel Azaria (The coalition’s Kulanu party).

We need to think how to tie the loose ends towards, possibly, a new chapter in the relationship between the different communities and streams to the State of Israel. This cannot end up [only] in words, but we need to think of more practical and substantive steps.

Stern:
“A historic mistake of religious Zionism, which I am part of, is the non-recognition of the different streams of Judaism. In addition to appreciating the Education Minister’s travel to Pittsburgh [to participate at the funeral of the victims in his capacity as Minister of Diaspora Affairs – UR], the right thing to do is to recognize the Kotel Agreement and the conversions. I think that this necessary move is not for the sake of Reform and Conservative, but for the sake of the State of Israel.”

MK Rachel Azaria (Kulanu):
“Diaspora Jewry is my family and a great asset for the State of Israel. Conservative and Reform are two very important streams. I am Orthodox, and there are differences of opinion, but in the family, you always have differences of opinion, and this is a good thing. The question is – how do we enable all conflicts to coexist together? This process, to my regret, is not carried out in a pleasant manner. We do not sit together and discuss what kind of Judaism we desire. The good news is that the State of Israel will recognize the streams. The bad news is that it will take more time.”

MK Stav Shafir (Zionist Union):
“Part of the role of the State of Israel involves more than its citizens. Part of her role is the capacity to grant legitimacy to all world Jews to live their Judaism as they see fit. The fact that here at home, of all places, Jews cannot live their Judaism as they desire, and the fact that we here, official representatives of the state, speak against the different streams, is what broadcasts this dangerous message to the outside. We totally contradict our role here in the State of Israel. We must continue to serve as a moral lighthouse.”

MK Nachman Shai (The Zionist Union):
“We need to think how to tie the loose ends towards, possibly, a new chapter in the relationship between the different communities and streams to the State of Israel. This cannot end up [only] in words, but we need to think of more practical and substantive steps.”

MK Mossi Raz (Meretz):
“In spite of my being secular, I identify with the Conservative and Reform streams, and with the struggle for religious freedom and freedom from religion. We need to do everything in order for all the streams in Israel to receive recognition and ‘the righteous shall live according to his faith.’”

MK Sharren Haskel (Likud):
“When there are anti-Semitic incidents throughout the world, and when Jews are being murdered, nobody asks if you are Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox.”

MK Prof. Dov Khenin (The Joint List):
“When this is the leading position of the Government of Israel, where the largest world Jewish community resides, it impacts on Jewish communities throughout the world. It is a clearly a problem for Jewish communities in the world when the place where the largest Jewish community exists is not willing to count them as equal. This is also a problem of Israeli society. This mindset is undermining Israeli society’s ability to accept different views.”

MK Yael Cohen Paran (Zionist Union):
“I know the Masorti community from numerous perspectives; here at the Knesset in all the struggle that we partner in and also personally as a member of the congregation in Pardes Hannah – Karkur. When the massacre occurred, I was invited to a Masorti congregation in London. It is sad that we mark the boundaries of the Jewish people with blood, but it was sadder for me realizing how important for these communities the tie with our people in Israel is. A rabbi who says that this was not a synagogue but a ‘an activity center’ does not deserve to be a Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel and draw his salary from the public.”

MK Ayelet Nachmias Verbin (Zionist Union):
“My son was called up to the Torah as a bar mitzvah at an Orthodox synagogue in Tel Aviv. His children are receiving the Torah in a Reform congregation in Tel Aviv.”

MK Merav Michaeli (Zionist Union):
“Israeli society is far more open than what it appears to be. The problem is with the Israeli government and Israeli politics. The problem in this matter, and in some others, is the gap between the public and its representatives. An overwhelming majority of the public wants freedom from religion and civil marriage. In Israel there are people who are defined according to the Law of Return, but are unable to marry here. This is nothing less a tragedy – that the state of the Jewish people does not recognize a portion of its citizens.”

Her words are borne out by Hiddush’s surveys and others that illustrate the wide gap between public opinion and government policy on all matters of religion and state.

MK Yair Lapid (Chairman of Yesh Atid):
“We will not sit back and remain silent until all the streams are recognized by the government of Israel.”

MK Leah Fatidida (Zionist Union):
“The key is tolerance and acceptance of the other. We must recognize the faith and the path of all Judaism’s streams.”

MK Ksenia Svetlova (Zionist Union):
“Israel’s ability to mobilize its international ties and to develop (international) political armor for the state, using the help of Diaspora Jewry.”

What Svetlova points to is that beyond the considerations of Jewish people, religious freedom, and democracy – there is also an extremely important, tangible asset involved in granting recognition to all streams in Judaism. That is the critical strategic importance for Israel in reaching out and influencing their respective governments.