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    Anat Arrested and Other Emergencies: Act Now!
    July 12, 2010
    Conversion | Israel (7 comments)


    by Anat Hoffman, Executive Director, Israel Religious Action Center

    Today appeared to be an excellent day for the ultra-Orthodox hegemony here in Israel. Before 9 AM, I was arrested for carrying a sefer Torah on the women's side of the Western Wall. At the same time just miles away, the conversion bill - that would change forever the definition of who is a Jew in Israel - passed its first vote in the Knesset.

    The ultra-Orthodox are applauding the events of today. They succeeded in preventing women from carrying a Torah and praying at the holiest site of the Jewish people, and they moved one step closer to erasing all recognition ever achieved for Reform and Conservative conversion in Israel.
    It seems like it was a good day for them, and they may be celebrating. But in fact today was a dark day for the ultra-Orthodox in Israel, and for those working against religious pluralism and civil rights around the world. The real outcome of their "victories" will be the enlivening of the 85% of Diaspora Jewry, which is non-Orthodox, belonging in large part to the Reform or Conservative Movement.

    The events of today bring to light the moral bankruptcy of the antiquated, violent, and intolerant Judaism that defines the ultra-Orthodox strand of Judaism in Israel today. This stands in contrast to our progressive Judaism that is committed to the equality inherent in every individual - man or woman, Jew by birth or Jew by choice.

    There is an expression that I love - we must learn to walk and chew gum at the same time. I and the other leaders of the Israeli Reform Movement will take care of things on the ground here in Israel - the police, the courts, the Knesset. Now you must take care of the Conversion bill. In the next 24 hours, send the attached letter demanding that the Israeli government listen to our voice, our unified voice calling for a Judaism of openness and tolerance. This is not an issue affecting only converts - it is an issue that threatens the very unity of the Jewish people.

    Today starts the countdown of your moving into action to reject this dangerous brand of Judaism. Our voices will be heard, and through all of us working together, the ultra-Orthodox "victories" of today will prove obsolete.

    Please copy and paste the attached letter to your own email, and send it to the Prime Minister, and forward this urgent call to your friends and family by clicking here.

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    Comments

    Barbara Fromm said:

    With great sadness I watched the arrest of Anat Hoffman. We cannot allow this bill to pass in the Knesset which would put the State of Israel into the hands of those that have no conscience and will take away the essence of what Israel stands for.
    July 14, 2010 6:20 PM
    Steven R. said:

    Why does Israel go down this path of being/becoming a Jewish version of Iran (theocracy)??? Do they plan to reincarnate ancient Judaea?
    July 14, 2010 9:15 PM
    Norm Wolf said:

    The Haredi Rabbis must feel proud in their stance of alienating most of the Diaspora. It is a shame the a minority group of people hold the majority at bay because of the political instability of the country. It is time that the Diaspora make our view known, not only in voice but with the equal threat of withholding the something the Isarael needs most "The donations" that we so freely give. If we hit the politicians in the pocket book it will send a message that the rest of the Jewish people will not stand for this intolerance. The Diaspora must make a stand
    July 16, 2010 10:06 AM
    Larry Kaufman said:

    While we in the Diaspora must do all in our power to fight this repression, the solution does not lie in our hands, but in the hands of Israelis.

    Mobilizing their indignation is tough if they are not personally faced with life cycle issues -- so we have to concentrate on their right to marry, bury, bar mitzvah, ride the bus, etc. They have already rejected "the yoke of the commandments," but now they must reject the rule of the Yokers.

    Of course, most of the people I know in Israel are already in the midst of this battle -- not for the sake of pluralism per se, but for the sake of living Jewishly in the modern world.

    Instead of allowing ourselves to be demonized by the Charedim, maybe we need to fight fire with fire and start demonizing them!
    July 16, 2010 1:01 PM
    Eunice M Rose said:

    I couldn't be more appalled by what the Charedim are doing in Israel. This place was supposed to be the haven for all Jews, whether by birth or by choice. I cannot believe the government of Israel has kow-towed to the ultra-Orthodox for so long. To what end? I find it very interesting that people who won't serve in the military and who take money from the government for their sustenance, have the power to force their ways on the entire Jewish population. So, fellow Diaspora Jews, let's follow
    Norm Wolf and simply stop sending our hard-earned money to Israel. Let's see how quickly this madness will cease!
    July 19, 2010 11:00 AM
    zelda gechter said:

    this will cost Israel money. there will be lots of pissed off people.
    July 20, 2010 6:57 PM
    Larry Kaufman said:

    No, Zelda and Eunice -- we should not stop sending money to Israel. We should just stop sending it to organizations which support or tolerate this kind of stuff.

    So direct the Israel segment of your philanthropic budget to the Israel Religious Action Center, www.irac.org, or to the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, www.reform.org.il.

    But keep in mind that the Federations, which have been the chief disbursers of funds to Israel, are on the side of the angels (i.e., us), so they should not be punished, just pushed to keep fighting the good fight.

    But above all, Reform Jews should avoid being suckered into giving money to Chabad. Contrary to what some patsies think, they are not the ones keeping Judaism alive -- we are!

    July 20, 2010 10:36 PM

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