Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

HaKotel L’Kulam — The Western Wall Should Be For All

A Statement in Support of the “Women of the Wall”

  
Social action based on Jewish ethics is a central part of Reconstructionist community activity. In Israel and North America, Reconstructionists actively support The Women at the Wall, who advocate equal worship rights for men and women in Israel.

                                     

 

The Reconstructionist Movement supports the efforts of the Women of the Wall.   

The Women of the Wall have held a monthly prayer group at the Western Wall (the Kotel) since 1988, in which Reconstructionist, Conservative, Reform and modern Orthodox women have participated. Today, the organization’s existence is being threatened by the Israeli government.  read more »

 

 See also Joint Statement on conversion bill: http://jrf.org/joint-statement-on-conversion-bill

 

Dear Rabbis, Cantors, Staff, Lay Leaders, and Members of JRF Communities,

We write to you today because of a very serious threat to religious pluralism in Israel, resulting from a rapidly developing parliamentary situation there. As many of you probably already know, the Knesset may vote very soon on legislation that would make important negative changes to the laws governing conversions in Israel and to the Law of Return.

This new legislation would roll back the clock on all the achievements we have made for Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative conversion rights in Israel: not only losing recognition for Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative conversions in Israel, but even completely redefining who is a Jew. From now on the power to perform conversions would rest solely with the Chief Rabbinate – which only recognizes Orthodox conversions.

This decision, which affects the very definition of who is a Jew for all of Klal Yisrael, is being made by a few politicians who happen to be in power during the 18th Knesset. They are not at all in conversation with world Jewry, on whom this decision will have a major impact.

At your next Jewish gathering, take a look at the people around you: chances are good that you are sitting next to someone who would no longer be considered a Jew in Israel.

There are millions of Jews in North America and elsewhere outside of Israel. The current Israeli leadership needs to hear from all of you – and right away – if we are going to stop this. We ask you to send urgent messages of protest to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to your ambassador from Israel.

We need the strength of your numbers to remind those who promote this bill that Israel and Judaism are not theirs alone.

Please sign the Israel Religious Action Center’s petition at: http://www.irac.org/petitionsign.aspx. Also, please send the following letter right now to the Prime Minister and your ambassador, and forward this urgent call to your friends and family.

L’shalom,

                                              

     Robert A. Barkin                                                                      Dr. Carl Sheingold
     President                                                                                Executive Vice President
     Jewish Reconstructionist Federation                                          Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

 

 

The Honorable Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem, Israel

 

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

We write to request your immediate intervention to prevent passage of the legislation being brought forward by MK David Rotem.

We are deeply concerned about the intention to grant the Chief Rabbinate sole control over conversion in Israel. Such legislation would be an open attack on the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Jewry, which composes the majority of world Jewry. In addition, passage of this bill would have the effect of altering the Law of Return, or, at the very least, cause undue hardship to anyone in Israel who come from Diaspora communities and seek to convert in Israel.

While we are supportive of efforts to create greater accessibility to conversion courts in Israel, the overall impact of the Rotem Bill will set back these efforts. Should this bill be enacted, it will exacerbate a widening gap between the Jewish communities in the Diaspora and in Israel, which we are working very hard to avoid.

Therefore, we believe it is imperative that you, as leader of Israel, and as one who cares deeply about the well-being of Klal Yisrael, intervene and urge immediate withdrawal of this bill.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office: Prime.Minister'sOffice@it.pmo.gov.il

U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren’s office: info@washington.mfa.gov.il

Canadian Ambassador Miriam Ziv’s office: info@ottawa.mfa.gov.il ">info@ottawa.mfa.gov.il

 

 

 

For more information about JRF's statements and positions on Israel, please visit http://jrf.org/israel and http://jrf.org/israel/statement-and-resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JRF joins with Reform Movement in Condemning Attacks against New Israel Fund
 
February 11, 2010 - In response to the recent attacks against the New Israel Fund, the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation joins with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in issuing the following statement:
 
"We express our alarm at the recent attacks in the Israeli media against the New Israel Fund (NIF).  Together with so many in the U.S. and Israel, we know the New Israel Fund as a respected organization with a long, accomplished history of defending human rights, civil liberties, religious pluralism, and social justice.  Its efforts have helped make Israel a more equal, more just, more fair and more compassionate society.
 
In their twisted attribution of blame for the Goldstone Report to the NIF, these attackers are trying to delegitimize the New Israel Fund in much the same way that the Goldstone Report is being used to delegitimize Israel in the eyes of the world.  It is ironic, to say the least, that those pointing to the danger of the Goldstone Report are using the same tactics of half-truths, hyperbole and sweeping generalizations they criticize in it to delegitimize the New Israel Fund.
 
NIF's support and training for those in Israel who fight for women's rights, civil rights, religious rights, consumer rights, environmental protection and civil liberties should be a source of pride for all those committed to Israel's social well-being.  This effort to tarnish this respected organization with guilt by association ill-serves the interests and values of Israel and the Jewish People."

Welcome to the JRF Statements and Resources page for events in the Middle East.

Read the JRF Statement on the Gaza Flotilla Incident

A Statement from the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation [January 16, 2009]

We are deeply saddened that violence has once again engulfed Israelis and Palestinians. We share in the fear and loss experienced by Israelis caught in rocket fire from Hamas and are also concerned with the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We stand with the people of Israel in this time of crisis and support the right of Israel to do everything necessary to protect its population. We support all efforts to negotiate a meaningful, lasting resolution of the current conflict that will provide true security for Israel’s citizens. We decry criticisms of Israel that devolve into hate speech and anti-Semitic attacks on the Jewish people and on Israel’s right to exist.  read more »

Rabbi Anita SteinerMy house keeps shaking, not from rockets from Gaza, but from artillery or whatever we are shooting into Gaza.

I have been with three friends in the last two days who are having difficulty coping, given the fear, rockets, constant planes, helicopters and our firing into Gaza with the resultant noise, and the not knowing what will be tomorrow and next month and next year. One clearly needs some counseling so he calms down so he can better deal with himself and the person he lives with. All kinds of hotlines are advertised constantly on TV and the radio.  read more »

Rabbi Anita Steiner[Rabbi Anita Steiner is an RRC graduate and a long-time resident of Ashkelon. She is the chair of Rabbis for Human Rights. Read her story from Wednesday. Ed.]

Shalom to all.

How I wish my simple message of shalom could reach many people!

Yesterday, Shabbat was very difficult.

The last time I had davened (prayed) in a miklat/ bomb shelter/ fortified room was during the Second Lebanese War. A group of rabbis and other volunteers traveled up north to support the people there. We davened in the miklat which served as a shul for the Masorti congregation of Mauricio Balter the rabbi in Kiryat Bialik, north of Haifa. It was Tisha B'av. We davened a 'regular' service,' read Eicha /Lamentations and studied. Afterwards we scampered to a few miklatim to deliver toys to children who were living in the miklatim. A colleague and I did help a young woman who was having difficulty functioning. She could not leave the shelter for any reason, and her life had completely stopped. Yes we helped by listening and giving hugs.  read more »