The joke goes, Three Jews, four opinions. But only one opinion on Israel. And that’s the tragedy, the enforcement of orthodoxy inside my religious community.
Here is the lineup of a panel at the Israeli President’s conference, in Jerusalem on June 21, about the attitudes of Jews in the Diaspora to Israel. You will see that it’s all rightwingers, with the exception of Peter Beinart, a liberal Zionist. Where is Stephen Cohen who can talk about young Jews’ alienation? Where is Rebecca Vilkomerson of Jewish Voice for Peace? Where is anybody young? Where are the assimilationists? Do they really want to hear from Diaspora Jews?
These folks are afraid. It’s the like the masque of the red death. The plague is inside the party, and it goes from one room to another. Still there is drinking and laughter…
For many years we have been accustomed to the question: What does Israel expect from world Jewry? Many Diaspora Jews chose to avoid voicing an opinion on internal Israeli issues – and few in Israel bothered to take the time to listen to the concerns of their fellow Jews in the Diaspora. However the time has come to reverse the roles and to hear what Diaspora Jewry expects from Israel. What are the Diaspora’s views regarding Israel’s policy decisions; the preservation of the Jewish identity of the State; its expression of support of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora; and the degree of attentiveness Israel gives to the opinions and needs of Jews who live outside Israel?
Moderator:
Mr. Shmuel Rosner, Israel: Political Editor, The Jewish Journal…
Participants:
Professor Peter Beinart, USA…
Mr. Pierre Besnainou, France: Chair, Israel Diaspora Paradigm Committee, Member, Board of Governors, Jewish Agency for Israel…
Mr. Abraham ‘Abe’ Foxman, USA: National Director, Anti-Defamation League. Author: Never Again? The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism (2004), The Deadliest Lies. The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control (2007), Jews & Money: The Story of a Stereotype (2010).
Ms. Alana Newhouse, USA: Editor-in-chief, Tablet Magazine; former Arts and Culture Editor, The Forward.
Mr. Leon Wieseltier, USA: Literary Editor, The New Republic; Member, Editorial Board, Jewish Review of Books. Author:Kaddish (2000).
“What are the Diaspora’s views regarding Israel’s policy decisions ?”
What an interesting question. Finkelstein says lunatic. Others say suicidal but presumably most sit on the fence and that is the force that drives Israel .
Israel does nothing good for diaspora Jews…even the term ‘diaspora’ is a archaic repulsive word to me.
It’s a sick relationship, they need to get a divorce.
Where is anybody young? Where are the assimilationists? Do they really want to hear from Diaspora Jews?
Let’s face facts. The powers that be in Israel don’t consider Diaspora Jews to be Jews at all, unless the happen to be one of the fifth column Zionist, religious bigot, or completely racist varieties.
Try to imagine the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, or Los Angeles Times carrying the typical Orthodox Israeli article expressing virulent hatred for Reform Jews and Christians: See for example “‘Reform rabbis – bridge to Christianity’: Orthodox Rabbis outraged by state’s recognition of reform, conservative rabbis. Wary of funds allocation, religious authority recognition
The orthodox world is storming in face of the recent decision that recognizes rabbis of non-orthodox communities and allow them to receive the same funding as orthodox rabbis who are appointed by the Chief Rabbinate.
The announcement presented by the State Prosecutor’s Office to the High Court with regards to the petition on funding equality for non-orthodox rabbis ended a seven-year long legal struggle and paved the road to state funding.
Kiryat Ono’s Rabbi, Ratzon Arusi, who’s also a Rabbinate member lashed at the decision, blaming the Israeli government for aiding “a fraud with no parallels in history. If I’ll want to create a new judicial movement, will they recognize my people as judges?”
Arusi reiterated that a Rabbi is a traditional role, and it wasn’t invented by orthodox. “You can’t call a fraud ‘rabbi’, the same as judges and doctors. It forges the halacha.” Arusi suggested to call the Reform jews “religious leaders instead. He further emphasized that the decision is directed only to allow funding through the Ministry of Culture, but expressed his concerns that this will bring about halachic recognition of non orthodox Rabbis as well.
Arusi further said that if this trend isn’t stopped, “It will lead to a separation of religion and state, causing a great tear in the people, assimilation and the destruction of Judaism.” Arusi cited the large numbers of assimilation in Europe and the US and called on the MK’s to fight the decision.
Rabbi Haim Drukman too was shocked by the decision. “What Rabbis? This is fraud! There are ways to support them without recognizing them,” he said. Drukman added he was relieved to know that the Reform Jews will not be funded by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, seeing it as a statement regarding their status. “I only hope this will not lead to recognition in their religious authority as well.”
One-way bridge to Christianity
A senior ultra-orthodox city Rabbi called the decision “beyond ridiculous”. “The Reform Jews are not Jewish, Christian or Muslim – this is a new religious that has nothing to do with the bible. They don’t maintain the mitzvahs, so how can they be called Rabbis and receive state funding?
“These rabbis allow mix marriages world wide, and responsible for building a one-way bridge to Christianity. It is known that Reform Jews have no third or even second generations. Their children contribute to churches, not Synagogues,” said the Rabbi. — http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4237618,00.html
“They don’t maintain the mitzvahs”
what is the point of anyone doing a mitzvah in Israel when hunger strikers are dying ? People are going to have to choose between mitzvot and human rights abuses. Currently they appear to want it all.
I don’t know whether there is any substance in this, to me surprising, idea that Reform Jewish families become Christian? In my gang, the Church of England, the late Bishop Montefiore of Birmingham represented a distinguished, but surely Orthodox not Reform, Jewish family.