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Friday November 15, 1996

Pluralism for Jews everywhere

The first shot in a potential religious identity war between Israel and the diaspora was set to be fired in Seattle this week.

In recent weeks, ultrareligious members of Netanyahu's ruling coalition have begun paving the way for legislation that would bar Conservative and Reform conversions from being performed in Israel.

Their initiative came after the Israeli Supreme Court, under the previous Labor government, ruled that Conservative and Reform conversions could be performed in Israel.

The court also ruled that the Knesset must pass legislation reflecting the change from Israel's long-standing policy giving the Orthodox sole authority over conversions and other life-cycle ceremonies.

U.S. Conservative and Reform leaders have warned that this bill would deny their movements' legitimacy in Israel and worldwide, rekindling the divisive "Who is a Jew?" debate.

Holding its annual General Assembly in Seattle this week, the CJF, most of whose members are Conservative and Reform, was expected to urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a satellite feed to block the bill.

The prime minister, who supports the legislation (and needs the ultrareligious parties to maintain his coalition), had reassured U.S. Jews that the bill was not imminent and would not affect diaspora Jewish converts.

Israel's ultrareligious forces backing the change say they are simply reinforcing the status quo: Orthodox primacy. But that, we believe, attempts to mask a broader power struggle.

U.S. Orthodox leaders, meanwhile, have said their liberal counterparts are overreacting. That simply seems another attempt to mask the bill's real impact.

The CJF, wisely, was prodding Netanyahu to defend Conservative and Reform conversions in Israel. While that pressure may be largely symbolic, it sends the Knesset the strong message that the bulk of U.S. Jews think religious pluralism is good not only for American Jews but for the Jewish state as well.

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