Jerusalem – American Jews Warn Israeli Leader Of Possible ‘Rupture’

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    Jerusalem – A delegation of American Jewish representatives on Wednesday expressed “significant disappointment” over Israel’s failure to carry out a historic agreement to allow non-Orthodox prayers at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that relations with world Jewry could be harmed if the issue is not soon resolved.

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    The delays in implementing the deal have added to strains between Netanyahu’s government and the liberal streams of Judaism that are dominant in the United States.

    Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said the delegation told Netanyahu on Wednesday that this is a “very serious issue.”

    “There is a deep concern, bordering on disbelief, that this deal may not be implemented,” Jacobs said. He said the group had made clear that if the deal doesn’t go forward “it will signal a rupture” with North American Jewry.

    Israel’s Cabinet voted this year to build a new plaza for mixed-gender prayer at the Western Wall, adjacent to the current Orthodox prayer plaza. It was viewed as a victory for liberal streams of Judaism, but religious elements in Netanyahu’s coalition government oppose the plan.

    The Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, is administered by ultra-Orthodox authorities, who have a monopoly over religious affairs in Israel and oppose mixed-gender or female-led prayers.

    In March, Netanyahu’s office said the plan had run into trouble and that he hoped to find a solution within 60 days. Wednesday’s meeting coincided with the end of that two-month period.

    Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying that he continues to work on the issue and is committed to resolving the matter. Jacobs said he expected to see progress in a matter of weeks.

    Netanyahu’s coalition is dependent on ultra-Orthodox parties, limiting his ability to maneuver. But even members of his own Likud Party have antagonized liberal Jewish groups abroad. Earlier this year, Netanyahu’s tourism minister, Yariv Levin, called Reform Judaism a “waning world” that would disappear through assimilation.

    Jacobs said the treatment toward his movement is “very painful.”

    “We express our love for the Jewish state every day. The Jewish state doesn’t return that love,” he said.


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    14 Comments
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    pnimi
    pnimi
    7 years ago

    Rav Saadia Gaon said 1,000 years ago that אין אומתינו אומה אלא בתורתו

    shvache_teritz
    shvache_teritz
    7 years ago

    Please do your reporting properly.
    Mr Rick Jacobs – not Rabbi

    Curiosity
    Curiosity
    7 years ago

    The reform and other liberal streams of Judaism are akin to the Sadducees, and will suffer the same fate, as is promised by Hashem. They rebel against their creator with complete ignorance.

    Mendel32
    Mendel32
    7 years ago

    “It wil signal a rupture with North American Jewery”
    Correction: “It will signal a rupture with the REFORM platform” —
    Not just in North America, but the whole world over.
    All Jews, regardless of their level of religious observance, will continue to be welcomed with open arms!

    honestbroker
    honestbroker
    7 years ago

    הנה לו ינום ולא ישן שמר ישראל It won’t be Hezballah, it won’t be Hamas, it won’t be Iran , it won’t be ISIS , that destroys Israel , It will be these modern day בר יונים

    thegreatone
    thegreatone
    7 years ago

    Very interesting how these Reform Jews who are Mechalal Shabbos,eat Treif,gay activist and do anything and everything the Torah prohibits all of a sudden are seeking to Daven at the Kosel.

    BuckyinWisconsin
    BuckyinWisconsin
    7 years ago

    newsflash, the “rupture” already exists and is getting larger. And they like it his way, these offshoots to true torah Judaism. They like it in that they can fundraise and shrei all day long about those horrible religious Israelis. Follw he moeny.

    7 years ago

    The followers of the Reform religion have long ago ruptured from Israel, They don’t believe in Hashem and the Torah,They are in the forefront of the BDS movement and the creators of the anti Israel, pro Iran J Street.

    7 years ago

    What a bunch of hateful comments. However, I bet you go shnooring from these same people who you detest for your organizations and schools. Without the reform and conservative Yidden, they would all go bankrupt. Hypocrites!

    7 years ago

    Those groups should mind their own business; we would not want Israelis coming here, and sticking their noses into how we run our religious institutions; and, we wouldn’t want them interfering with the U.S. Presidential election, either. If those groups were ever allowed to hold a mixed service at the Kotel, there would be riots!

    DanielBarbaz
    DanielBarbaz
    7 years ago

    I do not understand how someone who lives outside of Israel has the chutzpah to pontificate to the Israeli Goverment as to how to run the affairs of state. Why don’t these people also direct their sagacity to every other country in the world as well?