Reform Jews shouldn’t be talking just to the Wall

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Published: 10 May 2016

Last updated: 4 March 2024

A missed opportunity to support secular life in Israel – Bernard Avishai – The New Yorker 06.05.16
The Orthodox rabbinate sees itself as waging a culture war, and it has been winning. In both Israel and America, the Reform movement may rail against the state-backed dominance of the Orthodox rabbinate. But in many instances it has not acted to break rabbinic power so much as to share in it. It is one thing to advance a more open Judaism as the state’s official religion and another thing entirely to advance an open society for all citizens. Sadly, on the latter effort, the Reform movement may be missing a greater opportunity to make common cause between secular Jews in North America and those in Israel.

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And see:

Defying ban, women hold priestly blessing at Western Wall – The Times of Israel 09.05.16
Women of the Wall stage the ceremony at Jerusalem holy site despite Attorney-General’s ban

Is Israel’s Jewishness overtaking its democracy? March 15, 2016

Israelis dissatisfied with religious policy September 19, 2015