Last week (August 9) an article appeared in the opinion section of the Forward under the title – “Stop Trying to Bring Reform and Conservative Judaism to Israel – We Already have too much Religion” by Einat Wilf and Ram Vromen.
The article set up a straw dog paradigm that is faulty on so many levels it is difficult to respond. But Rabbi Gilad Kariv did effectively as a follow-up letter to the editor. Rabbi Kariv is President and CEO of the Israel Reform Movement.
Rabbi Kariv shows that Reform Progressive and Liberal Judaism is an authentic Israeli movement and that progressive Judaism is a necessity for Israel’s future both as a Jewish and democratic society.
I am including links to both the original article and Rabbi Kariv’s response which offers links to surveys completed fairly recently that show both the growth and potential of Reform Judaism in Israel.
I urge you to read both items.
Note: I serve as the national chair of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) that is the American Zionist arm of the Union for Reform Judaism and a partner with the Israeli Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism.
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