This new legislation would roll back the clock on all the achievements we have made for Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative conversion rights in Israel: not only losing recognition for Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative conversions in Israel, but even completely redefining who is a Jew. From now on the power to perform conversions would rest solely with the Chief Rabbinate – which only recognizes Orthodox conversions.

This decision, which affects the very definition of who is a Jew for all of Klal Yisrael, is being made by a few politicians who happen to be in power during the 18th Knesset. They are not at all in conversation with world Jewry, on whom this decision will have a major impact.

At your next Jewish gathering, take a look at the people around you: chances are good that you are sitting next to someone who would no longer be considered a Jew in Israel.

There are millions of Jews in North America and elsewhere outside of Israel. The current Israeli leadership needs to hear from all of you – and right away – if we are going to stop this. We ask you to send urgent messages of protest to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to your ambassador from Israel.

We need the strength of your numbers to remind those who promote this bill that Israel and Judaism are not theirs alone.

Please sign the Israel Religious Action Center’s petition at: http://www.irac.org/petitionsign.aspx. Also, please send the following letter right now to the Prime Minister and your ambassador, and forward this urgent call to your friends and family.

L’shalom,

                                             

     Robert A. Barkin                                                                      Dr. Carl Sheingold
     President                                                                                Executive Vice President
     Jewish Reconstructionist Federation                                          Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

 

 

The Honorable Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem, Israel

 

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

We write to request your immediate intervention to prevent passage of the legislation being brought forward by MK David Rotem.

We are deeply concerned about the intention to grant the Chief Rabbinate sole control over conversion in Israel. Such legislation would be an open attack on the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Jewry, which composes the majority of world Jewry. In addition, passage of this bill would have the effect of altering the Law of Return, or, at the very least, cause undue hardship to anyone in Israel who come from Diaspora communities and seek to convert in Israel.

While we are supportive of efforts to create greater accessibility to conversion courts in Israel, the overall impact of the Rotem Bill will set back these efforts. Should this bill be enacted, it will exacerbate a widening gap between the Jewish communities in the Diaspora and in Israel, which we are working very hard to avoid.

Therefore, we believe it is imperative that you, as leader of Israel, and as one who cares deeply about the well-being of Klal Yisrael, intervene and urge immediate withdrawal of this bill.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office: Prime.Minister'sOffice@it.pmo.gov.il

U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren’s office: info@washington.mfa.gov.il

Canadian Ambassador Miriam Ziv’s office: info@ottawa.mfa.gov.il