There’s More Than One Way to be Jewish
By: Adv. Orly Erez-Likhovski, IRAC Director
Published in “Israel Hayom” on November 3, 2021
Irit Linur’s anger, in her column published in this newspaper on 10/29/2021, was directed at the launch of the Progressive Jewish Lobby, led by a Reform rabbi (MK Gilad Kariv), a secular MK (Michal Rozin), and an Orthodox MK (Moshe Tur-Paz). Linur particularly resented Minister of Transportation Merav Michaeli’s remarks, according to which the words Judaism and progressive were once synonymous, and her additional remark that the Western Wall, which has become an ultra-Orthodox synagogue, must be freed. Linur claims that the Reform Movement has failed in Israel and that the default of Israeli citizens is Orthodox Judaism.
There would be no point in responding to Linur’s writings had they only been appallingly simplistic, but they are also inaccurate, to say the least. Indeed, spreading fake news has become legitimate nowadays, but nevertheless it is worthwhile to put things right.
Let’s start with what should be known to all. Reform Judaism represents the spirit of Judaism over the years, a Judaism that believes in debates and the seventy faces of the Torah. Indeed, it is actually ultra-Orthodox Judaism, whose observance is the same as two-hundred years ago, that is the true Jewish reform (according to the determination of the Hatam Sofer that “new is forbidden from the Torah”, a statement which is in itself is new). The whole concept of one perception of Judaism, which is connected to the government, that in turn showers it with funding and then claims that it is the only way to be Jewish, is an invention that only exists in the State of Israel.
The claim that we want to correct “broken” Orthodox Judaism misses the whole concept of Jewish pluralism, which is promoted by the non-Orthodox movements and the progressive Jewish movement. No one is trying to prevent Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews from exercising their freedom of religion (the claim that we demanded mixed prayer in all parts of the Western Wall is false). All we want is for Reform and Conservative Jews, and Orthodox Jews who do not identify with the ultra-Orthodox Rabbinate – to be able to exercise their right to freedom of religion according to their belief. That is the essence of democracy, which praises the values of equality and freedom of religion.
No one claims that the Reform Movement is the biggest Jewish movement in Israel, but let us remind Linur that in a democracy the minority also has rights. According to a survey performed by the Jewish Public Policy Institute in 2018, 800,000 (!) Israelis identify as Reform or Conservative. Linur cannot decide on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Israelis regarding what is their Jewish identity, nor can she determine that in the State of Israel there is only one way to be Jewish.
The Reform Movement not only works to gain equal status, it also paves the way for the moderate voices in Orthodox Judaism which the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate does not represent, and which offer alternatives to the Rabbinate in the areas of marriage, conversion, kashrut, and congregational rabbis – alternatives that rely on the achievements of the Reform Movement. None of which Linur takes into account.
Linur’s claim that Reform Jews have no interest in Judaism, unless they can harness it in favor of advancing civil rights, is nothing short of astounding. Beyond the fact that advancing civil rights in a democratic state should be a noble cause, Linur completely ignores the fact that it is the ultra-Orthodox Rabbinate which has been using religion as an instrument to gain political status and public funding for decades.
As for her claim that Ezrat Yisrael, the egalitarian section of the Western Wall, is open and well maintained, free from the influence of rabbis, but abandoned most of the year – where should we even begin? Maybe from the fact that in its current neglected state, Ezrat Yisrael does not constitute a true alternative to the main prayer plaza? Or from the fact that in contrast to the huge budget allocated to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the State does not spend a cent on advertising Ezrat Yisrael, which is why most people are not even aware that an egalitarian alternative exists? From the fact that ultra-Orthodox groups often come and attempt to take over the egalitarian plaza? Or from the fact that despite all of the above, Ezrat Yisrael is bustling with families and individuals who come to pray and celebrate Bar or Bat Mitzvahs?
Lastly, one must point to the hypocritical claims according to which the Reform Movement opposes the revival of the Jewish people in Israel. Beyond the fact that Reform Jews are involved in all avenues of Israeli society and that the Reform Movement in the Diaspora supports Israel politically, economically and morally, Linur ignores the blatant anti-Zionism of ultra-Orthodox Judaism – a fact that does not stop Linur from siding with the ultra-Orthodox monopoly over Judaism.
So, while Linur continues to tarnish the Reform Movement, we will continue to offer a sane and tolerant Judaism, and Israelis will continue to turn to the Reform Movement for holiday celebrations and meaningful life cycle events. While Linur continues to preach that she alone knows what is right (and mainly what is wrong) for all of us, we will continue to advance the revolutionary concept anchored in the Declaration of Independence, of equal rights regardless of religions, race and gender, and freedoms of religion and conscious.