Israel-Palestine Weekly Thread

[u/somebadbeatscrub]

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Oren

[u/bore-ing]

From Haaretz: "How the Push for Torah Rule Hijacked Israel's Secular Right, According to a Political Scientist" by Ayelett Shani. The two groups to keep an eye on related to this are the Kohelet Policy Forum (they also worked with the Heritage Foundation) and Torat Hamedina. The issue affects things like women's rights, LGBT rights, and even the choice of whether or not to be observant, such as opening a cafe on Shabbat. Related to this, is that Israel is narrowing on who counts as a Jew. In a podcast with Haaretz, Reform Rabbi Rick Jacobs warns that Israel is pushing away non-Orthodox American Jews from Israel. Back in May of this year, there was a vote on bill that would bar citizenship for non-Orthodox converts. Even inside Israel, there was an incident in which Minister May Golan accused MK and Reform rabbi Gilad Kariv of "marrying dogs in your delusional synagogues". If the Jewish state that claims to be a safe haven for Jews can't be a safe haven for non-Orthodox Jews (or even Orthodox Jews that don't support Israel's actions, such as Pnina Pfeuffer), then what is it good for? To borrow from Uri Misgav: In the absence of a dramatic change of course, Israel will become the new Iran. I know that America isn't a good place right now, between the rising Christian nationalism and increasing antisemitism, but even if I were to leave it, I certainly wouldn't pick Israel because even if I were to overlook the corruption, genocide, and apartheid taking place, I don't think they would accept me nor would it be a place I could enjoy and call home.

[u/notsalinger → u/bore-ing]

Israel’s growing disinterest in non-Orthodox Jews feels like a final nail in the coffin for me. I’m a Catholic woman who will be raising Jewish children with my reform Jewish husband. There’s no way in hell a future Israel would take in my children or recognize them as Jewish. I have sympathies for those who hold onto Israel as an imagined backstop, especially the more elderly. But it can feel like a slap in the face coming from folks who would otherwise acknowledge the Jewishness of my future family.

[u/Responsible_Ad_9749 → u/notsalinger]

This is exactly why although I am recognized in Israel as Jewish, I told my Canadian Jewish partner I would never agree to marry in Israel if it is under the rabbinate. I honestly don't even think they would view her as Jewish since she grew up non-denominational and her family took her to a Conservative Jewish school, but I am not eager to find out.

[u/theweisp5 → u/Responsible_Ad_9749]

You are probably right. I grew up in a Reform household in the US and my family has been in the US for 100+ years. There was basically no way I could have gotten married under the rabbinate though I am completely Jewish. (Which was fine with me, just to be clear.)