Dear friends,

As we enter the new week, we continue in our struggle for equality at the Kotel and in conversion services. We began this week on motzei Shabbat, Saturday night, with a Havdallah service and rally by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem. We, together with our partners from the Conservative Movement, were joined by around 2,000 people who came to say – enough is enough! The rally was also joined by leading figures in Israeli society, including Sali Maridor, former embassador to the United States, General (Res.) Noam Tibon, author Yokhi Brandes, Tehilla Nachson and others, who came to speak out in favor of religious freedom and against the government’s disrespect of hundreds of thousands of Jews who refuse to be led by the ultra-Orthodox authority.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, President and CEO of the IMPJ, was the concluding speaker. In his remarks, he stated: “We, together with our many partners in Israel and around the world, entered into this embarrassing and dangerous lack of governmental leadership – our voices loud and varied, yet announcing in one chorus: no more! No more blind hatred! No more hypocrisy! No more redundancy! No more signing of agreements, only to then turn them into empty promises! No more being rewarded for despicable acts! No more speaking about unity on the one hand and acting divisively on the other! No more making one statement in English in Washington and a completely opposite one in the government offices in Jerusalem. No more!”

We invite you to continue following us on Facebook and on our website, where you will find a detailed explanation of this past week’s events, a prayer for unity in Israel, by Rabbi Yehoyada Amir, chairperson of MARAM – Reform Rabbinic Council in Israel, the full text of the speech made by Rabbi Gilad Kariv at the rally, a video from the rally, and more.

We will keep you posted over the coming week as developments unfold. We want to take this opportunity to thank you again for your continued support during these trying times. Even as we face backlash in Israel, your support helps remind us that indeed, kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh, all the people of Israel are responsible for one another.

Reform Judaism in Israel
13 King David Street
Jerusalem,
Jerusalem 9410125 Israel