Resolution Adopted
by the CCAR
Religious
Pluralism in Israel
Adopted at the
Convention of the
Central Conference of American Rabbis
1994 / 5754
Background:
The Israeli Proclamation of Independence of May 14, 1948,
states that full freedom
of
religion and conscience is to be guaranteed to all citizens of Israel.
For the
past 46 years. Muslims
Christians and members of other non-Jewish religions have
enjoyed freedom to practice their religions
and their clergy have been empowered to perform
marriages and grant divorces. However. Reform,
Conservative and Reconstructionist
Jews have had almost no religious rights because their rabbis
are not recognized
under Israeli
law and are prevented from performing basic life cycle functions.
Furthermore,
these Jews are denied
state support for their religious institutions. Thus, the theoretical
right of equality for all Jews in
the State of Israel is translated in practicality into second-class
religious rights for the majority of Israeli Jews. The urgency
of addressing the lack of religious
pluralism in Israel is underscored by the periodic
crises over the status of religion in Israel, crises
in which the American Jewish
community has become involved, and by the 150,000 Soviet and
Ethiopian olim
who
currently cannot marry in Israel.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Central Conference of
American Rabbis call for
the
Government and Knesset of Israel to extend full freedom of religion to
all Jews
in Israel, to end
religious coercion, to end the religious monopoly granted to one
segment of Jewry and to repeal all
laws that discriminate against Reform, Conservative and
Reconstructionist Jews, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the CCAR, in
consonance with the UAHC Biennial resolution,
undertake–together with the other arms of our
Movement in North America, Israel and
the rest of the world, as well as with the other movements and
individuals who support these principles–a concerted effort aimed at
implementing full religious freedom
for the sake of our people in the State of Israel and for
K’lal Yisra-eil
,
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that
the CCAR direct the Israel Committee to work among our
members and their congregations to raise
consciousness and develop support for the
upbuilding of a liberal Jewish alternative in Israel, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the
CCAR resolve to undertake to place this issue on
the agenda of the Jewish community in North America
through local Community Relations
Committees, relevant Federation committees and in other
organizational venues, local
and
national, and
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that the CCAR demand the formation of a clear, unequivocal
policy that calls upon the State of
Israel to:
1) recognize in law
the basic human right of marriage, especially for new immigrants
and Jews by choice, and
2) grant legal recognition to the
Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements,
whose institutions will make religious pluralism a
reality in Israel.