Please see below Leadership Briefing from JFNA (source):
As many of you are aware, in recent weeks we have been closely monitoring a developing – and delicate – situation in Israel.
Member of Knesset Elazar Stern (from Tzippy Livni’s Hatnua Party), has proposed a bill that attempts to liberalize the process of conversions in Israel. Creating more options for conversion is a high priority and can impact directly the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis whom we helped make aliyah from the Russian-speaking world as well as many others. So, of course, we welcome such moves and are pleased that it looks likely that the bill will come up for second and final readings in the Knesset as early as this Tuesday.
However, we know, and experience has taught us, that in the final stages and up to the very last minute of the political process, it’s possible that there will be attempts made to include clauses in the bill that would be extremely problematic for North American Jewry. We have a real concern that such changes could be detrimental to non-Orthodox conversions carried out in Israel or roll back progress on other advances in the realm of religious diversity.
When we were in Israel two weeks ago, we led an extensive series of meetings with Israel’s top political leadership on this issue. Our message was singular – no bill is better than a bad bill. A bad bill could even jeopardize moderate Orthodox efforts. The North American Jewish community will not stand quietly on the sidelines if a new and problematic version of the bill is voted into law. To that end, we are working very closely with the religious streams and others, both here in North America and through JFNA’s Israel office, to avoid a crisis. The collaboration and cooperation has been extraordinary.
At this stage, we are in direct dialogue with key figures in Israel to convey our concerns in the clearest possible terms and doing everything possible to make sure this bill serves its original and important purpose: welcoming people to our nation, rather than, G-d forbid, driving a wedge between different parts of the Jewish family.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Samaech,
Michael Siegal Dede Feinberg Jerry Silverman