Amir Tibon :Head of Conservative Judaism Movement Compares Israel's Religious Authorities to Iran and Saudi Arabia
Leading Jewish groups in the United States
offered blistering criticism on Thursday over two developments that made
headlines in Israel: the police questioning of a Conservative rabbi in Haifa for officiating a non-Orthodox wedding, and the Knesset's passage of the nation-state law, which, among other things, downgraded the status of the Arabic language in Israel.
The combination of the two events happening on the same day created a sense of crisis and despair among liberal Zionists
in the United States. This sense was expressed in the strongest terms
by Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative
Judaism, the umbrella organization of the Conservative movement in North
America.
"After my colleague
in Haifa is pulled out of bed, arrested and summoned back for
officiating at a non-Orthodox wedding and the passage of the
nation-state law, I do not believe we can talk about a gap' between Israel and the Diaspora," Wernick wrote in a letter to the Israeli government. "It is now a 'canyon.'"
These are the actions of Iran and Saudi Arabia,"
Wernick wrote, a rare choice of words for the leader of a movement which
overall is considered very supportive of Israel. "What's next," he
asked."Will the police enforce the Rabbinate's modesty rules? Kashrut
rules? Shabbat rules?" Wernick also addressed the passage of the
nation-state law by asking: "If you are an Israeli Arab today, you
certainly are feeling deligitimized as a citizen of the State. For what
gain?"
Wernick added that
"Israel is losing its soul and weakening its democracy and Jewish
character. It's beacon of light on the nations is now dim. Even I am
having difficulty seeing it."
Hours after he sent the letter, Wernick wrote on
Facebook that while the Iran and Saudi Arabia comparison was made "at
the height of emotion," he believes that "the risk of theocracy in
Israel is not just hyperbole." He also commended Israeli President
Reuven Rivlin for hosting Rabbi Hayun at an event marking the fast day
of Tisha B'Av at the president's official residence.
The American Jewish
Committee, which earlier this week expressed support for Israel's
reaction to Hamas' rocket launchings from Gaza, also expressed concern
over the incident in which Rabbi Dubi Hayun was brought for questioning.
"We are deeply concerned by reports that Conservative Rabbi Dubi Hayun
was brought in for questioning after conducting a wedding in Israel,"
the organization stated. "Rabbi Hayun is a longtime friend of AJC and
recipient of the 2017 AJC Unity Award."
he organization also put out a statement against
the nation-state law, stating that it was "deeply disappointed" over its
passage. According to AJC, "two elements of this new Basic Law put at
risk the commitment of Israel’s founders to build a country that is both
Jewish and democratic: First, the measure downgrades Arabic from its
longstanding status as one of Israel’s official languages to one that
has 'special status.'”
"Second, the clause
in the bill saying 'the state views the development of Jewish settlement
as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its
establishment and consolidation' could be read as a euphemism for the
originally proposed endorsement of support for Jewish-only communities in Israel."
The Anti-Defamation
League came out against the controversial law as well, stating that
"While there are provisions that we agree with - notably with regard to
state symbols like the anthem, flag and capital Jerusalem; as well as in
reaffirming that the State of Israel is open to Jewish immigration - we
are troubled by the fact that the law, which celebrates the fundamental
Jewish nature of the state, raises significant questions about the
government’s long-term commitment to its pluralistic identity and
democratic nature."
Rabbi Rick Jacobs,
president of the Union for Reform Judaism, stated that " this is a sad
and unnecessary day for Israeli democracy. The damage that will be done by this new Nation-State law to the
legitimacy of the Zionist vision and to the values of the state of
Israel as a democratic—and Jewish—nation is enormous."
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