Russell Cohen

Our accomplishments through the resolutions process partially include:

 
 
1. Overwhelming support to oppose the currently proposed changes in Israeli conversion law that will both negate the Law of Return and prejudice the rights of Jewish communities to act, each in its own way, regarding the conversion process.
2. Equal funding for all Jewish religious streams within the WZO budget. This could mean an additional $500,000 for the IMPJ.
3. 80% positive support stating that the Government of Israel should recognize all streams of Judaism and their right to perform marriages and conversion in Israel.
4. Approved a new requirement that 30% of the membership in all WZO committees, boards, etc. must be women.

This was the first time that a charedi (ultra orthodox) group joined the WZO. In this case it was the Shas party that represents mostly the Sephardic community and more specifically Moroccan Jews. One of their agenda items at the Congress was to have the concept of Jewish pluralism deleted from the WZO body politic. They proposed resolutions to set up pre conversion institutions in the Diaspora to avoid our congregations and rabbis as well as those of the Conservative movement and modern Orthodox. They proposed that the WZO expend its limited funds on substantial projects in the West Bank to protect ancient Jewish religious sites. They opposed the serious inclusion of women.

Led by our delegation, all of the Shas efforts were soundly defeated. Will this affect Israeli Government policies that we would like to see changed? Perhaps. Our collective actions do, however, put the majority of affiliated Jews on record as being for pluralism, tolerance and the rule of law in a Jewish, civil, democratic state.