Rabbi Miri Gold Makes Strides Toward Recognition for Reform Rabbis in Israel

Currently, there are hundreds of Rabbis on the payroll of the Israeli government. Not one of these Rabbis is from the Reform or Conservative movement, nor are any of them female. Rabbi Miri Gold, of Kibbutz Gezer, hopes to change all this with a petition to Israel’s High Court of Justice to become Chief Rabbi of Kibbutz Gezer.

Rabbi Gold has served as the spiritual leader of Kibbutz Gezer for the past twenty years. She was ordained by the Hebrew Union College of Israel in 1999. She runs the Shabbat services and prepares kibbutz members for life-cycle events. Peter Weiss, head of the Gezer Regional Council sees her as the ideal candidate for the position of Head Rabbi of the Gezer community and, with the legal aid of the Israel Religious Action Committee (IRAC) helped submit the petition to the High Court.

On Tuesday, September 20^th, 2005, the petition was submitted to the High Court.  The question of  “Who is a Jew?” has evolved into the question of “Who is a Rabbi?” The coming months will bring to bear many questions about the validity of Reform Judaism, as well as the role of women in Judaism. Rabbi Gold had the following comments for Connections:

“This case has already raised awareness among those Israelis who, although they pay taxes to the government for religious needs, never gave much thought to the fact that a community has the right to choose its rabbi.  Many people here have commented positively.  As a result of this publicity, more and more Israelis will understand that Reform and Conservative Judaism are mainstream choices for the majority of North American Jews, and for many other Jews around the world.  This will help combat the propaganda spewed by the Orthodox establishment in Israel that Reform is a "cult" dangerous to the Jewish people.

We are turning to the Supreme Court out of our belief that Israel is a democratic state.  We are demanding recognition of the need for liberal community rabbis where it is appropriate for the community.  I am asked that my de facto position as rabbi of Gezer, and as one who serves many people in the Gezer Regional Council area, be recognized by the State and that I receive compensation as do the sixteen other rabbis in the region.”

Your continued membership in ARZA supports the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism and IRAC in their work on behalf of Rabbi Miri Gold. We will keep you up to date as this story progresses as well as develop action items for you, your family, and your congregation, to be found on our website, www.arza.org

ARZA’s Reform Zionist Think Tank Convenes

What are the pertinent stories, metaphors, and memories of Reform Zionism?  Is Reform Zionism a religious Zionism?  How is Reform Jewish identity connected to notions of peoplehood, and how does this affect our relationship with Israel?

The ARZA Reform Zionist Think Tank convened in early September to continue its work deliberating over these and other questions essential to Reform Zionism.  Over 30 leading thinkers, including rabbis, professors, and lay leaders from the Reform Movement gathered at the URJ Kutz Camp in Warwick, NY., under the leadership of chairperson Rabbi Ira Youdovin and academic chairperson Dr. Michael Meyer. Over two-and-a-half days of serious study and contemplation, the group heard and discussed presentations by major scholars on the theme, “Towards a Language for Reform Zionism in Narrative, Metaphor and Hebrew/Jewish Language.”

• Dr. Bethamie Horowitz (Click Here to read more)

• Dr. William Cutter (Click Here to read more)

• Dr. Michael Marmur (Click Here to read more)

• Dr. Elan Ezrachi  (Click Here to read more)

• Dr. Lisa Grant (Click Here to read more)

The Think Tank, through smaller working groups, is engaged in ongoing conversation as it grapples with these vital issues and works towards a cohesive and comprehensive vision of Reform Zionism which can serve as a springboard for successful, meaningful, and relevant programs and policies.  The next Reform Zionist Think Tank meeting is scheduled for April 25-27, 2006, at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati.

New Faces at ARZA: Brief Biographies

Over the past two months, several people have joined the ARZA staff. Connections will highlight one of these new folks in each of the next several upcoming issues:

Elana Paru is the National Director of Membership for ARZA.  In her role, Elana is responsible for working with the ARZA professional and volunteer leadership on developing and implementing successful strategies for membership recruitment and retention and creating opportunities through which deeper engagement with ARZA will make Israel meaningful to the sacred lives and Jewish identity of Reform congregants. Building on her extensive background in Jewish communal life and informal education, Elana also consults with her ARZA colleagues in the areas of training, programming and leadership development.

Prior to joining the staff of ARZA, Elana served as the Director of Development at the Jewish Outreach Institute and the Director of Development of Young Judea, the Zionist Youth Movement of Hadassah.  Before focusing her efforts on development, Elana served as the Assistant Principal of Beit Rabban Day School located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Elana received her B.A. in Judaic Studies and Sociology at SUNY Albany. As a Wexner Foundation Graduate Fellow, Elana completed a double master’s degree program in Jewish Communal Service and Non-Profit Management at Brandeis University and then spent a year in Israel studying at the Pardes Institute before returning to the States, where she worked at the United Jewish Federation in Pittsburgh, PA as a Campaign and Planning Associate.

“Tsevet Mitzvot”  (Mitzvah Corps) enjoys active   visit to Israel - Written by Marjorie Phillips

I wanted to share with you my new perspective of Israel, having returned from a “working visit” there with the Reform Judaism Mission on Social Action.  I should confess that until recently I had no desire to go to Israel.  In addition to the fear of terrorist attacks, I was ambivalent at best about Israel, uncomfortable with the things I read about Israel’s treatment of its Palestinian population.  In fact, one of the reasons I did finally go (through the urging of a business colleague of mine) was because of a personal dare to myself to break out of my comfort zone of only traveling to places that were safe and that fit neatly within my existing cultural experiences, such as Europe.   My decision to go was probably one of the best I’ve ever made in my life.

Here is the truth:  do I still struggle with ambivalence and discomfort about certain aspects of Israeli society? For such a small geographical space, it has the most deceptively complicated history that anyone can imagine.  Do I now feel differently about my obligation to support Israel?  Absolutely, and I hope by reading further and getting involved in some of the up-coming congregational activities this year, you will begin to feel the same.  And yes, I will make the pitch: the reform movement in Israel desperately needs our money, and we should support it as best we can. 

Click here to read the rest of Marjorie's article:

Gear up for the 3rd Annual Riding4Reform,

Israel, March 26-30, 2006

The Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism invites members from the Reform Communities all over the world to participate in its 3rd annual fundraising bike ride from March 26 - 30, 2006. Over a five-day period participants will ride more than 225 miles. The riders will follow a route from Jerusalem westward and than turn back east – taking us through the heartland of Israel – ending up in Jerusalem. Along the way they will visit Reform congregations while enjoying Israel’s most breathtaking scenery.

The ride costs $350 which covers almost all costs within Israel
during the five-day ride (food, snacks, accommodations, entrance fees to sites, security, technical support, first aid, etc.). In addition, each participant is asked to raise a minimum of $2000 through donations and sponsorships.

The ride’s objective is to raise funds to support the Israel Reform Movement (usually referred as the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism) and its diverse educational and community projects it operates. All proceeds will be used to bring the values of Reform Judaism to children, youth and young adults around Israel. 

For further Information please see www.riding4reform.org, or contact the IMPJ at moti@impj.org.il

Member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in San Rafael, California Brings Jews and Palestinians Together

Ken Kramarz, a member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in San Rafael, California, is a man committed to bringing peace into the world. As Executive Director of Camp Tawonga, an independent Jewish summer camp near Yosemite National Park that serves more than 450 teens each summer, Kramarz envisioned the camp serving as a setting for dialogue, community building and a first step towards peace. Working with San Francisco Bay area Palestinian and Jewish organizers, the camp recently played host to ninety Palestinians and Jews of all ages at a program called “Peacemakers.”

The San Francisco NBC affiliate recently ran a story on this meeting. You can watch the full story, via streaming video, please go the following website: http://cbs5.com/video/?id=6852@kpix.dayport.com.

(Please be patient when clicking on the link)