Pluralism in Israel

By Abe Fried-Tanzer
KOC Editor
New York University

Every year, the Conservative Movement sends hundreds of Jews to Israel. There are synagogue trips, Camp Ramah trips, Birthright groups, and USY Pilgrimage participants, just to name the officially sponsored and organized ones. An important tenet of Conservative Judaism is a strong connection to Israel, and Zionism and pro-Israel activities are practiced and encouraged at Conservative synagogues around the United States. There is an unfortunate paradox, therefore, that exists with the current state of the State of Israel. It is a predominantly Orthodox country, and it is difficult to go to a place where pluralism is not always accepted or tolerated, and that certainly should not be the case.

My first trip to Israel was with my Conservative synagogue. In addition to holding egalitarian services on a regular basis, we made a trip to Robinson's Arch, the section of the Western Wall where men and women can pray together. My sister read from the Torah in preparation for her Bat Mitzvah several weeks later. As someone who grew up attending only a Conservative synagogue and didn't have what I would consider an Orthodox Jewish experience until that very trip to Israel, it's extremely strange and unsettling to think of having to pray apart from members of my family. Robinson's Arch is a spot that facilitates Conservative Judaism in a place that is not friendly to other sects of Judaism other than the traditional.

It is especially disturbing, therefore, to learn of the recent situation of the Women of the Wall, where two members were arrested late last year for activities at the Kotel that were deemed inappropriate and shameful by others. Even more despicable is the instance of Haredi men throwing chairs at the women as they were preparing to pray. In Israel of all places, everyone should be able to be Jewish. The existence of the Masorti Movement and the Schechter Institute Rabbinical School in Israel offer hope that the old song sung, "wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish," can remain true, no matter what kind of Jew the person may be. It is extremely important for Conservative Jews to feel comfortable in Israel, because it's our homeland too.

[Posted 4/13/10]