Denominational Relationships in Israel and America

By Naomi Freedman
Shlihat Aliyah to the Conservative Movement
USCJ Department of Youth and Young Adult Services

In Israel, the denominational split is very different from in the States.

In America, in order for one to be a Jew, you are expected to belong to something Jewish, and most likely it means a synagogue. Most synagogues, in order to hold services, rabbis, or a youth movement, need to belong to a denomination. Basically, in the States, the denomination is an umbrella organization for the synagogues. All the synagogues that belong to the stream embrace the same basic principles.

In the States, the main Jewish religious streams are Conservative, Reform, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist, and we are now seeing more and more unaffiliated or independent minyanim.

In Israel, you do not have to belong to a synagogue or a community to be Jewish, since Israel is one big Jewish community. Of course there are other religions in Israel, but the state as a state is a Jewish state. A Jewish state means that the calendar is the Jewish calendar, the day off is Shabbat, on Yom Kippur the international airport is closed, the vacations are the Jewish holidays, the curriculum in schools is Jewish and much more.

In order to feel Jewish, you just need to live in Israel. The synagogue in Israel is most likely to be a beit tefilah (house of worship), since the JCCs (which are called matnasim), have plenty of cultural and social events. As a result, the synagogue is mostly for ritual and religious practice.

The Masorti Movement in Israel was established as a movement only in 1979. Before then, there were a few communities that prayed in their kehillot around Israel in a Conservative way. Most of the first communities were made up of olim (new immigrants) from the States that grew up in the Conservative Movement in the States. Today there are more than 50 Masorti communities all around Israel, and the population is very diverse, made up of Israelis and olim from all over the world.

The Masorti Movement in Israel often partners with the Reform Movement in Israel. They work together to combat religious discrimination or are allied when they have the same interests. This has happened regarding the conversion bill, marriage issues in Israel, the right to pray at the Kotel and much more.

The Masorti Movement in Israel can also partner with modern Orthodox streams, but most likely, it is the Orthodox streams that are recognized by the Chief Rabbinate, and they do not want to partner with the Conservative/Masorti Movement.

On a personal note, I think that the Masorti Movement has been doing a wonderful job of bringing awareness about religious pluralism and for equal rights for all people in Israel, especially Jews who aren't Orthodox.

For more information about the Masorti Movement please visit http://www.masorti.org.il/en/

[Posted 2/4/11]