Religious Pluralism at the Wall and Throughout Israel (1997)

WHEREAS, the Western Wall for generations has symbolized the religious unity and national autonomy of the Jewish people; and

WHEREAS, we recognize and ardently support the desire of all Jews to be free to approach the Wall in full expression of their religious commitment, confident that they will enjoy complete security assured by the authorities of the Western Wall and the State of Israel; and

WHEREAS, we deplore the fact that in Israel religious freedom and denominational enfranchisement do not fully exist; and

WHEREAS, we deplore the denying of the right of authentic rabbis to serve their communities; and

WHEREAS, legislation has been introduces into the Knesset to recognize only those conversions performed in Israel by Orthodox Rabbis as valid;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM calls for guaranteed legal rights of all Jews to life and worship in full expression of their religious commitment in Israel including at the Western Wall; and

BE IT RESOLVED, that THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM encourages every effort to participate in services and programs, as may be appropriate to further the cause of religious pluralism and the enfranchisement and empowerment of Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist movements in Israel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM urges members of affiliated congregations to communicate these desires to the Prime Minister, Ministers, Knesset Members, the Ambassador to the United States and Consult General in the United States to direct the Center for Conservative Judaism to communicate with the authorities in Israel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM supports the many efforts to win religious and political equity for Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Jews on the local as well as national levels in Israel.