Is Israel a Home for All Jews? A message from the URJ

This past January, Prime Minister Netanyahu made a commitment to the entire Jewish people. His government passed a resolution that included all forms of Jewish worship at the Western Wall, with detailed plans to build an egalitarian prayer space, administered by a pluralistic group including our rabbis. For the first time in the history of the Jewish state, Reform rabbis would join an official government-supported religious body. It was a great shared victory!

Unfortunately, in the months since, the government has successfully avoided implementing its own commitment. We are encouraged by the recent statements of two Supreme Court Justices, urging us to appeal to the government to implement its decision. The appeal will be submitted before Rosh HaShanah. 

But we need your help.

We need you to convey to the Israeli government the urgency and significance of equality for Reform and progressive Jews in Israel. For Israel to be a true democracy, and the home for all Jews, the government must take action. Our insistence on democracy, pluralism and equality in Israel is an expression of our love and commitment to Israel.

We, the leadership of the Reform Movement, are coming together to ask all of our supporters and members to reach out to Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstien, and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennet, and ask them to fulfill their commitment to make Judaism’s holiest site a home to all Jews.

Please join us in making 5777 the year our joint victory at the Kotel is complete and Israel really is a home to all Jews. We believe that by this time next year we will hear the shofar blast from a Western Wall that represents the best of our values and our diversity.

Send Our Joint Message

Shanah Tovah,

Rabbi Rick Jacobs                                        Daryl Messinger
President                                                      Chair

The following organizations of the Reform Movement join with the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conservative Movement in this effort:

Union for Reform Judaism, ARZA, Central Conference of American Rabbis, American Conference of Cantors, ARZA Canada, ARZENU, Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism, Israel Religious Action Center, NFTY, Association of Reform Jewish Educators, Women of Reform Judaism, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Women's Rabbinic Network, the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and the Men of Reform Judaism.