Netanyahu vows commitment to pluralistic Judaism

WASHINGTON — The American Jewish Committee lauded Thursday a letter that it received from Benjamin Netanyahu in which the prime minister reiterated his rejection of attempts “to delegitimize any Jewish community” in Israel.

Speaking out after a number of incidents in which non-Orthodox synagogues were targeted for vandalism in Israel, and following statements by Religious Affairs Minister David Azoulai denigrating Reform Jews, Netanyahu said that he “remains committed to strengthening the unity of the Jewish people.”

AJC Jerusalem Chairman Matthew Bronfman and Director Avital Leibovich had written to the Israeli leader following comments made by Azoulay, who said that he did not consider Reform Jews to be Jewish.

In early July, Azoulay told Army Radio that “A Reform Jew, from the moment he stops following Jewish law — I cannot allow myself to say that he is a Jew.

“These are Jews that have lost their way,” he continued, adding that “we must ensure that every Jew returns to the fold of Judaism, and accept everyone with love and joy.”

At the time, a number of non-Orthodox Jewish groups and US Jewish organizations called on Netanyahu to reject the minister’s comments, and the Prime Minister’s Office responded by releasing a statement clarifying that the “hurtful remarks” do not reflect the position of the government.

“I have spoken with Minister Azoulay to remind him that Israel is a home for all Jews and that as minister of religious affairs, he serves all of Israel’s citizens,” the statement read.

In their letter to Netanyahu, Leibovich and Bronfman applauded the his original statement, but warned about “how damaging such efforts to question and delegitimize a vital and vibrant segment of the Jewish people are.”

“For many American Jews who are themselves Reform, as well as other Jews in our pluralistic community, these kinds of comments only serve to call into question the place of Israel in their lives and the very notion of Jewish unity and oneness,” they asserted. “Moreover, any sense of alienation or distance from Israel, regrettably, could have other important ramifications to the detriment of Israel’s standing in the world and its vital link with the United States.”

Jewish pluralism in Israel has proven to be a sensitive topic, particularly in relations between the US Jewish community – the majority of which does not identify as Orthodox – and the Israeli government, where many coalitions have included ultra-Orthodox parties that frequently oppose efforts to increase pluralistic policies in Israel.

Prime ministers often find themselves caught in a wedge between their ultra-Orthodox coalition partners and pressure from US Jewish organizations and the representatives of liberal streams of Judaism.

In the brief missive he wrote in response to the AJC leaders’ letter, Netanyahu used stronger language than in his original statement repudiating Azoulay’s comments.

“I share your feelings regarding the hateful remarks made by the minister for religious affairs. I have reminded him in no uncertain terms that, as a minister, he must represent all of Israel’s citizens,” Netanyahu wrote in the letter, which also included greetings on the occasion of the Jewish New Year.

“The government of Israel which I head remains committed to strengthening the unity of the Jewish people, and will unequivocally reject any attempt to divide us or to delegitimize any Jewish community – Reform, Conservative or Orthodox,” the letter continued.

The AJC said Thursday that a leadership delegation met with the prime minister in Jerusalem earlier this month, and discussed strategies for deepening the ties between Israel and US Jewry. Later this fall, the organization said, a group of Jewish leaders representing the Jewish Religious Equality Coalition — a project initiated by AJC — would be traveling to Israel to discuss issues of Jewish unity and pluralism with what the AJC described as “key officials and decision-makers.”

“I will continue to work to ensure that all Jews can feel at home in Israel, and I look forward to meeting with you to discuss concrete steps we can take together to do so,” the prime minister concluded.

AJC Executive Director David Harris welcomed the prime minister’s letter, saying, “We appreciate the prime minister’s stance, and we will continue to work closely with Israel’s leaders to strengthen religious pluralism.

“The unity of the Jewish people, and mutual respect of Jews among diverse religious streams, must be of paramount importance to the state of Israel,” he added.