NY Jewish federation ‘outraged’ by conversion bill, Western Wall decision

North America’s largest Jewish philanthropic organization expresses “outrage” at yesterday’s cabinet decision to shelve the Western Wall pluralistic pavilion and the Knesset’s initial approval of a bill that would cement the ultra-Orthodox monopoly on conversions.

“We are outraged at two Israeli government actions yesterday that would destroy the fundamental principle that Israel, our Jewish homeland, is a place where all Jews can and must feel at home,” UJA-Federation of New York head Eric S. Goldstein says in a statement.

The federation decries the move that will enable the ultra-Orthodox parties to “continue to control prayer at the Kotel restricting the rights of millions of Israeli and Diaspora Jews.”

The UJA also says it is “equally outraged” by Knesset’s initial approval of a bill that would cement ultra-Orthodox monopoly of conversions.

It says both moves yesterday “will only deepen the already accelerating divide between Diaspora Jews and Israel, precisely at a time when Jewish unity has never been more important.”