The ties between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, which many attribute only to the Jewish communities in North America, are much broader, and require both attention and attentiveness – because if these relationships are destroyed, the damage will be irreversible. Jews abroad are still Israel’s greatest friends; they directly affect its defense, its economy, and are an integral part of us. It is important to remember and mention that a third of the Jewish people live outside of Israel and the US, they live in many countries around the globe, including the former Soviet Union.
MK Bezalel Smotrich’s amendment to the law of return, which will take away the basic right from grandchildren of Jews to make aliyah, is no less than racist. It is a radical attempt to change an extremely important law. This amendment is equal in its racism to the horrible act of the Chief Rabbinate, who are now examining the “Jewishness” of Israeli citizens – most are olim (new immigrants) and their children who have been in Israel for decades and were born here. It does not come as a shock that the only supporters of the bill in the Knesset are the ultra-Orthodox parties.
The fundamentalists in the Knesset and in the offices of the Chief Rabbinate dare day after day to tell the citizens of the State of Israel how to be Jewish. After all, it is not possible to marry legally in the State of Israel without the rabbinate, which controls the body and mind of its citizens. In addition, it is not possible to divorce in a civil and equal manner (even for those who have married civilly abroad and registered with the Interior Ministry) and above all, the State of Israel under the auspices of this righteousness does not recognize non-Orthodox conversion within the borders of Israel.
Judaism does not belong to anyone. Nor does Zionism. We all should be able to choose our Judaism, to live according to its basic values, and not according to halachic definitions of Orthodox Judaism.
Naturally, throughout history and even today, people have joined the Jewish faith and people, through all ways of Judaism. Some have converted through Orthodox Judaism, some chose to identify their conversion with Conservative Judaism and others found a home for their faith with Reform Judaism – some even chose to be both Jewish and secular. Some choose not to convert at all but maintain a social, cultural, Jewish way of life. They are all Jewish, everyone single one of them. Moreover, they all have a place in the State of Israel.
It is the other way around, Smotrich. Open your eyes, and remember that you live within your people – not in the narrow Orthodox conception, which harms and complicates the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis every day. We should all say ‘no’ to the narrowing of the Law of Return to halachic definitions. We should be expanding it to those who see themselves as part of the Jewish people and wish to link their lives to the lives of our people. We should oppose the Orthodox monopoly, and recognize conversion of all Jewish ways of belief, ‘no’ to a policy of racism, but to the regulation of citizenship as in any country – humanitarian, in the least for non-Jews.
The writer is a member of the World Zionist Organization executive.