Rotem Conversion Bill: A dangerous threat to the rights of Reform Jews
On Monday 12th July, with no warning, a committee vote was held on the bill sponsored by Member of the Knesset David Rotem that poses a dangerous threat to the rights of Reform Jews and indeed all non-Orthodox Jews, who comprise the overwhelming majority of world Jewry.
In spite of the overwhelming opposition by a powerful majority of Jews worldwide, the new conversion bill – that moves full control over who is a Jew in Israel from the State to the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate – advanced through committee to a vote in the Knesset. The passage of this bill threatens to change the definition of who is a Jew in Israel forever. If it is passed, the bill would fundamentally change the Law of Conversion and further concentrate power with the Chief Rabbinate. The bill would give the Chief Rabbinate exclusive oversight of all conversion matters, putting non-Orthodox conversions performed abroad at risk, and greatly limiting the options available to Israelis and olim (immigrants to Israel) wishing to convert or in need of ‘official’ recognition.
If we don’t stop this new conversion bill now, we risk losing recognition in Israel of Reform and other non-Orthodox conversions forever.
There are millions of Jews in the Diaspora, and the current Israeli leadership needs to hear from all of us – and right away – if we are going to stop this.
Please sign this petition
On the same page is a sample text of a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To make an even bigger impact, copy and paste the text into your own email account and send it right now to the Prime Minister, and forward this urgent call to your friends and family.
Background on the Rotem Conversion Bill
Click here to find out more about the Conversion Bill at the Union for Reform Judaism website
Click here to find out more about the actions being taken by our North American colleagues
What can I do?
Click here to sign the petition on the bill and for a letter to send to the Prime Minister.
Keep up to date with the news from Israel: sign up to mailings from IRAC: the Israel Religious Action Center of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism
Arrest of Anat Hoffman
Anat Hoffman, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center and a leader of Women of the Wall was arrested for holding a sefer Torah during a Rosh Chodesh gathering at the Kotel (Western Wall) on Monday 12th July.
Find out more about the story at the Haaretz website
Click here to view video footage of the events at the Kotel
What can I do?
Visit the Women of the Wall website to find out how you can support Anat and the group and to keep up to date with breaking news.
Andrea Newman – Communications Manager
The Movement for Reform Judaism
tel: 0208 349 5689
fax: 0208 349 5699
This information can also be found on our website
