The purpose of this Resource page is to provide access to key resources on Diaspora-Israel relations, and related challenges of religion and state in Israel.
If you come across relevant articles, op eds, scholarly papers; audios, videos, etc. in Hebrew and/or English that you think may be helpful to our members or our wider readership, please let us know so we can look them over.
Article: ‘A Worthy Tribe’ by Yizhar Hess Jerusalem Post, June 2016, American Jewry (half the Jewish population of the world) has for years been subject to neglect and even scorn.
AJC J-REC Mission to Israel, Winter 2015 The Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (J-REC) aims to demystify J-REC and enhance understanding of what it is trying to accomplish. Towards this end, please follow the link to learn more and get involved.
Chief Rabbi Lau v. Bennett on visiting non-Orthodox schools in Diaspora In Dec., 2015 Chief Rabbi Lau discussed Minister of Education and Diaspora Affairs Bennett’s trip to the USA. Rabbi Lau stated that Minister Bennett should have consulted with a rabbi before visiting a Conservative Jewish day school, which distances Jews from Judaism.
JFNA iRep initiative approved, Summer 2014 The Jewish Federations of North America launched an effort that supports groups in Israel working to limit or end the Chief Rabbinate’s monopolistic control of personal-status issues such as marriage, divorce, conversion and burial.
JPPI – Jewish and Democratic: Perspectives from World Jewry, 2014 This Jewish People Policy Institute special report brings Diaspora input on the character of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state into an important initiative of Israel’s Ministry of Justice. The goal is to consider legislation on Israel’s Jewish and democratic nature at a time when different ideological groups within Israel hold conflicting views of how these components should be prioritized.
Western Wall (Kotel) Agreement Click here for sources related to the Western Wall agreement between the Israeli government, the Women of the Wall, and the non-Orthodox denominations.