Masorti in Jerusalem Can the Movement Maintain a Stronghold in the Holy City?

JANUARY 10, 2019 Masorti in Jerusalem Can the movement maintain a stronghold in the Holy City? Bs”d s ervice sealing Bereshit • Roof sealing and coatings Buying and selling • Sealing exterior walls בראשִ ית home upholstering איטום ושיקום renovation and styling • Waterproofng of basements Call now מורשה מכון התקנים Abseiling services • Tel. 052-3936376 ∙ 14 Yad Harutzim, SEE ON PAGE 16 at the Dafna and & Vera passageway 052-434-5299 COVER DR. YIZHAR HESS, CEO of the Masorti Movement in Israel, at a Masorti protest. The front sign reads, ‘Judaism without coercion,’ while the back Jerusalem's Masorti Movement: quotes the Torah principle to ‘Love your fellow as yourself.’ Fading future? • ALAN ROSENBAUM he Masorti Movement in Israel,” says Rabbi Peretz Rodman, Jerusalem-based author and ‘Thead of the Masorti rabbinic court of Israel, “was established by the wave of North American immigrants – many of whom were rabbis and Jewish ed- ucators – who came in the wake of the Six Day War. They came in 1969, 1970 and 1971, and wanted to cre- ate their own institutions.” More than 50 years later, as the generation of Con- servative Jews that arrived full of post-1967 Zionist ardor passes from the scene, some of Jerusalem’s Masorti synagogues are shrinking. Is a new generation of Masorti Jews ready to take their place, or is Conservative Judaism in Jerusalem destined to fall to the growing haredi influence in the city? Dr. Yizhar Hess, CEO of the Masorti Movement in Israel, is convinced that Masorti Judaism has a future in Israel’s capital, despite its image as a growing bas- tion of ultra-Orthodoxy. “I am very optimistic about the future of the Maso- rti Movement in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is fascinating. It has an image of religious coercion, but I am not certain this is so. In some respects, it is the most plu- ralistic city. It is no coincidence that we are thriving Ramot, located in the Ramot Bet neighborhood of est in selling. Recently, says Bender, when the lease on ‘We are trying to work on a in Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, has been the rabbi of the synagogue since the property ended, the synagogue completed all of There are 10 Masorti congregations today in the 2013, and has been a member of the synagogue since the necessary city forms to demonstrate they are an vision that every Jew should be capital, more than any other city in Israel. moving to Ramot in 1985. Bender, who made aliyah ongoing organization that uses the building. The Masorti Movement in Jerusalem has changed with his family in 1984, studied at the Masorti Move- “The local Ramot administration became very able to fnd a place to connect since the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the movement’s Schechter Rabbinical Seminary and was involved in protecting our rights to the building. It is to Jewish tradition’ ment’s leaders were American immigrants. ordained in 2013. important for the community that our building “Today, it is a different story,” says Hess. “We have a “When the Ramot Bet and Gimel neighborhoods exists, for obvious reasons. We are the only non-Or- very good mixture of Israelis and Americans, but the were built in the early 1980s,” recounts Bender, “the thodox synagogue in the area.” – Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker majority were not born in English-speaking coun- congregation was also growing.” Children in the area When asked about the synagogue’s long-term pros- tries, and we are proud of it. The leadership in the – including those who were connected to the Masorti pects, Bender says, “Stayin’ alive,” referring both to movement is 70% Israeli.” movement as well as secular families who were not the title of a famous 70s rock hit as well as the shrink- ers had grown up in and been raised within the Con- synagogue members – celebrated their bar and bat ing congregation’s efforts to remain viable. More servative Movement in the US, and wanted to do the DESPITE HESS’S optimism, attendance figures in mitzvahs in the synagogue, with membership exceed- seriously, he adds, “While we offer diversified pro- same in Israel, the young families that have joined of some conservative congregations in the city are ing 110 families. gramming and our members remain committed and late are mostly secular or share a mixed background, down. Rabbi Arnie Bender, head of Kehillat Yaar As the neighborhood and the demographics involved, there are no signs of potential growth.” where one partner is secular while the other may have changed, children grew up and left the area. Today, been raised in a more traditional setting. he says, Kehillat Yaar Ramot has a total membership KEHILLAT RAMOT ZION, located six kilometers east of “We have a wide variety of people who aren’t exactly of between 40 and 45 families, with the average age of Ramot in French Hill, was founded in 1973 by a group committed to ritual practice,” says Baker. “They have a members being in the early to mid-60s. Bender traces of Conservative American Jewish immigrants, who sense of community and a possibility to connect with the decline to several factors, among them being wanted to replicate the synagogue experience they had Jewish tradition and heritage on a level with what downsizing on the part of the aging populace who no in the US. Over the years, the synagogue attracted a they feel comfortable, and don’t want to feel judged or longer need large homes, and as they have aged, their group of native Israelis, many of whom were affiliated inadequate. That is the kind of atmosphere that we are difficulties in climbing the neighborhood’s steep with the nearby Hebrew University campus on Mount trying to build, that you can find a Jewish home in streets and steps. Scopus. For most of its history, Kehillat Ramot Zion was Ramot Zion. We want them to feel comfortable engag- “It’s not just the haredi issue,” he says. Attendance at led by its laity and did not have an official rabbi, but 12 ing with that, wherever they come from.” Friday night and Shabbat morning services has gone years ago, Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker, a dynamic and She says that while some members who are not down, and numbers about 25 people. Despite the drop vibrant leader who grew up in the Masorti Movement, committed to ritual observance may not initially in attendance at services, Bender says that participa- was appointed the synagogue’s rabbi. attend daily services, ultimately by becoming tion in activities, such as Friday-night dinners and the “The membership was aging, and wasn’t renewing involved in the synagogue, many eventually become synagogue’s lecture series, has remained constant. itself,” says Baker. “It had previously been one of the fully engaged in all of its aspects. Kehillah Yaar Ramot is housed in an attractive two- largest Masorti movement synagogues in Israel. That “We see that people who started out being involved floor building that includes a main sanctuary with growth had halted, and when I was hired, I was asked only with community activities or educational activi- seating for 100, ample space on the first floor to to reach out to younger families, primarily native ties with their kids, over the years became engaged accommodate between 50 and 60 people for a kid- Israelis who happened to be in this area.” even with those rituals that only belong to shul-go- RABBI CHAYA ROWEN BAKER, head of Kehillat Ramot dush or dinner, and an outdoor patio. The building She says that in the past 12 years, they have succeed- ers. Some have learned to read the Torah, and many of Zion in French Hill. (Photos: Marc Israel Sellem) was built by the synagogue members on land leased ed in recreating a sense of growth in the synagogue, them will show up for the morning minyan if some- to the synagogue by the city of Jerusalem. with dozens of new young families joining, and the one needs to say Kaddish. They understand the “Every now and then,” says Bender, “about once a sounds of young children and teens are once again importance and community value of it even though CELEBRATING A bar mitzvah at East year, I get a phone call asking if we are interested in heard in the synagogue’s halls. they may not turn it into their own daily practice.” Talpiot’s Kehillat Moreshet Avraham. selling the building.” “There is a sense of rejuvenation.” Baker reports that the congregation has 150 families (Yehoshua Halevi) Bender says firmly that the synagogue has no inter- She notes that while the synagogue’s original found- and though it’s been a struggle to remain with this 4 IN JERUSALEM | JANUARY 10, 2019 www.jpost.com | IN JERUSALEM 5 COVER DR. YIZHAR HESS, CEO of the Masorti Movement in Israel, at a Masorti protest. The front sign reads, ‘Judaism without coercion,’ while the back Jerusalem's Masorti Movement: quotes the Torah principle to ‘Love your fellow as yourself.’ Fading future? • ALAN ROSENBAUM he Masorti Movement in Israel,” says Rabbi Peretz Rodman, Jerusalem-based author and ‘Thead of the Masorti rabbinic court of Israel, “was established by the wave of North American immigrants – many of whom were rabbis and Jewish ed- ucators – who came in the wake of the Six Day War. They came in 1969, 1970 and 1971, and wanted to cre- ate their own institutions.” More than 50 years later, as the generation of Con- servative Jews that arrived full of post-1967 Zionist ardor passes from the scene, some of Jerusalem’s Masorti synagogues are shrinking.

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