Reform Movement President to Makor Rishon: We’re Also Religious Zionists By Zvika Klein Most of you have probably never heard his name or known of his existence, but Reform Rabbi Rick Jacobs knows all the policy makers in Israel and the leaders of worldwide Jewish communities. Over the past two weeks, Jacobs, the fifth president of the world Reform movement, has met with all the Israeli leadership, from the prime minister and president through senior government ministers and on to Members of Knesset. Only one person Jacobs wished to meet with declined the offer: the Rishon LeZion, Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar. In recent weeks, Rabbi Amar has sharply criticized Jacob’s movement, after the State of Israel agreed that Conservative and Reform rabbis can also serve as neighborhood rabbis and receive salaries from the Ministry of Religious Services – something that has previously been possible only for Orthodox rabbis. Rabbi Amar even organized an emergency conference following the decision, decrying the “Reform takeover” of religious institutions in Israel. 1.5 Million Members worldwide. Reform Educational Activities. “It took him precisely five seconds to agree to be interviewed for Makor Rishon,” revealed Yuli Goren, the media director of the Israeli Reform movement. The reason is clear: the Reform movement, which has one and a half million members around the world and 900 congregations, feels like a small group in Israel, and misses no opportunity to secure public relations for itself. In the US, where Jacobs is based, the situation is completely different. The Reform movement is the largest Jewish stream in North America, while the more traditional Conservative and Orthodox movements lag behind. Jacobs is one of the most powerful and influential Jews in the world, and he meets on a regular basis with world leaders, including President Obama, the first serving US president to attend the Reform movement’s annual conference. The Conservative movement, meanwhile, had to make do with Vice-President Joe Biden, and the difference reflects the power gap between the two streams. When Jacobs entered the room, an observer might have been confused. With his crocheted kippa and smooth-shaven face, Jacobs looks like a modern Orthodox American rabbi. He is aware of this. “In the United States, it doesn’t matter one bit what kind of kippa you wear,” he began. “There are even some people who criticize me for wearing a kippa. But by us, everybody wears the kippa they feel comfortable with. It certainly isn’t a political statement.” The members of the Reform movement feel that Israel does not recognize them and fails to take them seriously. They even feel that the concept of “religious Zionism” has been exploited and is identified solely with the Orthodox national-religious community and the National Union. “I am a religious Zionist. The Reform movement is the largest Zionist movement in the world, and, of course, we are also a religious movement,” Jacobs declares. “The concept of ‘religious Zionism’ has been expropriated by Orthodox Israelis who wear crocheted kippas, without any justification. We, the Reform movement, are no less Zionist and religious than you.” Jacobs is the fourth president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. This is his first visit to Israel in his current capacity, after he entered the position just a few weeks ago. Before his “The Pulpit Doesn’t Matter” Jacobs appointment, he served as rabbi of Temple Congregation in Westchester, in the Scarsdale neighborhood of New York. Jacobs served as rabbi of the congregation for 20 years, and also established the first Reform congregation intended for homeless people in the Brooklyn Heights section of New York. Some Orthodox have criticized the educational method used in your schools, but some secular Jews also have reservations about the “Reform” label. “If you want to get depressed about the state of Judaism in Israel, you should visit a secular state school. There is appalling ignorance there – a lack of familiarity with Judaism and with Jewish texts. Isn’t it better that a child receives a Jewish education, knows how to recite the Blessing after Meals, and knows how to study Jewish works? When Israeli Shlichim come to our summer camps, you can always see the differences between them and those who grew up in the Reform movement in the United States. The Israelis don’t know how to recite the Blessing after Meals, they don’t know how to pray, and sometimes they’re surprised that we wear a Tallit. There is no doubt that we provide a meaningful and positive Jewish education – much more so than in Israeli schools. It’s a pity that no-one goes to the trouble of correction this distortion.” How did the members of the community around the world respond to Rabbi Amar’s comments? “Rabbi Amar realizes that we are growing in numbers and strength, and he is scared. How can you reject a stream of Judaism? After all, he serves in an official position. He receives his salary from the state. The letter he sent bore the emblem of the State of Israel!” He claims that you lead to assimilation. The figures also show that many members of the Reform movement lose contact with Judaism and disappear. “We cause assimilation?! When someone speaks in such a harsh and patronizing way about the Jewish people, all you do is push people away from Judaism. That’s exactly what he and the Chief Rabbinate are doing. The Israeli Chief Rabbinate causes assimilation every day. That’s the reality. Ask any secular person in Israel what they think about the Chief Rabbinate and about Rabbi Amar’s comments. Is that Judaism? I would never say anything like that about rabbis from other streams. There are many ways to be a Jew, and we need to learn to respect this.” Where will the Israeli Reform movement be in 20 years? “The Israeli Reform movement will be like the movement in the United States today. It will slowly enter the secular world and recruit more and more members – people who are looking for the Judaism we offer. There will be more schools, communities and institutions, and state recognition of our movement will increase – just as we see has happened over the years.” “In another 20 years, Rabbi Gilad Kariv (the leader of the Israeli reform movement) will be the chief rabbi of Israel.” Jacobs laughs, but at the same time he means every word. .