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| Israel (NASA Photo) |
If a foremost goal of Israel could be verbalized succinctly, it might sound
something like this:
Keep Jews Jewish.
With this in mind, the Israeli prime minister's office is spearheading a campaign "to strengthen Jewish identity among young Jews and solidify their connection to Israel."
The Associated Press
reports that the growing estrangement of young
American Jews from Judaism is of utmost concern. A
meeting between
Israeli and Jewish-American leaders was therefore held in November 2013
to address this issue.
The issue is complicated by the fact that many American Jews are alienated
by Israel's policies concerning the West Bank. According to a
Pew Research Center report, 44% of American Jews said that "Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank" hurts Israel's security.
Another challenge is the liberalism of many American Jews versus the Orthodox establishment within Israel.
The Orthodox rabbinate in Israel has refused to recognize some rulings by the Conservative and Reform Jewish movements as valid.
Despite these significant differences, efforts to work together for the overall good continue. There is a deepening recognition on both sides that in unity there is strength.
Resources
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-reaches-us-jewish-community-072355166.html
Copyright December 17, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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