No! to Civil Union - Yes! to the right to marry

"The State of Israel ... will ensure complete equality of social and political rights of all its inhabitants irrespective of religion ... it will guarantee freedom of religion and conscience."

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No! to Civil Union – Yes! to the right to marry

The Civil Union Bill currently before Knesset is not what you think!

It DOES NOT solve the problem faced by over 300,000 immigrants who are not considered halachically Jewish and therefore cannot marry in Israel today.

Rather than offer a real civil marriage alternative to people either unable or unwilling to marry in an Orthodox ceremony, the Civil Union bill currently before the Knesset punishes them with a sub-standard union that does not carry the same full rights as Orthodox marriage and excommunicates them from the Jewish people.

Instead it offers second class civil status only to those declared ‘of no religion’ or Jews willing to declare themselves ‘of no religion’ – effectively removing them and their descendants from the Jewish people forever!

To: Honorable Prime-Minister Netanyahu

Minister of Justice Ne’eman

Foreign Minister Lieberman

Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, MK Rotem;

you are encouraged to personalize the message below

Subject:

Message:

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

We live in different Jewish communities around the world, but support Israel and deeply appreciate the critical role the Jewish state plays for all Jews.   Therefore we have been closely following recent developments and attempts to stomp out Jewish pluralism in Israel, under pressure to grant further monopoly over Jewish life to the ultra-Orthodox establishment.

Free, pluralistic Jewish communities are flourishing around the world, but for Jews like us, many of whom are Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Secular – Israel is becoming increasingly hostile. We are heartened to know that the overwhelming majority of Israelis share our views and values, but are disappointed to see that your cabinet and the Knesset turn their back on the Israel’s public yearning and that of the majority of world Jewry. Today’s events at the Knesset, where the Conversion bill, granting greater authorities to the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate and jeopardizing  our Movements’ conversions, and at the Kotel, where a  woman was arrested  for carrying the Torah, are greatly disturbing to us.  Our Judaism and our Rabbis are not recognized in Israel.   It pains us to see the toll this treatment is taking by alienating the younger generation and many among us from Israel at a time when our solidarity is of paramount importance.

The political pressure placed on you by ultra-Orthodox parties is immense, but we urge you to stand strong and firmly reject any and all attempts toward religious theocracy in Israel. The future of Israel and its ties to World Jewry depends on your leadership to protect Jewish pluralism and democracy. For the sake of Israel and the Jewish People – don’t allow the core  values of respect and equality to be traded away for short-sighted political deals. It’s time for the promise of “Freedom of Religion and Conscience”, guaranteed in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, to become a reality!.

We support you in your challenge to stand up and say ‘No’ to any proposal that would harm world Jewry and religious pluralism Israel – so that Jews of the world can continue to be one nation with Israel as our spiritual homeland.

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