by Stewart Ain
 

Rabbi Uri Regev is president and CEO of a new educational and advocacy Israeli-diaspora partnership, “Freedom of Religion for Israel” and its Israeli counterpart, “Hiddush – For Freedom of Religion and Equality.”

For the past seven years he served as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, where he worked to strengthen modern, pluralistic Jewish life and democracy worldwide. Prior to that, Rabbi Regev, a lawyer, was the founding chair and executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, the Reform movement’s advocacy group in Israel.


Q: You symbolically launched your new organization at the same Tel Aviv building in which David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel’s independence. Why?

A: This is a battle for the soul of Israel. It’s essential for the Modern Orthodox in Israel and the diaspora to come out and say that religious freedom is compatible with a Jewish democratic state. ...

Clearly the time has come for people to speak up. This is seen as a battle between the Orthodox and the non-Orthodox, when in truth that is not the case. This is a battle between fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists, and for that reason I’m so encouraged now.

Your organization comes on the scene at a time of religious strife in Israel.

There are battles in Jerusalem over the opening of a public parking lot on the Sabbath, battles over marriages and conversions, and over the mass exemption from military service by yeshiva students. ... We ideologically hold that the Jewish character of the State of Israel and the issues of religious freedom are matters of global Jewish concern, and that is why we see this as an Israeli-diaspora partnership.
How do you view the State of Israel?

It’s a joint enterprise of the Jewish people. We may be the most serious believers in the Jewish federation slogan, “We are one.” We can’t accept abuse of that concept ... by those who say, “Send us your checks but keep your views to yourselves.” We reject that. Diaspora Jews keep quiet on life-and-death issues, but they have every right to shape Israel when it comes to its promise of freedom of religion and conscience.
Given the Orthodox stranglehold in Israel on religious issues this effort seems to be tilting at windmills. How much support have you received?

I’m now reaching out for public endorsements. We have a poll that shows that 83 percent of Israelis say they support freedom of religion and conscience, and that over 60 percent support equal state funding for all Jewish denominations.

We found that 84 percent oppose military service exemptions for yeshiva students, and that 92 percent of secular Jews support abolishing the Orthodox monopoly on marriage.  ... It is the politicization of religion that is at the root of this, and that is not the desire of Israelis.
What is your next step with the organization?

I’m creating the steering committee for the Israeli organization and the U.S. organization. They will include representatives and individuals from diverse groups — from secular activities to leaders of Conservative and Reform Judaism and other grass-roots organizations.