ARZA

Anat Hoffman, director of Women of the Wall, holds a Torah scroll at the Western Wall, November 2, 2016. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)

Like many other Progressive or Reform Jewish women from around the world and in Israel itself, I plan to travel to Jerusalem in May of this year to attend the Biennial Conference of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) named “Connections”. I also hope to attend the Wilkenfeld Seminar for women. This seminar is arranged by the WRJ (Women of Reform Judaism, USA) and is being held on the two days prior to the Connections Conference.

I took my first trip in 1996, covering many parts of the country on what I suppose was a tour of the major tourist, religious and political destinations. This was when I gained my first deep understanding and impression of Israel as the Jewish homeland (Eretz Yisrael).

I returned to this amazing land for many reasons, often on JNF missions, particularly to the Arava and the Negev, looking at projects for water, forestation, and community security. We visited newly arrived communities from Ethiopia and India and sat down with the Bedouin. All extraordinary experiences. My other visits to Israel were to attend World Zionist meetings and biennial conferences for the World Union for Progressive Judaism. It was here at these conferences that I met some of the most wonderful people like Rabbi Dick Hirsh, and wonderful women from the WUPJ, IMPJ, KKL and the WZO, who have remained friends and assisted me greatly over the years with community projects.

Visits to the Kotel are an all-important part of such visits. A most memorable occasion was a Shabbat service at the Kotel in the Egalitarian space in May of 2017 as part of the WUPJ Biennial Connections conference. Hundreds of Progressive Jews gathered rejoicing, singing in prayer, and reading from Torah.

So, I was more than saddened this week to receive an email from Yochi Rappeport, the new Executive Director of Women of the Wall reminding us of the headlines and pictures of the past going back more than a decade, when “women were dragged from the Kotel by police in handcuffs for wearing tallitot”. She is of the view that such images could well return.

The new Israeli Government had proposed an imminent threat of legislation, known as the Women of the Wall legislation which would undermine existing legal precedent that allows women to pray according to their current custom. Deri, the leader of the Shas party and part of the new Netanyahu Israeli Government has threatened to introduce such a bill, which will include the banning of Torah scrolls and women wearing tallitot as well as modesty codes for women. For the moment, Prime Minister Netanayahu has determined not to present the bill to the Knesset. Whether the bill will come to the Knesset later is anyone’s guess.

There is a huge outcry against the government and Women of the Wall say they will sit in jail to show their disdain and opposition. They say being arrested did not stop them in the past and it will not stop them in the future. They need our strength and support in the name of freedom.

Helen Shardey OAM
ARZA Australia President
UPJ Vice President

Preparation for the Bat Mitzvah ceremony and reading from the Torah

Last year a part of the Progressive Appeal a group of women from ARZA and the UPJ formed the Progressive Jewish Women’s group to raise money for a specific program in Israel. The program we chose was the IMPJ Bat Mitzvah program for girls who otherwise may not have the opportunity. Yesterday we received a report from Tamara on the success of the program. Part of that report is now included.

“We created the Egalitarian Bat Mitzvah Course in order to help Bat Mitzvah-aged girls in Israel express their Jewish identity in an authentic, inspiring, and empowering way. In addition to accompanying participants in their personal exploration of Jewish coming of age, the program encourages girls to prepare for the very special Aliyah l’Torah — the reading of a section from the Torah from the Bimah in front of friends and family.”

Your funds, which numbered a generous total of AUS$ 20,178, supported an engaging and enlightening mother-and-daughter workshop, which consisted of 10 sessions covering the following topics:

• Coming-of-age milestones in Judaism and other cultures
• Developing a personal Jewish identity
• Jewish education and thought
• Jewish values
• Young leadership through social justice
• Jewish sources and texts using a modern lens
• Preparation for the Bat Mitzvah ceremony and reading from the Torah

In addition to the lively group classes and workshops, participants and their families met privately with a Rabbi to discuss and plan their ceremony and finalize their Torah readings. The girls culminated their experience with a celebratory Aliyah l’Torah ceremony in a reform congregation or the egalitarian section of the Kotel.

We are proud to report that this year, with your generous contribution, we reached 242 Bat Mitzvah girls with our inclusive, pluralistic programming. Lali, who attended the workshop with her mother found the entire experience “inspirational”. She said, “The Rabbi and the Kehillah prepared me carefully and in a wonderful way. It is important for me to say thanks that I was able to celebrate this important event with my family and friends.” Parents were also grateful for the program.

Helen Shardey OAM
ARZA Australia President
UPJ Vice President

Australian Progressive Taglit Birthright tour participants at the Lebanon border

The beautiful group photo you see is that of the first Australian Progressive Taglit Birthright tour participants taken a few days ago at the Lebanon border.

ARZA Australia as the local organiser with huge support from our Netzer Shaliach Sefi, and his partner Sara worked on this tour over the past two years. We were delighted the day their tour started in Israel on January 26 this year, and we are very much looking forward to their return and hearing about their experiences.

Meanwhile there is so much else happening in Israel, much of it of concern to the entire Jewish community. This concern is now being expressed through huge mass rallies and protests in Israel and by leaders across the entire Diaspora.

For instance here in Australia, our Rabbis, such as Rabbi Fred Morgan in a powerful drash asked the question as to whether it is to be “Tribalism or Peoplehood in Israel”? The President of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler is quoted as saying recently,(AJN) “to ensure the balance between the role of the elected Knesset members and an independent judiciary is appropriately maintained, there are clearly extreme elements within the government who wish to completely strip the Supreme Court of its independence. This would have catastrophic consequences for Israel’s democratic system”.

He also referenced Israel’s declaration of Independence establishing the Jewish democratic state and calling on Netanyahu to ensure that any reforms reflect Israel’s character as a Jewish State as laid out in that all important and fundamental document.

“There has never been a more important time for the Australian Jewish community to lean in and engage openly, thoughtfully, and respectfully in relation to these issues”.

And finally, the Central Conference of American Rabbis also recently said in relation to the new government in Israel “In addition to the free exercise of voting rights, those principles include the right, and even the responsibility, to hold democratically elected leaders to account. In that spirit we join our Israeli colleagues… who have significant concerns about the government Coalition. (It) has been established by a Coalition agreement that violates central values of Judaism – above all, K’lal Yisrael, the unity of the diverse Jewish community both within Israel and worldwide; and ahavat ha-ger, loving the non-Israelite in our midst”.

Helen Shardey OAM
ARZA Australia President
UPJ Vice President