i24 News in Israel last night interviewed Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely in which she made some damaging comments about Diaspora Jewry and in particular Reform and Conservative Jews which can be viewed here
This morning Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned her comments.
Rabbi Gilad Kariv, President and CEO of the Reform Movement: “The scandalous words of the Deputy Minister were not said in a vacuum, but as a direct continuation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s abusive conduct towards Diaspora Jewry. We welcome the Prime Minister’s belated condemnation of Deputy Minister Hotovely’s words, but the time has come for actions, not just declarations in English. The Israeli government has violated all of its commitments to the non-Orthodox streams in recent years and if the Prime Minister of Israel wants to restore relations with world Jewry, he must take real steps, not only issue weak condemnations of the deputy minister’s assault.”
The Israel Reform Movement calls on the Prime Minister: Dismiss Deputy Minister Tzipi Hotovely, who continues to abuse her role and exacerbate the grave crisis with Diaspora Jewry in her statements. Rabbi Gilad Kariv: “Deputy Minister Hotovley does not seem to understand her role as the deputy foreign minister. It is inconceivable that this will be the face of the State of Israel toward world Jewry. Most of the Israeli public and most of the world’s Jews are fed up with the campaign of harassment, contempt, and incitement by senior politicians against Diaspora Jewry.”