The Conservative movement in Israel, known there by the Hebrew name Masorti (traditional), will ordain the first Israeli-trained rabbis to serve the Israeli Conservative community in ceremonies July 26 at the Mt. Scopus campus of Hebrew University.
A spokeswoman for the Jewish Theological Seminary, the spiritual base of the Conservative movement here, said Friday that the ordination of the first Israeli-educated Conservative rabbis is a “historic event.”
Leaders of the Conservative Jewish movement in America are planning to attend the ceremonies in Jerusalem.
Ismar Schorsch, chancellor of JTS, and members of the JTS board of directors are undertaking a mission to Israel to participate in the event.
In addition, the board of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of America will convene at that time in Jerusalem to attend the commencement and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the State of Israel.
The more than 1,500 guests who were invited to attend the ordination will be greeted by Yitzhak Navon, Israel’s minister of education and culture.
Four graduates of the Bet Midrash, the institution for Judaic studies of the Conservative movement in Jerusalem, will be ordained.
The Bet Midrash was founded in 1984. It currently has 21 full-time students.
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