Leaders of Diaspora Jewry conceded Wednesday that they failed to get the divisive “Who Is a Jew” issue removed from Israel’s political agenda.
But the heads of 25 major American Jewish organizations who came here Monday for that purpose were convinced that their intervention improved chances that the proposed amendment to the Law of Return would be defeated in the Knesset.
Rabbi Daniel syme, vice president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, a Reform group, said Wednesday night that he did not believe many Labor or Likud members of the Knesset favored a change in the law.
The amendment would deny automatic Israeli citizenship to persons converted by non-Orthodox rabbis.
The American Jews spent most of their time lobbying Knesset members. They could not convince all of them that “Who Is a Jew” is a religious issue that should not be decided in a political body.
But they believe their mission was a success anyway. Syme said on the eve of their return home, “The chances have been immeasurably enhanced that the bill will fail.”
MORE MISSIONS PLANNED
Meanwhile, representatives of Jewish federations across the United States and Canada are organizing local delegations to lobby Israeli officials on the issue, according to the Council of Jewish Federations in New York.
On Wednesday, representatives of eight major federations arrived in Israel for meetings Thursday with Israeli leaders. The cities being represented are New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Miami, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal and Metrowest, N.J.
A second mission will leave on Sunday, representing Philadelphia; Boston; Bergen County, N.J.; Minneapolis; Palm Beach, Fla.; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Phoenix.
Next Tuesday, federations across the United States are being asked to send representatives to a meeting in Washington with Moshe Arad, Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
And on Dec. 8, Canadian federations will hold a similar meeting in Ottawa with Israel’s ambassador to Canada, Yisrael Gur-Aryeh.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
