UAHC Demands End of ‘discrimination Against Non-orthodox Judaism’ in Allocation of Diaspora Funds in

The Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) has called for “pressure” by the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF) on the United Jewish Appeal, Jewish Agency and Government of Israel to end “discrimination against non-Orthodox Judaism” in distributing funds raised in the diaspora for religious, educational and social welfare purposes in Israel.

In a resolution adopted at the closing session of the UAHC biennial assembly here, the Reform Jewish group demanded the allocation of such funds “in a balanced proportion among the major streams of Judaism.”

The 3,000 UAHC delegates urged an end to “politicization” of financial aid to synagogues, schools and welfare programs in Israel. The resolution said there was “disproportionate support for Orthodox institutions” in the distribution of funds raised abroad. It called on the 770 congregations that make up the UAHC “to convince their local federations and the Council of Jewish Federations to bring pressure upon the World Zionist Organization, United Jewish Appeal, Jewish Agency and Government of Israel” to allocate funds in a “more equitable way” to all branches of religious Judaism.

At the same time, the UAHC called on the 1.25 million members of its congregations to continue their “maximum support for Israel” and efforts involving “the fullest financial and political support for Israel.” The resolution also called for stepped-up support of Reform Jewish institutions in Israel, including Kibbutz Yahel and Kibbutz Lotan, the Leo Baeck School in Haifa and the Jerusalem branch of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

In another resolution, the UAHC delegates called on the government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir “to defeat efforts to amend the Law of Return so as to exclude from its coverage individuals converted to Judaism by non-Orthodox rabbis.” Such an amendment “threatens the unity of the Jewish people,” the resolution said.