Non-Orthodox Jews Start Making Inroads In Israel, Conservative, Reform Congregations Get Rights

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/non-orthodox-jews-israel-_n_1605161.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

By ARON HELLER 06/18/12 03:44 AM ET



MEVASSERET ZION, Israel -- With the holy city of Jerusalem visible in the background, a man and woman standing side-by-side lead prayers for about 50 congregants who have come to welcome the Sabbath in this suburb's Reform synagogue.

Their prayer book includes poetry, the women wear prayer shawls, the sermons call for social justice and the songs are performed in a folksy manner to the tune of a live guitar.

This scene, common in liberal synagogues across America, is an anomaly in Israel, where religious life is dominated by a strict ultra-Orthodox establishment that sees such gender-mixing, ordaining of female rabbis and alterations to the traditional prayers as anathema to their way of life and resists any inroads by the more liberal streams of Judaism.

But more liberal Jews now see a crack in that monopoly.

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[LeftishBrit]

1. Good.