Masorti Programs: Legal Advocacy

The Masorti Movement’s Legal Bureau stands at the forefront of the public and legal struggle to realize the goals of the Masorti Movement and advance religious pluralism in Israel.

The Bureau champions the equal recognition of Masorti/Conservative Judaism as a legitimate stream in Judaism, which should be recognized by the State. Often in coalition with other pluralistic organizations (such as the Israel Religious Action Center of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism), the Bureau highlights cases in which citizens’ rights are infringed upon, generally as a result of Orthodox establishment dictates.

The Bureau operates under the supervision of the Movement’s Political Action Committee, chaired by International Rabbinical Assembly past president, Rabbi Reuven Hammer. Meeting weekly, the committee addresses issues such as the following ongoing struggles:

State recognition of Masorti/Conservative conversions;
State recognition of marriages performed by Movement rabbis;
Non-discriminatory government funding;
Freedom of Masorti worship at the Kotel;
Land allocations by municipalities for Masorti synagogues;
Access to public mikvaot (ritual baths);
Awareness and sensitivity to the rights of worship of Masorti soldiers in the IDF.

Through the Bureau, the Movement aims to provide legal assistance to individuals confronted by difficulties caused by Orthodox establishment rulings, such as in cases related to marriage, divorce, agunot and mesuravot get (women whose husbands have either disappeared or refuse to grant them a divorce), mamzerut, and conversion.

The Masorti Movement is a leading partner in various religious pluralism coalitions and organizations, including:

Hemdat – the Council for Freedom of Science, Religion and Culture in Israel
The Forum for Freedom of Choice in Marriage
ICAR (International Coalition for Agunot Rights)
Panim (for Jewish renaissance in Israel)
Kol Yehudi (a collection of organizations wishing to present a pluralistic and humanistic Jewish voice on current issues)

This program is supported by a grant from the New Israel Fund.