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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)
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