And what of the Reform movement’s views on the State of Israel itself? It has an almost, er, religious obsession with the “peace process,” the two-state solution and disengagement. While a recent URJ resolution on Israel does rebuke PA President Abbas for refusing to crack down on “factions” that murder Jews, its harshest words are reserved for the “religious fanatics” and “messianic zealots” who dare oppose being physically yanked from their homes.
Such is the mindset of those of Mr. Yoffie’s ilk – Arabs who murder Jews belong to “factions” while Jews who want to live in their homes in peace are “zealots.” I’m sure the parents of Eliyahu Asheri, the 18-year-old West Bank resident who was slaughtered two weeks ago by a “faction” of Hamas, would welcome this perspective.
Check out the website of the Religious Action Center, the Reform movement’s lobbying arm. There you will see that the social causes the movement agitates for are exactly what you’d expect from an organization of the Left. The movement’s activists believe in a world where the values of its “tradition” hold sway – a tradition that promotes gay marriage, the right to burn the U.S. flag, abortion on demand, ordination of homosexuals, interfaith marriage, and the usual items listed on the progressive political checklist. Oh, and did I mention they were in favor of disengagement? (At least they’re against genocide – in Darfur.) No wonder they need to game the system in Jerusalem.
The kerfuffle over whether Mr. Katsav should have addressed Eric Yoffie as “rabbi” must not distract from the bigger issue, which is the Reform movement’s attempts to foist on Israeli society the political values of its “tradition.” The movement’s words and actions indicate that Mr. Yoffie and the URJ are determined to force their way onto the Israeli scene.
Mr. Yoffie may be, as some have suggested, confused about our religion. But he is not confused about his.
