Leaders of Reform and Conservative Jewish organizations gathered Monday morning in the Knesset to establish a “Freedom of Religion” lobby dedicated to the “pluralization” of the Western Wall, among other projects.
The lobby is set to pressure the Israeli government to recognize their movements and implement changes to the Western Wall that were frozen during the previous government through the efforts of hareidi-religious ministers.
“אלי אלי שלא ייגמר לעולם” – הדיון בשדולה לדת בנושא “לוקחים אחריות על היהדות שלנו” נפתח בביצוע לשיר “הליכה לקיסריה” ע”י חברי וחברות הכנסת. צפו pic.twitter.com/gM0WjWlfBC
— ערוץ כנסת (@KnessetT)
Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai, who was present at the meeting of the new lobby, said at the event that previous plans to change the layout at the Western Wall will be reapproved following the passage of the national budget.
“The night before my inauguration to the government I went to pray at the Western Wall. I also visited the southern egalitarian plaza. On the day I took office, I spoke with the leaders of the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox streams [of Judaism]. To me, everyone is equal,” he said.
בערב השבעתי הלכתי להתפלל בכותל, ביקרתי גם ברחבה השוויונית הדרומית. ביום כניסתי לתפקיד,שוחחתי עם ראשי הזרם הרפורמי,הקונסרבטיבי והאורתודוקסי.בעיני,כולם שווים.
היום, בירכתי על פתיחת השדולה לחופש דת ופלורליזם יהודי. משרד התפוצות מחוייב לקידום הנושא בישראל ובעולם היהודי בכלל. עת חדשה. pic.twitter.com/hYVQqb6TbN— נחמן שי- Nachman Shai (@DrNachmanShai)
“Today I applaud the opening of the Lobby for Freedom of Religion and Jewish Pluralism. The Ministry of Diaspora is committed to advancing the issue in Israel and in the Jewish world in general,” he added. “It’s a new time.”
Transportation Minister Meirav Michaeli said that the one day they will again need to liberate the Kotel from the Hareidim.