Prof. Dror: Israel, world Jewry drifting apart

[bemildred]

Professor Yehezkel Dror, the founding president of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (JPPPI), offered a somber take on relations between Israel and Diaspora Jewry at the Herzliya Conference Wednesday, all the while pointing the finger of blame at Israel’s leadership for the growing rift between the two.

Dror pointed out that Israel-Diaspora relations are not infallible, and that there is a growing rift between world Jewry and the State of Israel. By and by, there is a marked wearing away of Jewish identity among Jewish youths in the Diaspora. There are several key reasons for both of these trends according to Prof. Dror:

Poll: Most Israelis believe Diaspora Jews have no right to criticize Israel / Ynetnews
Survey commissioned by B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem shows 77 percent of Jewish Israelis satisfied with Diaspora assistance for North during and following Second Lebanon War.

1. The experience of living as a Jew in Israel is very different to that of living in the Diaspora.

2. A growing negation of the notion of a ‘national homeland’ , especially among American youths, coupled with a growing acceptance of an ‘Israeli’, rather than ‘Jewish’, identity among secular youths in Israel.

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[Fredda Weinberg]

1. What pap. We got through this every generation in galut.

Glad you're finally paying attention to my dilemma.

[Shadrach]

2. No kidding.

And I think there was more of a disconnect (at least by American Jews) in the beginning than there is now. Reform and Conservative Judaism saw America as their center and ignored Israel. Because of that now you see the orthodox, a minority, holding on to power and only now the non-orthodox are doing something about it.

Non-orthodox Jews are pretty much headquartered in America and they are huge supporters of the state of Israel without having much significant power over there. Only recently there were threats from the non-orthodox community of dropping financial support if their voice were not heard. Result: they were able to make the specific changes since without this support the state is in trouble.

In the law of return, for example, the non-orthodox communities had to put a lot of pressure and make financial threats in order for non-orthodox converts to be able to make aliyah according to the law of return. Liberal zionist groups like ARZA (associated with the Union for Reform Judaism) are making noise and looking to change politics. These efforts are only beginning.

[Fredda Weinberg]

3. In the 70's, Hadassah supported a secular, socialist youth movement

associated w/the Israeli scouts. I was a proud member. But after my generation, the numbers dwindled and the Orthodox control. Not modern Orthodox ... good ol' Young Israel's ... but costumed, insular communities that always endured through hardship.