BOB ABERNETHY: In other news, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed American Jewish leaders last Sunday at the General Assembly of Jewish Federations in Indianapolis. The prime minister spoke about peace with the Arabs and peace among Jews on the controversial question of religious pluralism. Paul Miller reports.PAUL MILLER: In Israel, Orthodox rabbis and only Orthodox rabbis determine the standard for conversion to Judaism. That bothers many American Jews, more than 85 percent of whom are Reformed, Conservative, or unaffiliated. Orthodox rabbis, such as Obadiah Yosef, who said last week Reformed Jews should be vomited out of Israel, want their primacy put into law. The prime minister tried to downplay the controversy.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (Prime Minister of Israel): No power on Earth can rob any Jew of his or her identity. There can be no such thing as a second-class Jew.MILLER: Many in the audience feel Israel and Netanyahu condemn them to second-class status.
MILLER: Rabbi Sidney Schwarz says Israel's Orthodox get preference. Their political parties supply the votes to keep Netanyahu's coalition in power. Schwarz says American Jews who favor pluralism supply money, but have no political muscle. The non-Orthodox threaten to fight for their rights in court unless the commission comes up with a compromise by the end of January. Some American Jews are now withholding money for Israel or diverting it to groups such as the New Israel Fund.
GIL KULICK (New Israel Fund): To support those organizations within Israel that are trying -- that are working for pluralism, that are working for tolerance, that are working to strengthen Israeli democracy.
