Fellow NFTYites,

One of NFTY’s eight core values is Eretz v'M'dinat Yisrael : The Land and State of Israel. This means we engage in Israel and her culture through study and action, as well as actively sending teens to Israel on our summer and semester programs. While NFTYites are proud to have such positive ties with Israel, I want to stress the importance of not loving Israel unconditionally. It is an extremely patriotic act, after all, to question the actions of Israel’s Government and Politicians when we do not agree with them – especially when those actions affect us.

A continuous problem that Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist streams of Judaism have with Israel is the refusal of Israel’s President, Moshe Katsav, to recognize non-Orthodox Rabbis. This past June, the Union for Reform Judaism’s President, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, did not meet with President Katsav, on the basis that President Katsav’s stance is “very hurtful and distressing for Reform and Conservative Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel.”

For many, this refusal is frustrating and discomforting. Our Rabbis serve countless purposes in our lives: they are religious leaders, spiritual guides, counselors, friends, and role models. Each of you has your own reason why your Rabbi is important to you. For this reason, NFTY is introducing in association with the Israeli Religious Action Center (IRAC), the Who’s Your Rabbi? initiative. As Reform Jews, it is our duty to not accept the status quo: the legitimacy of our Rabbis should never be questioned, neither in Israel or the Diaspora. NFTY, you understand something which many Jews have yet to grasp: Rabbis come in all denominations, with differing beliefs, and yet they all serve a similar purpose. That being said, I urge each of you to use the attached form in vocalizing to the Knesset why your Rabbi is an important figure in your life. Tell a story, give a memory. Keep in mind the impact 10,000 letters could have sitting on his desk. NFTY’s membership has the potential to move mountains. Together, let’s let Israel know who we are, but more importantly, let’s let them know who our Rabbis are. With hope for a more united tomorrow, Mark Swick NFTY RCVP 5766-5767 nftyrcvp@urj.org