At one time, the congregants of what would become Beit Daniel, the Center for Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv, had to turn to Israel’s High Court of Justice, to compel the city of Tel Aviv to fulfil its promise to allocate land for the construction of the synagogue.  Today, Beit Daniel is raising funds for the construction of a second center, in the city’s colorful Jaffa district, on land which the municipality volunteered to the Reform / Progressive Movement.  What’s more, the city also has given over a pre-school facility to Beit Daniel (even paying salaries and providing other services), just so the congregation would operate it on the high level which it has established within its existing pre-school.  This is how far liberal Judaism has come in Israel.

“The next test of liberal Judaism is not going to be the political struggle,” states Meir Azari, the congregation’s Israeli-born rabbi.  “It will depend, instead, on the educational infrastructure we establish; one which promotes, as only we can, the principles of democracy and pluralism on which the State of Israel was established.”

It may be difficult for those outside of Israel to appreciate the optimism implied by this attitude, considering the furor which continues to surround the proposed Conversion Law. In fact, the attempt to pass that law was “a bridge to far.” The backlash it has created among the so-called “secular” Israelis has had the effect of creating heightened awareness and appreciation among them for the options inherent in the liberal streams of Judaism. This awareness extends to finally realizing that there are options between the extremes of secularism and state-sanctioned Orthodoxy.

The fact remains, however, that the official status of the Orthodox puts the liberal streams at a disadvantage. This status entitles the Orthodox to government financing, covering everything from synagogue construction, maintenance, and equipment to rabbis’ salaries and the operation of state religious schools.

In order to finance their activities, therefore, the liberal movements must do their own fund-raising. In the case of Beit Daniel, this fund-raising is directed toward financing community-outreach projects and the construction of the new Jaffa facility. (The congregation conducts income-producing activities which cover its ongoing expenses.)

There is a strong feeling of regret among many that, in this day and age, with Israel being a growingly rich country, we must still turn outwards for funding certain activities. On the other hand, there has to have been a lot of added value behind a fund-raising operation which recently resulted in the presentation to Beit Daniel of a check for $379.08. This came from the fourth-grade students of the Beth Am Day School, in Miami, who had held a used-book sale, in order to raise money for Beit Daniel’s library fund! The childrens’ wise teachers probably imbued in them more of a sense of connection with Israel than months of classroom work might have achieved.

We are far past the stage when world Jewry was expected to open its wallets for Israel without an option for earmarking those contributions. Beit Daniel welcomes active partnership in its projects. So, whether a contribution of $10 or adoption and sponsorship of a specific program, we welcome informed and active interest.

Please visit the Beit Daniel web site http://www.beit-daniel.org.il for details of the center’s activities. It includes information on Friends of Beit Daniel, for tax-deductible contributions in the United States, and the opportunity for e-mail contact for further information.