H EADLINES
Citizenship Continued from Page 9
Judaism under non-Orthodox
auspices in Israel itself. Th e
petition that spurred the court
ruling was fi led in 2005 but
was postponed for more than
a decade because the court
wanted to give the government
time to resolve the matter
through legislation.

“Th e petitioners came to
Israel and went through a
conversion process in the frame-
work of a recognized Jewish
community and asked to join the
Jewish nation,” Hayut wrote in
her ruling, according to Haaretz.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, a leading
Reform rabbi in Israel and a
Labor Party candidate for the
Knesset, or parliament, called
the ruling a “foundational
decision of the High Court” in
a Facebook post.

Aryeh Deri, the head of the
Sephardi haredi Shas party,
wrote on Facebook that the
Today Israel’s Supreme Court decided that Israel should be a
national home for all types of Jews. It is a day to celebrate, even as the
road towards equality for all — especially those who are not Jewish —
remains long.”
MICKEY GITZIN
decision was “misguided,
Successive government Israel’s conversion standards.

very troubling, and will cause coalitions, based on their polit- But such eff orts at reform
arguing and a diffi cult rupture ical leanings, have attempted usually fall fl at.

among the people.”
to either liberalize or narrow
Haredi Orthodox politi-
cians object to laws that would
broaden the range of recog-
nized conversions, while
attempts to make require-
ments stricter have provoked
backlash from organizations
representing American Jews,
the vast majority of whom are
not Orthodox. Th at has eff ec-
tively meant that any change in
It has been a time of sadness for our family. We gratefully
conversion regulations comes
from court decisions.

appreciate the outpouring of love, support, generosity, and your
Once they become citizens
kind expression with the untimely passing of Susan Love. Susan
of Israel, non-Orthodox
was a wonderful and loving daughter, mother, sister, aunt and
converts still face restrictions.

Several issues of personal status
life partner and a remarkable caring human being.

in Israel, including marriage
Each family member has been comforted by the tremendous acts of generosity and
and divorce, are controlled
by the country’s haredi Chief
compassion that family, friends, and the community has shared with us. We have loved
Rabbinate. Because the Chief
listening to stories about Susan’s professional interactions at Lions Gate and around the
Rabbinate does not recog-
South Jersey community. She loved intermingling and meeting everyone on both a
nize non-Orthodox converts
as Jews, they have no way to
professional and personal level. It is heartening to know that we are surrounded by so
marry legally in Israel.

many kind, caring, loving and supportive people.

Others who obtain Israeli
citizenship under the Law of
We would be remiss if we did not give our deepest and most sincere thanks to Lions Gate
Return but are not considered
– especially the employees for having a beautiful memorial service in honor of Susan as
Jewish by Orthodox standards
— such as immigrants with
well as the abundance of substantial donations provided to Lions Gate in her memory.

only one Jewish grandparent —
Most importantly, each of us would also like to express our deepest gratitude for all your
similarly cannot marry legally in
Israel. Legislation to address that
expressions of sympathy, words of comfort, and for keeping Susan in your thoughts and
issue has been stymied as well by
prayers these past few months.

haredi opposition in parliament.

“Today Israel’s Supreme
Court decided that Israel
should be a national home for
all types of Jews,” said Mickey
Gitzin, the Israel director of
Judy Love,
the New Israel Fund and a
Ashley Freedman, David Farber and Drew Farber
longtime Israeli activist for
Sylvia, Michael and Rebecca Miller
religious freedom. “It is a day
to celebrate, even as the road
Roberta and Abby Budman
towards equality for all —
especially those who are not
Jewish — remains long.” ●
10 MARCH 4, 2021
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