Putting the Kotel Decision in Context - Implications and Steps Forward

The Israeli government decision from June 25, 2017, to freeze the Western Wall (Kotel) agreement, and advance a conversion bill, was dramatic, as were the responses from Jewish leaders and organizations in the United States, Israel and other countries. This, of course, did not occur in a vacuum, and should be understood in the proper political, social and demographic context. I have been researching some of these issues and am set to publish (JPPI) a comprehensive report on the status of the Reform and Conservative movements in Israel.

This article, written together with JPPI Senior Fellow Shmuel Rosner, breaks down the decision, offers some additional thoughts and proposes next steps for the Israeli Government, the American Jewish community and the progressive Jewish movements in Israel.

This is the full report on the Kotel and Conversion issues as published in JPPI's 2017 Annual Assessment of the Jewish People.

To read, see here.