July 26, 2010

Sharansky Supports Jewish Pluralism For Israel

In the midst of the heated controversy generated by the K'nesset committee passage of a new conversion bill sponsored by David Rotem that has been described as a bill that would delegitimize non-Orthodox Jewry in Israel and cause a serious breach in Israeli-Diaspora relations, Shalom TV presents a series of four programs meant to clarify the facts and address the real issues raised by the bill.

Rabbi Mark S. Golub, president of Shalom TV, presents an overview of the issue and suggests that the inflammatory headlines and articles mislead American Jewry, distort Israeli policies, and overstate the threats to non-Orthodox legitimacy.

In a spirited discussion, Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly, voices her serious opposition to the "Rotem Conversion Bill" while Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, northeast vice president of the Orthodox movement's Rabbinical Council of America, argues for Israel's adopting halakhic standards with regard both to conversion and to Israel's "Law of Return."

Shalom TV also speaks with the two Jewish leaders who represent the largest Jewish constituencies, one in America and one worldwide.

Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America, explains why he opposes certain language in the "Rotem Conversion Bill."

Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency For Israel, also describes his opposition to the bill and states his hope that the State of Israel will embrace Jewish pluralism.

"When speaking about marriage, divorce, and burial, I fully agree that everybody must have different opportunities to [practice] in the State of Israel," says Sharansky. "I believe we have to change the situation when there are so many people in Israel who cannot be married in Israel. They have to have this opportunity."

Shalom TV's four programs on the Rotem Conversion Bill can be seen in their entirety online on the Shalom TV Web site (www.shalomtv.com). The programs will be featured on the Shalom TV free Video On Demand network beginning Sunday August 1 through August 28 on virtually every cable system in the United States and Canada. Shalom TV can be seen on Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, Verizon FiOS, Cox, RCN, Bright House, Armstrong, Service Electric Cablevision, Buckeye CableSystem, Metrocast, Blue Ridge Communications, Frontier, and Rogers Cable (Canada). For channel positions in your community, click here.