A talk with Anat Hoffman

The Search for Cracks in the City of Stone: An Anatomy of the Struggles for Pluralism in Modern Jerusalem

June 8, 2006

Anat Hoffman spoke to an audience of 70 about Jerusalem and its struggles between Orthodoxy and pluralistic Judaism. She spoke about her and IRAC’s efforts to advance a pluralistic living environment and the progresses for appropriate representation for all city inhabitants.

 Anat shared her experience as a “Woman of the Wall” (group of women who gathered at the Western Wall to pray, wearing a special Talit.) The high court recognised the right of Women of the Wall to hold women's prayer services at the Wall. The landmark ruling capped an 11-year legal battle.

Anat stated that 13 Billion out of 217 Billion of Israel’s budget goes towards religious services. However all this is taken by orthodoxy and the reform and conservative movement remain unrecognised by the State.

Today about third of all Israelis marry in a civil marriage ceremony overseas – mainly Cyprus. IRAC are fighting for the right for civil marriage in Israel. If they are recognised in Israel, why does a couple need to take their business elsewhere?

IRAC had published a book called “50 ways to wed your lover” and it was a sold out.

Anat claims that the Law of return law must change. It has to be more flexible and allow people to enter Israel. For example, the Darfur crises where IRAC is helping the refugees who arrived Israel and sent into prison. IRAC has succeeded in getting some of them out of prison, and is currently trying to get the rest of them out. Anat believes that Israel should be the first country to help genocide refugees.

The word “Jewish Blood” had been created by the Nazis but is being used by the Interior Office in determination of who is Jewish enough to make Aliya.

IRAC is helping 6000 olim (new immigrants) to prove to the Interior Minister that they are Jewish. Many of them from east Europe, and have nowhere to return to.

IRAC has won its case in the Supreme Court and now reform conversion aboard is recognisable in Israel. Also “Kfiza” conversion is recognised now. (2 years conversion in Israel and Tvila in London). Eli Yishay, had to sign the certificate and refused. After 6 months of thinking about it, they agreed that the solution is to delete the religion from the ID cards, and today ID cards do not state religion, unfortunately for the IDF.

Anat believes that it is not possible to separate religious from state. It will always be a different democracy from other democracies, but that Israel can clean up its act.