Majority of Likud voters support recognition of unorthodox Judaism

A new poll commissioned by the Israeli reform movement revealed that most supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party believe that Israel should recognize all branches of Judaism and invest significant resources in relations with Jews around the world.
According to the poll of 400 people identified as Likud voters, 71% of Netanyahu's political base support the official recognition of Reformed and Conservative Judaism, and 66% say that Israel should invest "important resources" in relationship with the Jews of the diaspora.

The Israeli Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism said that it was his intention to present the results of the investigation to all party legislators and leaders of his locals, to try to persuade them to ignore the support of voters for religious pluralism. and "submit to extreme pressure groups".

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The survey, conducted by the Dialogue Institute under the supervision of Dr. Kamil Fuchs, also revealed that most Likud voters support civil marriage in Israel and limited public transportation during the day weekly Sabbath rest. The findings were first published Monday on the Walla Hebrew language news website, amidst political turmoil over the planned approval of the construction of a permanent egalitarian prayer place. in the West. Wall in Jerusalem, which divided opinions within the government coalition

The Minister of Culture, Miri Regev, recently resigned from the committee to discuss the Western Wall plan, citing her conscience and her "Jewish tradition", apparently as a result of pressure. The Orthodox and Orthodox party Likud. Following his example, the other two members of the committee, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of the Jewish Home Religious Party and Minister of Religious Affairs David Azoulay of the ultra-Orthodox Shas, also resigned.

But Netanyahu seems to insist on approving the construction of the pluralist platform, appointing himself head of the committee instead of Regev and his loyalist, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, to replace Shaked.

The committee should not meet until the appointment of Azoulay and the construction Following the controversy, some rabbis of Israel have recently vividly criticized the non-Orthodox Jews, at a time when relations between Israel and the Jewish community of the diaspora were rocky at first

. 63% of respondents said that they were supporting an alternative marriage mechanism to the one currently controlled by the Chief Rabbinate, with 30% of objections and 7% saying They do not know.

And 65 percent of Likud voters said they supported public transit on Shabbat, with no buses pbading through areas where most residents are religious. 29% objected and others said they did not know

Opinions were more equally divided on the question of the place of the wall Western egalitarian, with 41% supporting Netanyahu's intention to approve the mixed permanent platform, 32% opposing it and no less than 27% declaring not to have made their decision.

Regarding Regev, 37% said that she was wrong to leave the committee and refuse to authorize the construction, 36% said she was right to do it, and 28% said she was wrong. have not expressed any opinion.

Some 100 Likud activists released a letter last week supporting Regev's rejection of the committee

"We support the bold decision of the Minister of Culture, Miri Regev, to protect the sanctity of the Wailing Wall and not to allow the creation of a reformed place next to it, "reads the letter." We are with you in the fight for the Wailing Wall, "they told Regev

Asked whether ministers Netanyahu and Likud should publicly oppose the verbal attacks of rabbis and ultra-Orthodox politicians against Reformed Jews According to Rabbi Gilad Kariv, leader of the reform movement, " some elected officials of Likud do not take this into account. "and he chose to submit to extreme pressure groups that take control of the power centers of the ruling party.

" There are aa no reason for the party to align with extremist and controversial elements ". "We hope that Likud supporters will act to change this sad reality."

The original decision to build the pavilion dates back to January 31, 2016, when the government – spurred by decades of far-reaching activism by the feminist prayer group Women of the Wall – endorsed the so-called compromise of the western wall. Resolutely negotiated since 2012 with the leaders of liberal Judaism and other personalities, he was planning the construction of a permanent pluralist zone on the site of a temporary zone currently existing. Other key aspects of the plan included a single entry into the area to be shared with the Orthodox gender segregation prayer square, and the creation of a pluralistic Jewish community council to oversee the mixed-gender area [19659010]. 2017, Netanyahu froze the compromise. While he kills the common entrance and the pluralistic board of directors, he promises to continue building a permanent platform

Archaeological checks near the platform begin in February 2018 by the Israel Antiquities Authority, which is charged by the government with the supervision of the new construction. But bureaucratic obstacles remain in the construction process

Although the initial plan was warmly embraced by liberals and the Jewish diaspora in 2016, it immediately sparked controversy as ultra-Orthodox Israeli politicians, who initially proposal, responded to popular pressure in their communities to intervene and work to prevent its implementation.

As a result, several Jewish organizations in the diaspora took up the cause of the pluralist platform, which became an increased friction point. The current saga has quickly reached the High Court, which has since held several hearings on the subject

The pluralistic pavilion is located in the Davidson Archaeological Park, in an area called Robinson's Arch. It is out of sight of the current Orthodox prayer square, separated from it by the ramp leading to the Mughrabi Gate, which is the only entrance for non-Muslims to the Temple Mount.

If completed, the new permanent pavilion It will greatly expand the modest prayer bridge, which has been serving liberal Jews since 2000. Also, it will replace the largest temporary platform-like platform that was erected before the Days Saints in 2013.

Raoul Wootliff and Amanda Borschel-Dan contributed to this report.