Masorti: Political Party or Socio-Religious Lobby?

One can understand Masorti leadership's frustration at the "religious" scene in Israel. It is a frustration that reveals an unhealthy desperation, however, if the idea of the Masorti movement establishing a political party should become popular enough for its leadership and its members to begin investing time, energy, and money in its promotion.

No one doubts the Masorti movement's legitimate critique of Orthodoxy's officially-endorsed monopoly of religious institutions and services in the State of Israel. Furthermore, that many urgent religious and socio-ethical issues continue to underscore the obduracy of officially-recognized Orthodoxy can only exasperate, if not embitter, all religiously enlightened Jews, Masorti and otherwise. Not only in its own eyes, but even as measured by enlightened, objective, non-Masorti observers of the interaction of religion in Western democratic societies, Masorti Judaism represents a clearly legitimate expression of Jewish faith, tradition, and practice. Even so, in the modern Jewish State of Israel, it is not officially recognized, and this fact understandably must arouse and, by now, enrage Masorti Jews. After all, its North American progenitor and counterpart, Conservative Judaism, is a recognized and respected religious movement. Granted, in the United States there is a constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state. Yet, in every relevant social, cultural, and political forum where religious movements are permitted and encouraged to operate, to educate, and to influence public policy, Conservative Judaism is extended the same legitimacy and opportunity as any other Jewish religious denomination—Reform, Reconstructionist, or Orthodox. That this state of affairs is not true in ostensibly democratic Israel is, for Masorti Jews, plainly unacceptable—and, after a number of decades, has become intolerable.

In the light of this state of affairs, and with no indication that the situation will soon change, Michael Graetz has come to the conclusion that the Masorti movement must form a political party. His assumption is that in Israel only a political party has the capacity to "(a) promulgate ideas and positions in general, (b) acquire standing and 'legitimacy' in the eyes of the public, (c) have guaranteed access to public funds, and (d) be able to influence public policy."

Unfortunately for his argument, Graetz's four-part assumption is itself questionable. He must surely admit that all kinds of organs in society outside the Knesset and the government—media, non-governmental organizations of various types, the arts, schools—"promulgate ideas and positions." He should be more specific as to what he means by "standing and legitimacy in the eyes of the public." Much of the public in Israel derides religion precisely because it is identified in their eyes with politics, and the less-than-edifying nature of religious behavior when it is associated with politics. Again, Graetz must explain what he means by "influenc[ing] public policy," for all the non-political organs mentioned above also influence public policy. The word "influence" itself is so vague as to be innocuous in making a case for political involvement. Finally, and most revealingly in Graetz's four-part assumption, is that forming a political party will gain for the Masorti movement "guaranteed access to public funds."

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with any high-minded institution within society looking for "guaranteed access to public funds." One can argue, for example, that public funding should and must guarantee not only basic education for all members of society. A case can surely be made for cultural enterprises, sports programs, and religious institutions receiving guaranteed aid from public funding. There are, of course, also cogent arguments to be made opposing public funding in each of these areas. But in Israel, where Orthodox Judaism is guaranteed public funding, Masorti Judaism—and any other religious interpretation of Judaism—has a right to claim its share of the public pie. The question for Masorti leadership and general membership is: should it?

Before answering this question, one cannot help but point to certain practical realities facing today's Masorti movement, should it make a serious attempt to form a political party. How does one start a political party if not by submitting thousands of...