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Our Task in Israel

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Conservative Judaism faces a profound identity crisis in Israel, where traditional American models of synagogue-centered religious life clash with the inherently Jewish character of Israeli public space. Drawing on twenty-five years of experience living in Jerusalem and the Negev, this analysis reveals how the movement must fundamentally reconceptualize its approach within Israeli society. Through autobiographical reflection and ideological analysis, the research demonstrates that while American Conservative Judaism revolves around creating designated Jewish spaces, Israeli Jewish identity emerges organically from the land itself and its citizens' daily lives. The findings suggest that Conservative Judaism can only achieve its full expression in Israel, where place, time, history, and ritual converge to create complete Jewish being. To succeed, the movement must adopt an assertive theological stance that challenges Orthodox interpretations while reviving traditional tools like halakhic legislation (takkanah) and rabbinical ordination (semicha) to address contemporary Israeli needs. The research culminates in a bold prescription: dismantling the state rabbinate and positioning Conservative Judaism as Israel's majority religious movement through practical rabbinical engagement rather than scholarly discourse alone.

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    Published 1993

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    Michael Graetz