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COME SEE OUR RENOVATION NOW IN PROGRESS 12 Friday, March 20, 1987 LOCAL NEWS THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Agency Changes Push Religious Pluralism Staff Report Precedent-setting changes in how the Jewish Agency reviews requests for funding from religious movements, coupled with opportunities for representation at the upcom- ing World Zionist Congress, provide Diaspora Jews with the means to promote reli- gious pluralism in Israel. Charles Hoffman, a Jerusalem Post editor whose controversial series last June in The Jewish News on the Jewish Agency and the rela- tionship between its leader- ship in Israel and fund rais- ers abroad helped change attitudes toward supporing Reform and Conservative programs, told Jewish Wel- fare Federation leaders Tues- day night that problems sur- rounding religious pluralism in Israel aren't as bad as they seem and Disapora Jews have more means to change the situation than they may know. Hoffman was in Southfield as part of a nine-city speak- ing tour. The ability to promote plurlism can come through the election of delegates to the World Zaionist Organiza- tion's World Zionist Congress in December, Hoffman said. American Jews, however, are faced with an array of choices, from the Zionist Organization of America to Hadassah, and often cast their votes with these organ- izations as opposed to Mercaz or Artza, which represent the Conservative and Reform movements. The result is that both movements have small representation and get a small share of the $60 mil- lion WZO pie. The Jewish Agency, with its $400 million annual budget, has greater opportu- nity to aid the Reform and Conservative movements, Hoffman said. But its leaders have been reluctant to re- spond to their requests, de- spie being on record in sup- port of religious pluralism. Hoffman said that while there may not be official dis- cimination, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Citing the Aliyah Department of th Jewish Agency as an exam- ple, Hoffman said the de- . partment!s , head was asked why newcomers were not of- fered Reform and Conserva- tive" activities in absorption centers and was told it would "confuse the new immig- rants." He also claimed the agency often used a double standard in evaluating allocation re- quests, with Reform and Con- servative groups being told only services to individuals were funded. But looking in the agency's budget book, do- zens of institutions got sup- port, he added. Hoffman's series on the Jewish Agency was a catalyst in the creation this past De- cember of a special process to review requests for funding from Orthodox, Conservative and Reform groups. And last month, $3.2 million was allo- cated, with $1.6 million going to the Reform movement, $800,000 to the Conserva- tives and $700,000 to the Or- thodox. While the dollar amount may be small, Hoffman termed the allocations a breakthrough for the Reform and Conservative movements and an indication of how con- certed pressure from Dias- pora Jews did bring about change. He claimed a resolution passed last June by the agen- cy's Board of Governors for the "thorough study of (the agency's) programmatic rela- tionship to all branches of Judaism and development of equitable guidelines for appropriate maximum in- volvement of all branches (of Judaism)" gives Diaspora Jews a significant opportu- nity to increase their in- volvement in promoting pluralism in Israel. The Conservative and Re- form movements were "latecomers" as far as Zionism goes and only began building a presence within the past 20 years, according to Hoffman. The Orthodox were more instrumental in the founding of Israel and have final say in major reli- gious issues. While Hoffman said Or- thodox comprise about 20 percent of Israel's Jewish population (approximately 300,000), there are about 15,000 members of the Con- servative and Reform move- ments. Matzah Factory Re-Opens At JCC The popular Matzah Fac- tory experience fOr youngsters will be sponsored again this year by the Jewish Community Center and Lubavitch. Youngsters will have the opportunity to bake their own matzah at the center, begin- ning Wednesday and running through April 7. For information on hours of operation and group schedul- ing, call Jo Greene at the Center, 661-1000.