tio

Remaining

Optimistic

Rabbi Philip Spectre of the Masorti movement talks of conflicts in Israel.

PHIL JACOBS

Editor

•

•

R

abbi Philip Spectre,
brother of Adat Shalom's
Rabbi Efry Spectre, gives
a guarded, but optimistic,
message on pluralism.
Rabbi Spectre, the international
director of the Masorti
(Conservative) movement within
Israel, is on a worldwide mission
explaining his movement's reactions
to recent events in Israel.
They include Jewish conversions
and the exclusion of non-Orthodox
individuals from religious councils.
For 14 years, Rabbi Spectre was
the spiritual leader in Ashkelon,
making his synagogue the national
example of Conservative Judaism
within Israel. Since his start there,
there are now some 50 Conservative
shuls in the country.
.
"There's been a constant and
steady growth of the movement
within Israel," said Rabbi Spectre.
"Even the size of our Camp Ramah
has doubled. It's something that's
taking strength. We're 20,000 mem-
bers with some 60,000 participating
in our services. In Israel, 80 percent
will say they are Masorti or tradi-
tional."
In the United States, Rabbi
Spectre is spreading the word on
Masorti. Yet the main topic that
American Jews want to talk to him
about is pluralism.
"There's obviously the conversion
issue and then the issue of who can
serve on religious councils. We feel
sometimes like we're being given a
death sentence here. In the mean-
time, we weren't getting any signs
that we were being taken seriously
by the Netanyahu government."
Decisidns on the pluralism issue
have been postponed until the end
of the year when they will come
before the Israeli Supreme Court.
Committees of religious leaders are
struggling to find a compromise

before the case reaches the court.
"At this point we have to bite our
lip," said Rabbi Spectre. "But there
are human beings involved, children
involved. There's got to be a move-
ment towards Jewish unity. It can't
be about disenfranchisement. All
we're asking is reciprocal respect.
"I realize that is a big order for
some, but it's a small order for the
unity of our people. I feel if you call
yourself Orthodox, Reform or
Conservative, you are at a crossroads
as a Jew."
What happens after Dec. 31, if
the rulings go against plurality?
"We have plans, we have
strategies," he said.
"They're being uncom-
promising. It would-
n't be good if there
was no compromise.
We've played a key
role in trying to
bring everyone
together."
In his travels
through the United
States, he's hearing
concern, but he's also
feeling optimistic.
"The cause of plural-
ism is getting support

here not only from the Conservative
movement but also from the
Reform, the modern Orthodox and
others. When the western world
talks about the futur6pf Judaism,
they see it is necessaryto solve this
problem.
"We need shalom bay'it [peace in
our house]. But the main thing is
education now. We have to educate
the Israeli government; we have to
educate Jews around the world.
need
eed to know the facts about
Israel, and they need to know how
to become involved." El

Rabbi
Philip Spectre
remains hopeful.

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