A consortium of Jewish federations has awarded grants to three Israel-based groups to encourage Israelis to consider alternatives to marrying through the Chief Rabbinate
The Israel Religious Expression Platform, or iRep, funded by the federations as well as private foundations, aims to strengthen Israeli civil society and encourage respect for diverse Jewish expressions in Israel.
Participating federations are Ann Arbor, Michigan; Boston; Cincinnati; Greensboro, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, Miami, New York, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.
The grant recipients announced Jan. 21 are Od Yishama, a collaborative venture of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism; the Masorti (Conservative) movement in Israel; Israel Hofsheet; Hiddush, an advocacy and public educational organization that works to strengthen Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; and Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah, a religious-Zionist organization.
Civil and non-Orthodox Jewish weddings are not legal in Israel. — jta