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Jews who are unaffiliated, or who attend Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist synagogues should think twice about purchasing Israel bonds.
Consider the following quote from the Israel Bonds web page:
Proceeds from Israel Bond sales go directly to the Treasury for general use.
This is no doubt true, and this is in fact the problem.
Many of you have heard of the oppression by the religious Orthodox establishment against non-Orthodox or secular Jews. Consider the following examples:
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In January 1999 the Knesset passed the Religious Councils Law, which requires that all members of religious councils swear allegiance to the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate.
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Until this day, 50 years after the founding of Israel, conversions by Conservative or Reform rabbis are not recognized by the Interior Ministry.
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Almost weekly, the Orthodox press publishes heinous vindictive against non-Orthodox Judaism (sample).
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The Israeli government has yet to spend one agorah/cent on programs sponsored by Conservative and Reform Judaism. Some municipalities do fund our programs, but they receive no proceeds from Israel Bonds.
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There is the continuing issue of funding of Orthodox yeshivot for young men who don't serve in the army and don't work (but their wives do).
If you are a committed Jew who belongs to a Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist synagogue, ask yourself why you purchase Israel Bonds? None of it goes to support your vision of Judaism in Israel.
Some believe that by purchasing bonds, they can help alleviate the situation "quietly." The response to this is twofold:
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The oppression against non-Orthodox is not getting better, it's getting worse. The Religious Concils Law is one example. The Conversion Law, which passed its first reading in 1998, is another example.
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Contact R. Ehud Bandel or R. Uri Regev, leaders of the Conservative and Reform movements in Israel, and ask them what they think about purchasing bonds instead of funding their, and your, programs.
Nothing gets done in Israel "quietly." With 20 Knesset seats under Orthodox control, and not one belonging to the non-Orthodox, how can you get anything done "quietly?"
Remember, the proceeds of Bond sales do not go to non-Orthodox institutions. Our children will be amazed how we purchase Israel bonds to finance our own repression!
Other sites promoting religious freedom in Israel, and who are more deserving of your support:
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