B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
B’nai B’rith International is disappointed by the Israeli government’s decision to cancel part of its plans for an egalitarian section at the Western Wall.
A historic agreement was passed in January 2016 that included an expansion of the non-Orthodox section at the Kotel, the creation of a communal entrance to non-Orthodox and Orthodox areas and the establishment of a government committee comprising different Jewish denominations to oversee the non-Orthodox section.
The decision in the last few days to reverse that plan is distressing to many Jews, both in the Diaspora and in Israel.
We support all efforts to expeditiously re-visit the agreement in its entirety and resolve all outstanding issues in the interest of Jewish unity. In the meantime, construction of the egalitarian section should proceed.
B’nai B’rith International is disappointed by the Israeli government’s decision to cancel part of its plans for an egalitarian section at the Western Wall.
A historic agreement was passed in January 2016 that included an expansion of the non-Orthodox section at the Kotel, the creation of a communal entrance to non-Orthodox and Orthodox areas and the establishment of a government committee comprising different Jewish denominations to oversee the non-Orthodox section.
The decision in the last few days to reverse that plan is distressing to many Jews, both in the Diaspora and in Israel.
We support all efforts to expeditiously re-visit the agreement in its entirety and resolve all outstanding issues in the interest of Jewish unity. In the meantime, construction of the egalitarian section should proceed.
