Rabbi Garten sent the following message to Prime Minister Netanyahu and wished to share this with the congregation:
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,
I write to you on behalf of Temple Israel Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The largest Reform Congregation in Canada's national capital, our congregation has been a staunch supporter of the State of Israel. Three of our young men have served in the IDF. Their mothers were converted by me. This bill would have denied them the privilege of serving in the IDF. Sixteen of our children have participated in Birthright trips. Ten might have been excluded by this Bill. We are the only Reform congregation in Canada that participates in the P2K mifgash programm. These past six years over 25 students have hosted Israeli young people and visited Israel. This bill might have excluded 20% of our students. I am leading a community trip to Israel in the fall. The coordinator of the trip who has visited Israel over twenty times would be excluded from the Jewish people according to this bill. I can continue to list all the potential ramifications that would arise from the passage of the Rotem Conversion Bill.
Therefore I request your immediate intervention to prevent passage of the legislation being brought forward by MK David Rotem.
My congregation is deeply concerned about the intention to grant the Chief Rabbinate sole control over conversion in Israel. Such legislation would be an open attack on the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Jewry, which composes the majority of world Jewry.
While we are supportive of efforts to create greater accessibility to conversion courts in Israel, the overall impact of the Rotem Bill will set back these efforts. Should this bill be enacted, it will exacerbate a widening gap between Diaspora and Israel communities, which we are working very hard to avoid.
Therefore, we believe it is imperative that you, as leader of Israel, and as one who cares deeply about the well-being of Klal Yisrael, intervene and urge immediate withdrawal of this bill.
On behalf of Temple Israel and all lovers of Zion I pray that you recognize the danger that this Bill poses to our ongoing relationship and act accordingly.
L'Shalom,
Rabbi Steven H. Garten
