The “Orthodox Union” (OU), the largest kashrut and education organization in the USA, will increase its involvement in the Israeli public and will take positions on issues under public debate in the country – this is what Rabbi Moshe Ha’Oer, the organization’s global CEO, told the Israel Hayom newspaper.
Ha’oar emphasized that the organization will act in ways of rapprochement and moderation, in quiet conversations and not in public actions. “Our commitment is to the Torah, the mitzvot, the unity and sanctification of Shem Mayim. Our way is not statements but quiet conversations.”
As part of the increased activity among the decision makers, in recent weeks the leaders of the organization met with President Yitzhak Herzog, with the Ministers of Finance, Integration, Diaspora and Religion and with the Mayor of Jerusalem.
The message they conveyed was one of closeness and unity. In this spirit, the OU believes that regarding the issue of the “grandchild clause” in the Law of Return, “one must act with extreme sensitivity” and take into account the message that arises “toward Jews who are truly part of the people of Israel” – when the reference is to American Jews who have non-Jewish grandchildren.
The organization believes that the shared religious position with many of the government ministers will give them a listening ear over the other currents. Regarding the legal reform, Ha’o’ar adds, the organization believes that “there should be a dialogue within Israel.”
The organization’s decision expresses a significant development both in the internal balance between the Jewish currents in the USA, and in the ties of American Jewry with Israel. Until recently, the non-Orthodox currents played a dominant role in relations with Israel, while religious Judaism hardly intervened.
In addition to this, the demographic growth, the role it played during the Trump era and other processes led to an increase in the involvement of the Orthodox stream in politics,
In recent years, there has been a rapprochement of American ultra-orthodox Judaism with Israel. On top of that, the demographic growth, the role it played during the Trump era and other processes led to an increase in the involvement of the Orthodox stream in politics and in relation to Israel.
This is also a blurring of boundaries between the religious-national current, which has always been publicly active, and parts of ultra-orthodox Judaism. The Orthodox Union, which avoided political identification, unites the two currents in accordance with their commitment to Halacha and is therefore a force multiplier.