|
|
March 26, 2004/Nisan 4 5764, Vol. 56, No. 27
U.S. Reform help German branch
TOBY AXELROD
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
BERLIN - The Union for Progressive Judaism in Germany is seeking help from U.S. Reform Jews in an attempt to win recognition and financing from the German government.
Claiming that Germany's main government-funded Jewish body refuses to admit Reform congregations, the union took its fight to Washington. Union members petitioned Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, for help, and Saperstein met with German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger on March 23.
The meeting - a contin-uation of contacts begun before German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder signed a contract in January 2003 placing the Central Council of Jews in Germany on equal legal footing with the nation's Protestant and Catholic churches - was an attempt to avert the threat of a lawsuit against the German government.
The union claims the government is legally required to support all streams of Judaism, even if the Central Council, which now gets $3 million per year in federal funding, refuses to do so.
For its part, the Central Council says its doors are open to diversity. But critics say the issue is power, not diversity.
On March 23, Ischinger told Saperstein that high-level talks are planned in coming weeks between the German government and the Central Council to try to resolve the issue "in a spirit of reconcil-iation and partnership."
"I hope our meeting will clarify some issues and make it clear that we are not ignorant of the fact that there is a concern out there," Ischinger told JTA in a telephone interview.
Germany "intended to support all streams of Judaism," Saperstein said after the meeting. He said he understood Germany's wish to avoid mixing in internal Jewish affairs. But, he added, "where government money is concerned, there also is a serious concern that there not be discrimination."
Saperstein said the American Reform movement, which has its roots in 19th-century Germany, "is deeply appreciative of the govern-ment's efforts."
The Central Council has avoided commenting on the current fracas. But council members say the group, which is secular in character, does support pluralism - without funding any so- called pluralistic religious organizations.
|
