I find it weird that they are having a discussion about whether or not the Conservative Movement violated halacha in the actions they took. The Conservative Movement does not follow Orthodox halacha, so what is the point of this discussion? But funnily enough Rabbi Breitowitz says they didn't, even if what they did wasnt great...

there is an old joke that everyone uses every time someone talks about an eruv being built - great, now I can drive to shul on shabbos, or something siilar.

MK Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) commented on the death of RBG, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, praising her for her strength and feminism and leadership, while at the same time saying there would be no room for someone like her on the Israeli Supreme Court.

interesting clip, but I was not aware that their conversions are already taking place and are recognized in Israel. I thought they were fighting for that right.

UPDATE: I have been told that the Interior Ministry recognizes such converts as Jewish, but the Rabbanut does not. The political and social fight happening in Israel over this is whether or not to force the Rabbanut to recognize these converts as Jewish.

The Conservative Movement in the USA has ruled to lift the ban on kitniyos during Pesach. They point to the changing of composition of the Jewish community and its traditions as the reason for the lifting of the ban.

I have seen a couple of articles about this, but without too much explanation. They point to the increasing sefardic community in North America as the main factor.

The excitement among the followers of the Conservative movement seems to be focused on the ability to now serve sushi at the Pesach seder (and throughout Pesach).

Once sushi is on the menu, another idea for interesting change might be using the seaweed wrap for Karpas, and the Wasabi for Maror. Korech would just be a sushi sandwich in the matza.

Personally, I am still sticking to the traditional menus...

a big deal is being made about Naftali Bennet's visit to a Conservative school. The Ulra-Orthodox do not like it, as it gives them legitimacy as a valid stream of Judaism.

That is the approach of the Ultra-Orthodox, and it always has been so. At least on the level of clergy.

It has been less so for the Dati Leumi stream of Judaism, but on that alone the Ultra-Orthodox can still criticize Bennet for the visit. Bennet doesn't have to follow the approach of the Ultra-Orthodox, but they do have a right to criticize based on their values.

What I think is being forgotten though is the fact that Bennet is the Minister of Education for all Israeli schools and children. That includes Reform and Conservative schools, just as it includes secular, Ultra-Orthodox, Christian and Arab schools. His obligations and responsibilities as minister affect them and he is supposed to provide their needs in education as well. Bennet is not a rabbi meeting and giving legitimacy, nor is he a private, albeit important, person that might be giving legitimacy. He is a minister who must fulfill his ministerial duties and provide education to all Israel's children. Including Conservative ones.

Bennet is also the Minister of Diaspora Affairs. Whatever the objective of such a ministry is, it also includes the Conservative and Reform streams. Outreach for Israel, promote aliyah, assist in needs of Jewish education. Whatever it might be, it falls under his toolbelt of responsibilities.

It reminds me of one of, and perhaps the main one, reasons why UTJ has always refused ministerial positions in the Israeli government, until now when they were "forced" to accept one. They claimed that being a minister would make them responsible for actions by the government they do not necessarily agree with - such as acts of chilul shabbos, among others.

Bennet might not want to visit the Conservative schools (I don't know what his personal opinion is on the matter), but perhaps he sees it as part of his responsibilities that he must fulfill.

Minister of Interior Eli Yishai (Shas) has decided to put the listing of nationality, stating "Jew", back on the teudat zehut of Israeli citizens. Yishai says it is optional, and only people who want it listed will have it added.

The irony is that Yishai is the one who had it removed originally. He did so because he had to get around a decision by the Supreme Court that would have forced him to write "Jew" on the identity cards of converts that he personally, not really personally but according to the rabbonim he follows, does not accept as Jews. To avoid the problem, he removed the entire listing from the teudat zehut.

Yishai says he is bringing the listing back because he has been requested to by older holocaust survivors. Many have old identity cards that still list "JEW", and have been replacing them recently with new cards due to wear and tear. Upon seeing that "JEW" is no longer listed, they get upset, and have been petitioning him to have it returned.

Another item of irony is that when Yishai originally removed the listing, the Reform and Conservative movements were furious. They recognized it for what it was, a way of circumventing the listing of their converts as Jews. Now, with Yishai bringing the listing back, they are again furious, claiming the listing as a blow to pluralism and freedom. They are calling ti a strategic threat to the Jewish people.

First they Yishai did not want it, and now he does. First The Reform wanted it, and now they oppose it.

I wonder what Yishai will do the first time a Conservative or Reform convert wants his teudat zehut to say "JEW"... he got around it last time by removing the listing, what will he do next time?

The Conservative Movement of Israel is running a campaign, in light of the vote to extend the funding for avreichim by another 5 years after which it would be severely cut and limited, to support and encourage the move into the work world.

They are currently running the following ad, which I thought was worth sharing due to its originality and provocativeness. It is designed as if it is a page out of the Yellow Pages business phone book and is a listing of different service providers and the businesses listed under each one are various tannaim and amoraim who held such jobs and professions.
Definitely an original and uniquely designed ad..

According to this article on Ynet, Conservative Rabbi Simcha Roth recommends against kissing mezuzas in public places (especially in hospitals). He deems it a danger (of contracting iruses and germs left by other people. I guess the rule of "sakanta chamira m'issura" - danger is worse than prohibition - would apply in such a case, according to Rabbi Roth.

Kissing a mezuza is only a tradition, not a mitzva, and therefore he recommends against it.

Another one bites the dust..