Agudah versus the OU

by S. Miller

A battle for Israel’s institutional soul is already underway. With elections for the World Zionist Congress set for the end of the year, an unprecedented power struggle is intensifying that could fundamentally reshape Israel’s religious and cultural landscape. Left-wing organizations—including the Reform Movement, Brothers in Arms, Meretz, and an affiliate of Yesh Atid—are mobilizing massive resources, pouring tens of millions of shekels into a strategic campaign aimed at wresting control of key Zionist institutions from their current leadership and shifting them decisively to the far left.

Currently, two prominent Orthodox Jewish organizations, Agudath Israel of America and the Orthodox Union, are at loggerheads as to whether American Jews should try to stop this left-leaning trend. Agudath Israel has released statements forbidding participation in the voting process. The OU, on the other hand, has said that it is a religious obligation not to stand idly by one’s brother’s blood.

At the epicenter of this struggle stands the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), where fierce political battles have already erupted between right-leaning and left-leaning representatives. The left has systematically attempted to block KKL’s support for communities beyond the Green Line. Most alarmingly, at the outbreak of the current war, left-wing groups tried to prevent KKL from funding emergency defense units in Jewish communities across Judea and Samaria—a move only blocked by the intervention of current KKL chair Ifat Ovadia-Luski, a Likud representative. Should the balance of power shift, such protective measures could be permanently dismantled.

Even during wartime, many left-wing organizations have brazenly staged protests abroad against the Prime Minister, lobbied the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens, and in some cases actively supported demonstrations against Israel’s military operations. Recently, left-wing representatives opposed the Israeli government’s request for World Zionist Organization assistance to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, citing concerns that such support would strengthen morale among war supporters.

This article examines what a successful radical left-wing transformation of Israeli institutions might ultimately produce, with particular emphasis on religious pluralism, liberal values, and the redistribution of institutional funding through organizations like the World Zionist Organization. The State of Israel has maintained a complex relationship between religion and state since its founding in 1948, dominated by Orthodox Judaism’s exclusive control over personal status matters such as marriage, divorce, and conversion. A left-wing institutional transformation would dramatically alter this status quo, potentially creating a pluralistic religious landscape more closely resembling North America.

Religious Institution Transformation

The Chief Rabbinate: From Monopoly to One Voice Among Many

Currently, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate holds exclusive authority over Jewish religious services, marriage, divorce, and conversion. Under a left-wing institutional transformation, we would likely see the dismantling of the Orthodox monopoly as the exclusive authority of the Chief Rabbinate would be replaced by a pluralistic system recognizing multiple Jewish denominations. Equal recognition of non-Orthodox streams would emerge as Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist rabbis gained official recognition, with authority to perform marriages, conversions, and other lifecycle events with full state recognition. Funding parity would be established as state funding previously channeled exclusively to Orthodox institutions would be distributed equitably among all recognized Jewish denominations based on community size and needs.

The Chief Rabbinate would likely remain as a representative body for Orthodox Judaism but would function as one of several officially recognized Jewish religious authorities rather than the sole arbiter of religious matters.

Rise of Liberal Synagogues: The Americanization of Israeli Judaism

Perhaps the most visible change would be the rapid proliferation of Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist synagogues throughout Israel. Currently, while these movements exist in Israel, they lack both official recognition and the funding that Orthodox institutions receive. Under a left-wing transformation, urban centers like Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem would see significant growth in liberal congregations, particularly attracting secular Israelis who feel alienated from Orthodox practice but desire Jewish connection. New synagogue buildings would reflect more contemporary, egalitarian designs with mixed seating, similar to North American models. Liberal synagogues would establish community centers in suburban areas, providing religious services alongside cultural and educational programming. The historically secular kibbutz movement might experience a renaissance through partnership with liberal Judaism, creating new models of communal living infused with progressive religious values.

By some estimates, within a decade of such changes, liberal synagogues could account for 30-40% of active Jewish congregations in Israel, fundamentally altering the religious landscape.

Religious Education Reform

Currently, state religious schools in Israel follow Orthodox curriculum and practices. A transformed system would likely include pluralistic religious education with state funding for a diverse range of Jewish educational institutions representing different denominations. A comparative Judaism curriculum would be introduced in public schools covering the spectrum of Jewish thought and practice, from Orthodox to Humanistic Judaism. Interfaith education initiatives would flourish as educational programs fostering understanding between Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze traditions received significant funding and institutional support.

Religious Freedom Expansion

Legal Recognition of Religious Diversity

A radical left-wing transformation would likely bring significant changes to laws governing religious freedom. Civil marriage and divorce options would be introduced alongside religious ceremonies, allowing interfaith couples and those not recognized as Jewish by Orthodox authorities to marry legally in Israel. Conversion recognition would be expanded as the state recognized conversions performed by rabbis from all major Jewish denominations, ending the current situation where many immigrants (particularly from the former Soviet Union) remain in a limbo of “not Jewish enough” according to Orthodox standards. Sabbath laws would undergo reform through the restructuring of regulations governing business operations and public transportation on Shabbat, with decisions devolved to local municipalities rather than imposed nationally.

Open Religious Marketplace

Perhaps most controversially, a radical transformation might include equal protection for proselytizing activities as groups like Jews for Jesus (Messianic Jews) and Christian missionary organizations would gain legal protection for their activities, which are currently restricted. State neutrality on religious choice would be established as government bodies adopted a position of neutrality regarding religious choice and conversion between faiths. Funding for interfaith dialogue would increase as state resources supported organizations fostering dialogue between different religious traditions.

This aspect would likely generate the strongest resistance, as many Israelis across the political spectrum view certain proselytizing activities as threatening to Jewish continuity, particularly given Jewish historical experience with forced conversion.

World Zionist Organization and Funding Redistribution

WZO Structural Reforms

The World Zionist Organization (WZO), along with affiliated bodies like the Jewish Agency and Jewish National Fund, controls significant resources and has often provided funding to many Orthodox institutions. Under a left-wing transformation, governance restructuring would occur as reformed governance structures ensured proportional representation of all major Jewish denominations in decision-making bodies. Transparency mechanisms would be implemented through new oversight protocols to ensure equitable distribution of resources across the religious spectrum. Mandate expansion would take place as the core mission of these organizations explicitly included support for religious pluralism and liberal democratic values.

Funding Priorities Realignment

WZO and affiliated organizations’ funding would be redirected toward liberal religious institution building through significant capital investment in establishing Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist synagogues and community centers. Progressive rabbinical training would receive expanded funding for non-Orthodox seminaries in Israel to train a new generation of Israeli-born liberal rabbis. Religious pluralism advocacy would gain support for organizations advocating for separation of religion and state and religious freedom. Interfaith cooperation projects would be funded, including joint Jewish-Arab, Jewish-Christian, and multi-faith initiatives.

International Partnership Models

A transformed WZO would likely import North American models by actively encouraging the transfer of successful pluralistic models from North American Jewish communities to Israel. The organization would create sister congregation relationships by establishing formal partnerships between established liberal congregations abroad and emerging Israeli counterparts. It would develop exchange programs by funding rabbi and congregational leader exchanges between Israel and diaspora communities.

Judicial and Legislative Frameworks

Supreme Court Empowerment

Israel’s Supreme Court has often served as a check on religious coercion. Under a left-wing transformation, constitutional protections would emerge through the development of formal constitutional safeguards for religious freedom and equality. Enhanced judicial review would expand the court’s authority to strike down laws that favor one religious interpretation over others. Minority rights jurisprudence would develop through a robust body of case law protecting religious minorities and non-Orthodox Jewish expressions.

Legislative Reforms

The Knesset would likely pass a series of reforms including a Basic Law on Religious Freedom, which would establish religious freedom as a fundamental right through Israel’s equivalent of constitutional legislation. Anti-discrimination legislation would create comprehensive laws prohibiting discrimination based on religious affiliation or practice. A Religious Services Equality Act would mandate equal funding and recognition for religious services across all major Jewish denominations.

Social and Cultural Implications

Public Space Transformation

The character of public space in Israel would change significantly. Diverse religious symbols would appear through public acknowledgment of varied Jewish holidays and traditions beyond Orthodox interpretations. Shabbat character would evolve as its expression in public spaces varied more widely between communities, with some areas maintaining traditional observance while others embraced more secular or liberal religious expressions. Religious art and culture would diversify through state funding for cultural expressions representing the full spectrum of varying Jewish forms of traditions reflecting the American forms.

Identity Politics Reconfiguration

A fundamental shift would occur in how Jewish identity is understood within Israel. Multiple paths of authenticity would gain official recognition as the state acknowledged that there are multiple authentic ways to express Jewish identity and practice. A voluntary association model would emerge, moving from state-imposed religious definitions toward systems of voluntary religious affiliation. Diaspora-Israel relations would strengthen connections with diaspora Jewry, particularly with the predominantly non-Orthodox communities of North America.

Challenges and Resistance

Orthodox Resistance

Significant resistance would likely emerge from Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) communities through mass protests, non-cooperation with new structures, and potential establishment of parallel institutions. Religious Zionist opposition would manifest in political mobilization to block reforms through parliamentary means. Concerns about Jewish continuity would be voiced through appeals to historical continuity and authenticity of Orthodox practice as the preserver of Jewish tradition through centuries of exile.

Implementation Challenges

Practical challenges would include infrastructure needs related to the physical facilities required to establish new religious institutions nationwide. Initially, personnel training would present obstacles due to the time needed to develop a sufficient number of Israeli Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist rabbis. 

The transformation would draw heavily from the American Jewish experience. Denominational structure would be reshaped through adoption of the American model of denominational pluralism within Judaism. The community center model would be implemented through American-style JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) as hubs for cultural, religious, and social activities. Philanthropic funding patterns would evolve through development of Israeli philanthropic structures supporting religious diversity, similar to American Jewish federations.

Conclusion: A New Israeli Religious Landscape

A radical left-wing transformation of Israeli institutions would fundamentally alter the religious character of the state. The monopoly of Orthodox Judaism would give way to a pluralistic landscape more closely resembling North American Judaism, with thriving Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist communities alongside traditional Orthodox ones.

This transformation would require significant redistribution of institutional resources, particularly through bodies like the World Zionist Organization, toward building infrastructure for liberal religious expression. It would necessitate substantial legal reforms establishing religious freedom and equality as core principles.

The envisioned Israel would maintain its Jewish character but would interpret that character through multiple, equally legitimate religious lenses. It would embrace religious diversity within Judaism and extend greater tolerance to non-Jewish religious expressions. Whether such changes would strengthen or weaken Israeli society and Jewish continuity remains deeply contested, reflecting fundamental questions about the nature of Jewish identity and the purpose of a Jewish state in the modern world.

This vision represents a profound departure from Israel’s current religious landscape. American Orthodoxy has a chance to weigh in on it, if they follow the OU’s lead – but not according to Agudah.