GROUP CUTS FUNDS TO ISRAEL : S.F. JEWS SIGNAL RISING DISPLEASURE.Byline: Michael Dougan San Francisco Examiner The San Francisco Examiner is a U.S. daily newspaper. It has been published continuously in San Francisco, California, since the late 19th Century. History 19th century The beginning of the Examiner is a topic of some controversy. In a move that may presage a national trend, the San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden Jewish Federation A Jewish Federation is a confederation of various Jewish social agencies, volunteer programs, educational bodies, and related organizations, found within most cities in North America that host a viable Jewish community. intends to slash its annual contribution to Israel this year. Local Jewish leaders - whether they oppose or endorse the move - believe the nearly 17 percent funding reduction has come in response to two political trends in Israel: a bill to codify codify to arrange and label a system of laws. Orthodoxy as the only legitimate form of Jewish religion, and moves by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that many American Jews American Jews, or Jewish Americans, are American citizens or resident aliens who were born into the Jewish community or who have converted to Judaism. The United States is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. perceive as threats to the peace process. ``No doubt there are many members of the San Francisco Jewish community who have had concern with both matters,'' said Wayne Feinstein, head of the local Jewish Federation. He spoke of ``donor angst'' over giving money to a country that pursues policies they oppose. The federation, in response, is slicing its annual donation to the United Jewish Appeal - an umbrella organization that distributes the money in Israel - from $6 million to $5 million for the current fiscal year. Feinstein said $500,000 of the money taken from the UJA UJA United Jewish Appeal UJA Union des Jeunes Avocats (French) UJA Universal Jet Aviation still will go to Israel, but in support of causes like Arab-Jewish relations, non-Orthodox congregations and the development of democracy. The money will be distributed by Amutah, an Israeli nonprofit group established to oversee donations from the San Francisco Jewish Federation, he said. While continuing to offer the UJA support, ``we want to increasingly concentrate on these areas of values that we share,'' Feinstein said. Of particular concern to American Jews, most of whom practice Reform or Conservative Judaism, is a bill moving through the Knesset that would mean non-Orthodox conversions to the Jewish religion would not be recognized in Israel. The intensity of feeling among most American Jews on the issue is reflected in a letter distributed by Rabbi Ted Alexander of San Francisco's B'nai Emunah congregation. The angry missive was posted by Dr. Ismar Schorsch, chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and lead spokesman for Conservative Judaism. The letter tells Jews to curtail their donations to Israel. ``He said if we are not recognized by the people in Israel, they have no right to recognize our money,'' said Alexander, who distributed the letter to the 200 members of his congregation. |
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