During the Israeli-American Council (IAC) fourth annual National Conference prminent leaders from the Israeli, Israeli-American and Jewish American community explored the path to create a unified Jewish community that transcends national borders.
One of the main events featured a discussion between Israel’s Minister of Education and Diaspora Affairs Naftali Bennett and Editor-in-Chief of Jewish Journal David Suissa on the Israeli-Diaspora relationship.
“One of the first weeks I was living in Manhattan with my wife, we came upon a sign saying ‘Come to the Beginner’s Minyan,” and it was a very different experience from Israel,” said Minister Naftali Bennett. “No one looked at the color of my yarmulke or what my wife was wearing, it was just a feeling of – if you are Jewish, you are welcome. That’s something we need to bring to Israel.”
Speaking about recent conflict between the Israeli Government and the American Jewish Community over issues such as Jewish Conversions and prayer at the Western Wall, Minister Bennet said, “There is a huge chasm, but these things are solvable. I feel that to some extent both sides are looking to fight rather than find a solution, so both sides will have to compromise.”