Rabbinical Assembly Meetings Open in Vegas

The Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of 1,600 Conservative rabbis, kicked off its annual convention yesterday in Las Vegas with over 300 rabbis in attendance.

The opening day of the convention was highlighted with the participation of MK Tzipi Livni. Livni spoke on Israel’s place as a Democratic state in the Middle East and the desire for religious pluralism.

“For me a Jewish state is not a Halachic state, but also not just one of a Jewish majority. For me a Jewish state is the homeland of a Jewish people. It is a Jewish society formed from national perspectives together with our history, culture and tradition,” Livni said while fielding questions from a packed audience on how she sees Israel’s future as a Jewish state.

“I don’t have the answers to all of the questions but I do know that if the biggest parties in Israel, Kadima and Likud, would work together, we could change the reality in Israel … There are those in Israel believing that a Jewish state means a Jewish majority. I say it’s not enough, but it is needed. To do this (keep Jewish majority), we must promote the idea of two states for two people.”