"Our determination to welcome both government officials and respectful protests, is, I believe, the only way that we can find our way through a dark time and into a bright future," president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Eric Fingerhut said at the closing plenary of the general assembly, his organization's annual conference, that took place in Tel Aviv on Monday in honor of Israel's 75th anniversary.
"We cannot build flourishing Jewish communities... if we cannot come together across differences and work together for the common good," Fingerhut said. He laughed that during the conference, "we had enough drama to last us for the whole year," he said, hinting towards the demonstrations outside in inside the conference center, against the judicial reforms and the participation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who later canceled his speech and MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party), chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
He added that when the co-chairs of the conference began planning it, "we could not have known that Israel would be in the throes of an existential political debate. Yet by the time we were ready to come we knew the debate would permeate our time here."
Determination to welcome government officials, respectful protests
Fingerhut expressed JFNA's determination "to welcome both government officials and respectful protests," which in his view, is "the only way that we can find our way through a dark time and into a bright future." He added that this is the way JFNA "approached the debate about the judiciary in its entirety. We have made clear our love and unconditional support for the State of Israel, but we have also expressed our real concerns about the specific legislation."
Fingerhut emphasized that he and his movement have "spoken to all parties and all sides of the debate about the issues that directly impact the Jewish communities that we represent. We have consistently encouraged negotiations and compromise for the sake of the Jewish people. And we have supported the courageous leadership of President [Isaac] Herzog, which he demonstrated again here last evening."
He concluded by saying that "no one has gotten it all right in this challenging time – not the government, not the opposition, and not us. But we’re going to keep trying, and we know you all will too."