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Beit Daniel (Reform) |
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Since 1991, the Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism has connected secular/unaffiliated Israelis and Diaspora Jews to a Judaism that is pluralistic, inclusive, and tolerant. Over the past 30 years, in spite of challenges faced by opposition from the Orthodox institutions that control most Jewish activity in Israel, we are proud to have established the leading Reform organization in Israel, known for its innovative educational and religious programing and a singular determination to build a Zonistic, democratic and religiously tolerant Israel. Like in the States, where one is no less Jewish if they are Reform or Conservative, we want that for Israel. Thus, we offer an alternative to Orthodoxy – a Judaism based on pluralism and tolerance that more closely mirrors the values of the majority of Israelis as well as Diaspora Jews. We encourage Israelis to engage with Judaism and Jewish tradition on their own terms.
We offer a wide range of services and programming that go beyond Shabbat and holiday Jewish worship and Jewish life cycle ceremonies. An array of educational programs, both long-term and one-off programs, can be found at each of our four congregations. In the past year we have seen a substantial increase in enrollment at our conversion school (funded in the past by the Foundation) – the largest non-Orthodox conversion program in Israel. More than 70% of people that undergo a Reform conversion turn to the Daniel Centers. In 2021, we helped nearly 250 people, men, women and children, become Jews. A March 2021 Supreme Court ruling announced that Reform and Conservative conversions in Israel entitle converts to become Israeli citizens, which was previously only the case for Orthodox conversions. This change helped increase the public interest in and the number of converts in our program, with our numbers nearly doubling and we expect it to only grow as Ukrainian refugees and Russian immigrants arrive in Israel.
We also produce Jewish education curriculum for use within Tel Aviv-Jaffa public schools. One such program is Jewish Soul Overhaul (JSO), a comprehensive, holistic Jewish education program that focuses on balancing values and traditions. The program, and its quality, are recognized by the Ministry of Education and receive a stipend from the government. JSO includes about 37 weekly teaching hours from 4 dedicated staff members and engages students at every grade level. The JSO-trained school staff have specialized knowledge of Jewish studies, as well as in art (i.e. drama, music, and visual arts). The program engages about 340 families with two classes in each grade dedicated to JSO. JSO is also provided to the school’s special education classes that are smaller, eight students each, and are highly specialized to the needs of the particular group. Ussishkin’s principal, Tali Yanai, shared her thoughts about what we offer, “the programming and partnership The Daniel Centers provides our school is one of high quality, creativity, and thoughtfulness, and I hope to be able to expand our relationship in years to come.”
Our wide range of services and programs are intended to provide Israelis of all socioeconomic, ethnic, and language backgrounds a Jewish home. While most of our members and guests come from the Tel Aviv-Jaffa greater metropolitan area, Israelis from all over the country seek us out. Crucially, in the field of lifecycle events, the Daniel Centers offers families the opportunity to celebrate these moments all together (which is not the norm in Orthodox spaces) which brings people to us and keeps them coming back for years to come.
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