Real estate magnate Isaac (Ike) Fisher appears to be the first member of the American Reform Jewish community to openly announce he is halting funding for projects in Israel until such time the issue of the egalitarian prayer area at the Kosel is resolved. This, along with concerns that the current administration will give exclusive authority for giyur to the chareidim, to the exclusion of Reform and Conservative conversions to Judaism.
In a most recent investment, last week, Fisher purchased $1 million in Israel bonds, and according to a Ynet report, he has asked for his money back until such time the egalitarian prayer area matter is resolved. He is also a member of Friends of Tel Aviv University and donates sizable sums to the university in memory of his mother.
Ynet adds Fisher is financially involved in other projects including the development of Ohr Akiva and Yerucham. It is added that coinciding with the bar mitzvah of Fisher’s son Kobi, he dedicated funds to create a soccer team for Ethiopian children in Pardes Chana.
As a member of the Central Council of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), Fisher was also involved in investing time and money to lobby Congress against the deal with Iran. He has now announced he is suspending activities in AIPAC.
The list of other major contributors counted among the rank and file of the Reform Movement is sizable, and this is why PM Netanyahu worked to freeze the Giyur Bill for six months, fearing a major fallout has the bill backed by the chareidi parties been permitted to pass as this time. The Prime Minister is clearly waking a tight rope between meeting demands of Reform and Conservative leaders as well as keeping the chareidi parties from dismantling the coalition government.
Fisher is quoted telling Ynet, “This is a serious act of contempt for the rabbis and leaders of our communities. They (chareidim and PM Netanyahu) say ‘you don’t matter. They say to our women ‘your Judaism isn’t Judaism.’ It is intolerable and we have an obligation to put an end to it.”
“As you know, I actively support Israel,” Fisher began. “But I wish to inform you that my support is being suspended until the Israeli government changes its decision on the Kotel and conversions.”
Fisher seems to have had enough, announcing, “Israel must now understand its public includes all the people of Israel”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Isn’t Israel a “democratic” country that cares about its citizens over non-citizens?
Isn’t this some form of bribery?
And what will be when the “Reformers” insist upon the establishment of Hamasistan in Shomron ??
Judaism = blieif of relavation on har sini with 613 written law and oral explanations codified in 4 parts of shuchen urech. if you dont belive this then you are not practicing judaism and your billions of dollars wont change haat….hellenists tried , karites tried hitler tried and your trying wont help either
why does Yeshivah World keep on printing that ECKELDIKHE picture eveyttime these mamzeirim are in the news?
There is a well known expression, “…and when you try to please all of the people all of the time you please no-one!” This ignorant person is only as good as his pocket. Once Hashem removes his pocket from him he’ll be of no use to Bibi or any other leader. The Gedolei Yisrael, on the other hand, are constantly sought out for advise on the most serious issues at hand. Will anybody in the government turn to this ignoramus or his hooligans in time of need? No! Not one!
“Fisher is quoted telling Ynet, “This is a serious act of contempt for the rabbis and leaders of our communities. They (chareidim and PM Netanyahu) say ‘you don’t matter. They say to our women ‘your Judaism isn’t Judaism.’ ”
He’s definitely right about that.
Fisher has now completely lost his soul if the article is correct.
to ready now
fisher lost his soul by denying torah ,oral and written, is man made so with all non believers OO and down .see talmid and other