Israel state’s nod to Reform woman rabbi

From: ANAT HOFFMAN, Israeli Religioius Action Committee
We won! The Israeli attorney general has just released his consent to recognize Rabbi Miri Gold as the first Rabbi of a non-Orthodox congregation in the history of the Israel. Drink L’Chayim. Congratulate every Rabbi in our movement. Sound the shofar. Say She’checheyanu. We won recognition for the first Reform Rabbi in Israel.
Over seven years you have played an invaluable part in this struggle. You stood with Miri every step of the way and we would not have reached this joyous day without your pressure from all corners of the Jewish world. The Israeli Attorney General accepted the request of the court and committed to equal pay for Rabbi Miri Gold for her work at Congregation Birkat Shalom. The State will give her the title “Rabbi”.
The decision today paves the way for dozens of other Reform and Conservative Rabbis in Israel to receive a salary from the government for their holy work, in the same way that 4000 Orthodox rabbis do.
This historic victory is another step in levelling the playing field. This allows the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism to build on the success achieved so far by our congregational Rabbis, and deepen our work for the Israeli public.
Rabbi Gold said, “What joy! Finally there’s more than one way to be a Rabbi in Israel!”