Efforts to Improve Services that Satisfy Religious Needs

In an attempt to provide better services to satisfy the religious needs of the general public, Ne'emanei Torah vaAvodah set up a volunteer committee of rabbis and academic scholars whose task it was to formulate a comprehensive program that could help find solutions to the shortcomings in the services provided today by the religious Establishment. The movement believes that there is a need to adapt marriage and divorce proceedings to contemporary needs, to have burial arrangements more considerate of personal needs and desires, and to make the conversion process smoother. It is believed that change in the handling of religious services to the public will strengthen public faith in the religious institutions and enhance a sense of connection with the community at large. The committee set up by Ne'emanei Torah vaAvodah has prepared a report, which recommends transferring administrative responsibility for religious matters from the political area to the civil arena. The movement is trying to promote implementation of its recommendation through political activities (such as an effort to form a Knesset lobby on the issue) and public information campaigns intended to draw attention to inadequacies in the existing services. It is the only organization in Israel to deal in a comprehensive manner with the complex issue of religion and state. On issues such as marriage and divorce, Ne'emanei Torah vaAvodah works closely with organizations that target their efforts more specifically. For example, it cooperates with ICAR, a coalition of women's organizations working on behalf of agunot, women whose husbands refuse to grant them a Jewish divorce and who are sometimes prevented for many years from remarrying and having children. The recommendations in the report of the committee will only be effective with massive political and media promotion. Such public campaigns would require funding of $25,000.