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arzenu joins the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) in congratulating Rabbi Gilad Kariv on his election to the Knesset.

Just before we mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, we can celebrate that Rabbi Kariv is the first Reform Rabbi to have been successfully elected as a member of Knesset. Rabbi Kariv has been a strong advocate for Reform religious Zionism throughout his professional career at the IMPJ and as a representative for arzenu on the Executive of the World Zionist Organisation and other National Institutions.

The election results are a stark reminder that there is much work lying ahead for Rabbi Kariv and his party, Avodah. We know that as a member of Knesset, Rabbi Kariv will work tirelessly for religious pluralism. He will also bring our religious values to the sacred task of tackling important issues affecting Israeli society as a whole, contributing to the fulfillment of the vision of the founders of the State to foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants so that Israel may indeed be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel, ensuring complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex and guaranteeing freedom of religion, conscience, language, education, and culture.

Together with Rabbi Kariv we recite the words of the shehechiyanu blessing and we add the words that Moses spoke to Joshua as he prepared him for taking on the mantle of leadership and say to our dear friend Gilad: “Chazak ve’ematz – be strong and courageous! And may you be strengthened by the knowledge that you can count on us to fight for our values alongside you!”