Two proposed amendments to the constitution of Ireland’s Jewish Representative Council, which would have redefined who is a Jew in Ireland, were withdrawn at its biennial meeting in Dublin.
The amendments would have extended the description “Jew” to people who converted and/or were accepted into Progressive Judaism but who yet do not meet Orthodox standards of Jewishness. This would include intermarried converts, adoptees who were born of a gentile woman but raised as Progressive Jews. The proposed amendments reflected discussion in Israel as to whether Orthodox rabbis should set standards for all Jews, especially where citizenship and other civil rights, such as marriage, were concerned. The central issue for Irish Jews is whether Judaism in the State is more about profession of faith than about birthright.
The first proposed amendment down for discussion at Sunday night’s meeting read “that the definition of Jewish Community set out in Clause 1 of the Constitution of the Representative Council be amended to read: ‘Jewish Community shall refer to persons who are deemed to be Jewish according to Orthodox or Progressive Judaism.’”
The second proposed amendment was “that the requirement for Members of the Council as set out in Clause 5 of the Constitution be amended to read: ‘The Council shall consist of the following Members of the Jewish Community, all of whom must be residents of the Republic of Ireland and aged over 18 years of age.’”
