US Orthodox Jewish leaders: Yair Lapid undermines Israeli government

An American Orthodox-Jewish lobby organization sent a letter to opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, claiming that he is “undermining the [Israeli] government outside its borders, calling on Diaspora Jews to counter the government,” after a meeting he held earlier this week with leaders of major Jewish organizations.

The letter, signed by Am Echad co-chairmen Shlomo Werdiger and Dr. Irving Lebovics, wrote of their “grave concern over your comments at the meeting with members of the Jewish Federations in New York.”

Am Echad is an Orthodox organization that became vocal after the Israeli government approved the Kotel Compromise and later dismissed it. Both Werdiger and Lebovics are senior lay leaders in the Agudath Israel movement in the US, which explains the ideology of this organization. Am Echad’s website doesn’t specify who their members or leaders are.

The two explained that, “as an organization devoted to strengthening the relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, we see these comments as sowing discord and delegitimizing not just the current Israeli government, but Israel itself in the eyes of the world, both Jewish and not.”

As former prime minister and current opposition leader, Lapid met with North American Jewish leadership in New York on Monday as part of his visit to the US to “help repair the fraying ties between the two countries.”

The convening, hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America at UJA-Federation of New York’s headquarters in Manhattan, included leaders from the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel Policy Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, Hillel International, Orthodox Union, Reconstructing Judaism, Israel Judaism Committee, National Coalition Supporting Soviet Jewry, Zioness, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest and UJA-Federation of New York.

Is Yair Lapid undermining the Israeli government abroad?

Lapid could criticize the government, they said, but he cannot call “on Diaspora Jews to counter the government and drive a wedge between Israel and Jews around the world.

“In your remarks, you accused the current government of being ‘the most extremist in history… causing damage to security, economy, social cohesion and relations with Diaspora Jewry,’” they said. “It would be an understatement to say that the issues facing Israel today are controversial and, at the very least, large swaths of the Israeli population support the government’s actions and view them as the fruition of election promises.”

Werdiger and Lebovics wrote that “it is disingenuous of you to accuse the government of undermining Israeli democracy and calling on American Jews to get up in arms to protect Israel from its own leadership. While we can argue about the prudence and wisdom of the current government’s policies and performance, rhetoric characterizing the government as ‘extremist’ and ‘undemocratic’ jeopardizes the relationship between Israel and world Jews.”

They concluded by asking Lapid to “refrain from damaging, inflammatory rhetoric against Israel and its government during meetings in the Diaspora.”

The meeting with Lapid took place as the debate over a proposed judicial reform intensifies in Israel. Last month, in an unprecedented move, 30 Federation leaders came to Israel from the US for 24 hours to meet with lawmakers from the governing coalition as well as the parliamentary opposition. Their main focus was on a proposal that would allow a simple majority of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, to override High Court rulings.

Am Echad is an Orthodox organization that became vocal after the Israeli government approved the Kotel Compromise and later dismissed it. Both Werdiger and Lebovics are senior lay leaders in the Agudath Israel movement in the US, which explains the ideology of this organization. Am Echad's website doesn't specify who their members or leaders are. 

Haley Cohen contributed to this report.