Local News in Brief : Jewish Leader Calls Israel Trip a Success

Back from a lobbying trip to Israel, the top executive of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles said Monday that he is confident that Israeli government leaders now understand the depth of American Jewish objections to a proposed Orthodox-backed, legislative change in the definition of “who is a Jew.”

“The naivete of two weeks ago has passed as to the nature of Jewish affiliation in North America,” said Wayne Feinstein, executive vice president of the federation. Orthodox believers on this continent number about 10% of the Jewish population; other Jews are either affiliated with religiously more modern branches of Judaism or have no synagogue ties.

Despite the frequent contacts between North American Jewry and Israel, “they underestimated the impact that legislation would have on literally hundreds of thousands of Jews,” Feinstein said.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 signatures on petitions bearing a similar message to the Israeli government have been collected as of Monday by the Los Angeles federation, spokesman Ron Reider said. The petitions are being sent to the New York office of the Council of Jewish Federations, which is coordinating the continent-wide drive.