a big deal is being made about Naftali Bennet's visit to a Conservative school. The Ulra-Orthodox do not like it, as it gives them legitimacy as a valid stream of Judaism.
That is the approach of the Ultra-Orthodox, and it always has been so. At least on the level of clergy.
It has been less so for the Dati Leumi stream of Judaism, but on that alone the Ultra-Orthodox can still criticize Bennet for the visit. Bennet doesn't have to follow the approach of the Ultra-Orthodox, but they do have a right to criticize based on their values.
What I think is being forgotten though is the fact that Bennet is the Minister of Education for all Israeli schools and children. That includes Reform and Conservative schools, just as it includes secular, Ultra-Orthodox, Christian and Arab schools. His obligations and responsibilities as minister affect them and he is supposed to provide their needs in education as well. Bennet is not a rabbi meeting and giving legitimacy, nor is he a private, albeit important, person that might be giving legitimacy. He is a minister who must fulfill his ministerial duties and provide education to all Israel's children. Including Conservative ones.
Bennet is also the Minister of Diaspora Affairs. Whatever the objective of such a ministry is, it also includes the Conservative and Reform streams. Outreach for Israel, promote aliyah, assist in needs of Jewish education. Whatever it might be, it falls under his toolbelt of responsibilities.
It reminds me of one of, and perhaps the main one, reasons why UTJ has always refused ministerial positions in the Israeli government, until now when they were "forced" to accept one. They claimed that being a minister would make them responsible for actions by the government they do not necessarily agree with - such as acts of chilul shabbos, among others.
Bennet might not want to visit the Conservative schools (I don't know what his personal opinion is on the matter), but perhaps he sees it as part of his responsibilities that he must fulfill.
------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------
