President Katzav suggested that a "second house" - a play on words of the same expression in Hebrew meaning Second Temple - be set up to bring together Diaspora leaders in a permanent forum parallel to the Knesset. To be chaired by the President of Israel, the body would discuss the issues of concern to Jewry worldwide, and would try to find solutions. Katzav said that the assembly should also discuss ways to tighten the bonds connecting Jewish communities around the world with Israel and Judaism.
"The intermarriage rate is more than 50 percent in the United States, Russia and Europe," Katzav warned, "and is getting worse."
The president's idea, while not inviting Diaspora interference in Israel's internal affairs, represents a major change from a policy that has lasted since the days of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Ben-Gurion strongly resisted world Jewry's attempts to advise Israel on its affairs, and instead repeatedly appealed for Diaspora Jews to move to Israel.
"There are many day-to-day issues in Israel that have a direct effect on Diaspora Jewry and that require joint discussion," Katzav told the Knesset Committee on Aliyah [Jewish immigration to Israel], Absorption and the Diaspora. He cited anti-Semitism, terrorist threats on Jewish sites, Jewish education outside of Israel and the status of Jewish culture as some of the subjects that should be discussed.
Natan Sharansky, Minster of Jerusalem Affairs and the Diaspora, supported Mr. Katzav's idea, and warned that in the past few years, the detachment between Diaspora communities and Israel has grown. "We must do something serious, revolutionary and significant to change the worldwide trend of Jews drifting away from their Jewish identity," Sharansky said.
"The intermarriage rate is more than 50 percent in the United States, Russia and Europe," Katzav warned, "and is getting worse."
The president's idea, while not inviting Diaspora interference in Israel's internal affairs, represents a major change from a policy that has lasted since the days of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Ben-Gurion strongly resisted world Jewry's attempts to advise Israel on its affairs, and instead repeatedly appealed for Diaspora Jews to move to Israel.
"There are many day-to-day issues in Israel that have a direct effect on Diaspora Jewry and that require joint discussion," Katzav told the Knesset Committee on Aliyah [Jewish immigration to Israel], Absorption and the Diaspora. He cited anti-Semitism, terrorist threats on Jewish sites, Jewish education outside of Israel and the status of Jewish culture as some of the subjects that should be discussed.
Natan Sharansky, Minster of Jerusalem Affairs and the Diaspora, supported Mr. Katzav's idea, and warned that in the past few years, the detachment between Diaspora communities and Israel has grown. "We must do something serious, revolutionary and significant to change the worldwide trend of Jews drifting away from their Jewish identity," Sharansky said.