First egalitarian minyan held in Knesset synagogue

JTA

JERUSALEM—A Conservative minyan was held reportedly for the first time at the Knesset synagogue.

Leaders from the Conservative movement of North America met Tuesday with Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset building in Jerusalem. Following the meeting, the group held an egalitarian afternoon service in the men’s section of the Knesset synagogue, which traditionally holds only Orthodox worship services, Ynet reported.

The meetings, with government ministers Dan Meridor of the Likud Party and Uzi Landau of Yisrael Beiteinu, as well as lawmakers Yochanan Plesner and Orit Zuaretz of the Kadima Party and Issac Herzog of the Labor Party, centered on religion and state, namely religious extremism in the country and its influence on Israel’s image in the world, particularly in North America.