Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Last week, Heritage ran a story about Kehilat Yonatan, a Reform congregation in Israel, winning a legal battle to build their synagogue. Heritage attempted to contact Lori Stein Erlich for comment. However, because of the High Holidays and the time difference between Israel and the States, a response wasn't received until the Sept. 14 issue went to press (we received her response about 10 minutes after the paper went to the printers).

Erlich is a founder of Kehilat Yonatan and an immediate past president of the synagogue and shared with our Jewish community back in 2014 the uphill battle they were fighting to build a Reform synagogue in Israel. She is also the daughter of Nira and Arnold Stein, members of Congregation of Reform Judaism.

"How nice of you to remember me and us at Kehilat Yonatan! And how exciting that you saw our news on JTA regarding our court appeal for the building of a synagogue for Kehilat Yonatan in Hod Hasharon," she said in email.

"We are very relieved that the Court ruled in our favor, as the City of Hod Hasharon was not processing our request for building the only non-orthodox synagogue in a lawful manner."

Erlich went on to explain that there are now 62 Orthodox synagogues in Hod Hasharon on public land, and not a single Reform/Progressive synagogue.

"Yes, it has truly been a very long journey, and we won't 'truly' believe it until we actually have our first prayers/services in our new synagogue," she said.

The congregation hopes to break ground and begin the first stages of their building very soon.