Rabbi Debra Bowen, of Congregation Temple Beth El, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, led a large contingent of people on an extended tour of the country and conducted meetings with high-level Israeli officials at the Knesset. Debra Bowen and her husband Dr. Earl Bowen have made many trips to Israel over the years. Many of the young people from her synagogue, Congregating Temple Beth El in Philadelphia, participate in the “Birthright” visits to Israel. Rabbi Bowen meets frequently with Israeli ambassadors, diplomats, and American Jewish leaders. On this visit, she met with her good friend Michael Oren, the former Israeli Ambassador to the United States who is currently a member of the Knesset for the Kulani Party. She also met with Mr. Avraham Neguise, an elected Ethiopian members of the Knesset. Mr. Oren assured everyone in her delegation that they are welcome in Israel. He insisted that whenever they encounter any form of racism in Israel, he is working hard to eradicate it. The question of “Who is a Jew?” is hotly debated in the Knesset. At this point, there is no satisfactory definition that includes all the diversity of the Jewish people. Rabbi Bowen said, “I make these trips because I am a Jew and I want them to know that we exist. I welcome all Jews to Congregation Beth El because we do not discriminate against anyone. I look forward to the day when all Jews will love and accept each other.”
