Israels highest court ruled Monday that people who convert to the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism in Israel are Jewish in the eyes of the law and are entitled to Israeli citizenship.

The landmark decision from the High Court of Justice comes after 15 years of legal battles, and it challenges the near-monopoly that Israels chief rabbinate holds over religious matters.

Though the Reform and Conservative movements dont have large footprints in Israel , they are the two largest Jewish denominations in the U.S., which means the courts decision is a significant milestone for many Jewish Americans.

Rabbi Josh Weinberg , who leads the Association of Reform Zionists of America, told HuffPost that he believes the place of non-Orthodox Jews in Israel is one of the biggest wedge issues causing tension between North American Jews and the country.