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Supreme Court nominations threaten religious freedom

Supreme Court nominations threaten religious freedom

Uri Regev 27/02/2017 10:43

Last week, months of nomination deliberations for four positions that will soon become vacant on Israel's Supreme Court came to an end. Israel's Minister of Justice, Ayelet Shaked, the token secular representative of the Zionist Orthodox Jewish Home party, chaired the nominations committee.

Chief Rabbi Yosef attacks Israel's civil courts

Chief Rabbi Yosef attacks Israel's civil courts

Uri Regev 22/02/2017 00:25

Last week at a national rabbinic conference, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef declared that rabbis should warn the Israeli public that in the event of legal disputes, they should take their cases to the rabbinical courts, rather than to Israel's civil courts.

A shocking Rabbinic Court ruling regarding a battered wife

A shocking Rabbinic Court ruling regarding a battered wife

Uri Regev 10/02/2017 01:05

Hiddush has repeatedly challenged the continued monopoly of the Chief Rabbinate and rabbinic courts over matters of personal status of all Jews in Israel. Last week, we saw one of the most shocking and deplorable examples of why this authority should urgently be withdrawn.

Politicians and Shabbat – this is not the way!

Politicians and Shabbat – this is not the way!

Uri Regev 30/01/2017 12:14

Shabbat appears in the Ten Commandments twice; once anchored in Divine Creation and once in the context of social justice, concern for society’s weak.

Leading Ashkenazi Rabbi rules: Women should not be allowed to drive

Leading Ashkenazi Rabbi rules: Women should not be allowed to drive

Uri Regev 26/01/2017 15:57

Often we are reminded of the outlook at the core of the ultra-Orthodox political parties' actions. While they may appear to share our respect for a democratic society oriented toward civil liberties, the truth is that their motivations are anything but.

Landmark Supreme Court cases emblematic of Israel's religion-state divide

Landmark Supreme Court cases emblematic of Israel's religion-state divide

Uri Regev 12/01/2017 22:31

This week has been very busy on the legal front of religious freedom & equality in Israel. In many ways, it has been symptomatic of the intensity and diversity of the many issues confronting Israel along the religion-state divide.

No legal prohibition against displaying Christmas trees!

No legal prohibition against displaying Christmas trees!

Uri Regev 22/12/2016 12:59

Following a letter sent by the Jerusalem Rabbinate to the city's hotels, which claimed it inappropriate to display Christmas trees in hotels and inappropriate to permit New Year's parties, Hiddush promptly wrote to the Ministry of Religious Services.

The growing challenge to religious freedom and equality

The growing challenge to religious freedom and equality

Uri Regev 19/12/2016 11:45

The ultra-Orthodox parties, joined by a number of key members of other Coalition parties, to put an end to the prospects of greater opportunities for Women's and egalitarian worship practices at the Western Wall plaza.

‘Tzviut’ – not ‘tzniut’! (Hypocrisy, not modesty)

‘Tzviut’ – not ‘tzniut’! (Hypocrisy, not modesty)

Uri Regev 29/11/2016 23:08

The first business conference organized by the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia, Agudat Israel’s organ, took place last week. So who was not invited? Not a single woman – neither as a speaker nor as an attendee.

The ‘Muezzin Bill’ – a masquerade

The ‘Muezzin Bill’ – a masquerade

Uri Regev 22/11/2016 11:51

It's the Litzmans and Deris of the religious Jewish leadership that have never hesitated to deny these very freedoms to fellow Jews and non-Jews whenever they have had the political ability to do so.

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