Perhaps religious freedom is only for the ultra-Orthodox...
Minister Yankelevich, what about religious freedom for Israelis?
Speaking about the growing efforts at restricting kosher slaughter and circumcision rites in Europe, as well as litigation initiated at the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg, brought by Orthodox leadership to challenge the legality of such restrictive legislation, Minister Yankelevich spoke last week at the Knesset.
27/08/2020 12:53
Tags: Omer Yankelevich · Europe · religious freedom · Ministry of Diaspora Affairs · Diaspora · Yosef Taieb · Shas · Blue and White
Omer Yankelevich, source: Screenshot
"The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, entrusted by the Israeli government with [Israel’s] relations with the Diaspora and the international fight against anti-Semitism, has been following the phenomenon of promoting legislation against ritual slaughter and circumcision of boys in European countries. The Ministry sees the phenomenon as a serious threat to the religious freedom of Jews in Europe and to Jewish life in Europe in general."
- Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevich
Hiddush followed Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevich’s forceful words with excitement. They followed an urgent motion by the ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s MK Yosef Taieb regarding the matter of “Restriction of religious freedom for Jews in Europe in the field of ritual slaughter, kashrut, and the circumcision of [baby] boys.” However, we cannot help but wonder when the Blue & White party’s ultlra-Orthodox Minister Yankelevich will address or even speak publicly about restrictions on religious freedom for Jews in Israel. Does only religious freedom for Orthodox Jews motivate the Minister to act?
Hiddush would like to hear that the Minister is also addressing the religious freedoms of non-Orthodox Jews and secular Jews. Without these - everything else is mostly hypocrisy and political interests.
The Minister reported on the vigorous activity of the Ministry of Diaspora, “European and EU Governments, and the Leadership of the Jewish Communities” in dealing with the threat to the religious freedom of Jews. Still, do those same government officials and the EU know that Yankelevich’s own government in Israel violates the religious freedom of non-Orthodox communities and their right to equality, deprives the Women of the Wall freedom of prayer at the Western Wall, denies hundreds of thousands of citizens the right to marriage due to Orthodox religious coercion, and more?
Hiddush would like to hear that the Minister is also addressing the religious freedoms of non-Orthodox Jews and secular Jews. Without these - everything else is mostly hypocrisy and political interests.