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Regev Responds

President of Hiddush, Rabbi Uri Regev, gives his views on the topics that are most affecting Israel's campaign to establish religious fairness and equality.

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North American lawyers address the new government

Uri Regev 30/11/2022 01:00

On November 30, JPLAN, a network of Jewish lawyers, judges and legal scholars from North America (the Jewish Pluralism Legal Action Network, which works to strengthen Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state in a manner that fully expresses freedom of religion and equality as promised in Israel’s Declaration of Independence) addressed the leaders of the parties currently working to form the new government.

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When we thought the discourse could not deteriorate further...

Uri Regev 09/12/2021 22:16

From the Knesset rostrum, MK Azoulay (Shas) launched a flurry of insults towards MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv, (Labor) and all attempts by the Speaker of the Knesset to stop his hysterical slur shouting were to no avail. Kariv, for his part, retorted that “This will not help you; and you will hear me many more times, whether that suits you or not.”

Assault religious freedom, assault democracy

Uri Regev 25/11/2021 00:45

Half of Israel was up in arms earlier this week, when a tape from a political meeting held by Likud MK Dudi Amsalem leaked to the media. When you read the following selection of his outbursts, you will understand why the media and public reaction was so harsh.

The mixed bag of religion and state today

29/10/2021 01:02

As hoped, some positive recent developments can be pointed out in advancing pluralism in Israel's political arena. These are direct results of the existence of a coalition, in which several member parties hold worldviews that support religious freedom and equality... Or, at least, the dissolution of ultra-Orthodox control over key elements of the relationship between religion and the state; as well as the absence of the ultra-Orthodox parties from the government.

The Haredi vitriol: An ongoing saga

Uri Regev 14/10/2021 23:32

In the last newsletter, we wrote about “the obsession that characterizes the attitude of the ultra-Orthodox parties towards the non-Orthodox denominations in particular, and to freedom of religion and Jewish pluralism in general.”

Hiddush fighting for female appointees on religious councils

Uri Regev 30/09/2021 23:25

For many years, Hiddush has led the legal battle for women’s representation on Israel’s Religious Councils. Yesterday, we appeared before the Supreme Court in a hearing regarding the petition we filed on our behalf and on behalf of Israel’s leading women's organizations [Israel Women's Network, Naamat, Rackman Center for the Advancement of Women, and Itach - Women Lawyers for Social Justice], challenging the State’s non-compliance with the obligation to appoint women for the role of “Appointees”.

Will Jewish leadership continue looking the other way?

Uri Regev 04/08/2021 18:02

The world media, from Washington DC to Burkina Faso, French Guinea and the Arab world covered the phenomenon of the most prominent athlete in Israel today, who won a gold medal for the State of Israel and sweeping praise from the heads of state; but is not allowed by his country to marry his girlfriend because it placed the control of marriage in Israel in the hands of the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate.

Initiatives of the new government: “antisemitism”

Uri Regev 27/07/2021 21:53

The main issue on the agenda this week was a series of reforms of the kashrut system. The Minister of Religious Services, Matan Kahana, is trying to promote them, intending to increase competition in the provision of kosher supervision services, while preserving the Orthodox monopoly over kashrut certification.

Landmark Supreme Court Religion-State Rulings

Uri Regev 15/07/2021 12:55

This week, the Supreme Court handed down two landmark rulings on cases in the arena of religion and state, which have been pending for years. Once announced, they generated the expected outpouring of reactions.

Hiddush in the legal trenches

Uri Regev 14/07/2021 00:34

Hiddush has initiated legal action in two instances of abuse by Haredi outreach operations infringing upon the rights and lives of residents of neighboring buildings.

MK Rabbi Kariv and Reform Judaism – like pigs

Uri Regev 01/07/2021 23:30

The political discourse has descended to new lows this week. United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush likened Reform Jews and Labor MK Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi, to pigs. He spoke in reaction to the appointment of Kariv as chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

Religion, State, and the New Government

Uri Regev 17/06/2021 01:39

Writing about this subject raises the known question as to what we should be looking at: the half-full cup, or the half-empty cup?

What else is important RE: the Meron tragedy investigation?

Uri Regev 03/06/2021 22:46

The political and rabbinical ultra-Orthodox leadership are still preventing the appointment of a state investigation commission. Their objections are anchored, to a great degree, in an offhand rejection of the legitimacy of the civil judicial system in general and of the Supreme Justices in particular, as we have repeatedly outlined here.

Hiddush in the legal trenches

Uri Regev 20/05/2021 19:08

Last week, Hiddush filed a petition in the Supreme Court on behalf of itself; the Israel Women’s Network; NA’AMAT; the Rackman Center; and Women Lawyers for Social Justice to ensure adequate gender representation for women on Religious Councils and senior oversight appointments.

What are haredi parties doing in a national-Zionist coalition?

Uri Regev 29/04/2021 23:53

A government priding itself as being national, democratic, Zionist, relies on haredi cynical anti-Zionist parties aiming to extract state funds, enforce religious coercion and erode democracy.

Israel Independence Day according to Haredi media

Uri Regev 21/04/2021 01:10

Two front page pictures, that of the front page of Yaded Ne’eman and of Yediot Aharonot, on Israel’s Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers, which is also the eve of Yom Ha’atzmaut, tell the whole story. A government that prides itself as being Zionistic, relies on ultra-Orthodox politicians that are cynical and anti-Zionistic, aiming to extort State funds, enforce religious coercion and undermine Zionism.