Coalition and Religion

Coalition and Religion

Featured Story

Between Freedom and Independence

Between Freedom and Independence

23/04/2023 11:30

We have just concluded the celebration of Passover, the Festival of Freedom, and next week we will celebrate Israeli Independence Day. Both holidays have an added special meaning this year. The festival of freedom reminds us that freedom is not granted without a struggle, and Independence Day heightens our awareness that independence gained by blood 75 years ago is likewise not to be taken for granted nor guaranteed forever.

Full Story »


More Stories

Knesset Internal Affairs Committee Chair stoops even lower!

Knesset Internal Affairs Committee Chair stoops even lower!

18/11/2016 13:51

The Jewish Federations of North America convened their General Assembly earlier this week, and impressed upon Prime Minister Netanyahu how strongly they feel about implementing the Western Wall Agreement that his Government reached with Women of the Wall, and the Reform and Conservative movements. While the Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to the agreement, but pleaded to them for patience & silence, MK David Amsalem, a senior member of Netanyahu's Likud party, in his official capacity as Chairman of the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee, attempted to sabotage the agreement because it offends his religious sentiments. In doing so he had no compunction acknowledging that this would offend American Jewry.

MK Amsalem's ugly disdain for Diaspora Jewry

MK Amsalem's ugly disdain for Diaspora Jewry

Uri Regev 08/11/2016 14:04

We who truly care about Israel's well-being and bond with world Jewry must not continue tolerating such contempt for (and humiliation of) Diaspora Jewry and the largest Jewish religious streams at the hands of the leaders of the parties that serve in his Government Coalition.

2016 Religion & State Index: the Zionist Orthodox sector

2016 Religion & State Index: the Zionist Orthodox sector

14/10/2016 00:58

Should Israeli actualize freedom of religion and conscience? - 95% of Zionist Orthodox moderates support this, as do 62% of mainstream Orthodox Zionists and 53% of Zionist ultra-Orthodox Israelis. The Index reflects the Government's total disregard for the public's will, but shows signs of hope within the moderate Zionist Orthodox community.

Ritual Bath Law passes, Jewish Agency plays Haredi parties' game

Ritual Bath Law passes, Jewish Agency plays Haredi parties' game

Uri Regev 28/07/2016 16:10

The discriminatory Ritual Bath bill proposed by MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni and his colleagues, which will ban the non-Orthodox movements from using Israel's publicly funded mikva'ot for conversion ceremonies was formally passed into law on Monday night, July 25.

Knesset expedites reversal of core curricular studies law

Knesset expedites reversal of core curricular studies law

26/07/2016 23:53

The Knesset reverses a law that would have reduced funding for ultra-Orthodox schools that teach only minimal core subjects, such as math, English, and science.

The number of Haredi yeshiva students has fallen for the past 5 years

The number of Haredi yeshiva students has fallen for the past 5 years

20/06/2016 16:59

According to the Ministry of Education, the rise in the number of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students has stopped, holding steady at approximately 70,000. The percentage of ultra-Orthodox men studying full-time in yeshivas dropped over the course of recent years from 61% to 50%.

72% Jewish Israelis support public transportation on Shabbat

72% Jewish Israelis support public transportation on Shabbat

19/06/2016 10:24

The gap between the public's support for public transportation on Shabbat and the cowardly, embarrassing intransigence of the Coalition is intolerable. MK Yael German (Yesh Atid): "A minority faction in the Knesset prevents such measures for social justice."

Separate but equal in Israel? Why should this be considered okay?

Separate but equal in Israel? Why should this be considered okay?

Uri Regev 16/06/2016 23:44

Serious questions should arise, regarding the ongoing challenge of equal rights and access for the non-Orthodox movements Israel, which continues to follow the path of this unconstitutional principle of "separate but equal."

Israel's ritual bath controversy

Israel's ritual bath controversy

Uri Regev 16/06/2016 23:00

Unsurprisingly, though extremely disappointingly, MK Gafni's partners in the Coalition Government have all bowed to his demands, and are supporting his legislative initiative to undo the landmark Supreme Court ruling on mikva'ot.

Israeli Funds for Youth at Risk Skewed Toward ultra-Orthodox Jews

Israeli Funds for Youth at Risk Skewed Toward ultra-Orthodox Jews

09/06/2016 14:10

Some 60 percent of the funds budgeted for youth at risk goes toward helping ultra-Orthodox teenagers, even though they are only 15 percent of the teen population, according to Social Affairs Ministry data compiled by Hiddush.

Politics casts shadow over encouraging legal progress & public opinion

Politics casts shadow over encouraging legal progress & public opinion

Uri Regev 26/05/2016 12:07

Hiddush derives encouragement from developments on the fronts of public opinion and the legal arena, but on the political scene, the news is more bleak than encouraging when it comes to issues of religious freedom & equality.

Updates: the Kotel agreement & Supreme Court mikva'ot ruling

Updates: the Kotel agreement & Supreme Court mikva'ot ruling

Uri Regev 21/03/2016 14:39

In the last week, there have been a number of developments in the ultra-Orthodox political and rabbinical leadership's battle against the implementation of the Kotel agreement, as well as their battle against the Supreme Court's ruling to make Israel's public mikva'ot available for non-Orthodox conversion ceremonies.

Israeli Left Must Internalize That ultra-Orthodox Parties Are Not Partners

Israeli Left Must Internalize That ultra-Orthodox Parties Are Not Partners

Shahar Ilan 16/03/2016 12:40

​ How is it that the left-wing and center opposition factions hardly deal with issues of state and religion? Is the opposition again deluding itself that the ultra-Orthodox parties will reward it by forming a government with it?

71% of Israeli Jews: Rabbinate's monopoly distances Jews from Judaism

71% of Israeli Jews: Rabbinate's monopoly distances Jews from Judaism

14/02/2016 16:54

Not only is the denial of the freedom to marry antithetical to core democratic principles, but it also undermines Jewish interests. 71% of the Israeli Jewish public maintain that the Chief Rabbinate's and the rabbinical courts' monopoly over marriage and divorce distances Jews from Judaism.

76% of Israeli Jews oppose new conscription law

76% of Israeli Jews oppose new conscription law

Uri Regev 26/11/2015 11:34

Israel’s politicians have deliberately chosen to pursue legislation which is not only immoral but also unconstitutional, having been struck out twice already by the Supreme Court. The question, though, is how long it will take the Supreme Court to rule that this most recent amendment is illegal as well. Our politicians may be counting on this very fact: the wheels of justice grind slowly…

Take Action!

Go to Top ^