On the heels of the Israeli Supreme Court’s announcement that it will no longer allow the Knesset to get away with delaying or watering down the urgent national imperative of drafting all yeshivah men a new group appears to have issued a direct challenge to the court’s hegemonic power grab.
Comprised of a cross section of 50 American rabbis and activists the group issued a policy statement this week that begins:
While appreciating the efforts of Israel to provide religious freedom to all its residents the goal of providing total religious freedom remains to be achieved. This is a critical challenge facing Israel both as a Jewish and as a democratic state. We who are committed to Israel’s growing strength and vitality as well as its bonds with world Jewry hold that this challenge can no longer be left to politics alone and we will do our utmost in partnership between Israelis and world Jewry to address this challenge and help make it a reality.
As a Jewish State Israel must foster the Jewish character of the State. As a democratic State Israel must grant equal rights to all of its citizens regardless of their religious views or affiliations.
