‘If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again’ must be the modus operandi of the Reform Movement, which has once again filed a petition with Israel’s High Court of Justice against Tzfat Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita. Joining in the petition are ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel) and Tag Meir. Once again a petition is filed alleging that the rabbi is guilty of racism and inciting against Israel’s Arab community.

The petition explains that as a civil servant, the rabbi is prohibited from publicly expressing a political position and in Rabbi Eliyahu’s case, he has violated this repeatedly in his outspoken anti-Arab statements regarding his prohibiting of renting and selling homes in Tzfat to Arabs.

In one of the past lawsuits against the rabbi, dating back to 2012, the Reform Movement tried blocking the rabbi’s appointment as the head of the Vaad Rabbonim of Magen David Adom, once again on grounds he is racist and therefore not suited to head such a position in an emergency medical service organization that treats everyone regardless of race or ethnicity. This petition was also rejected.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)