The Tel Aviv District Court has complied with a request from author Yoram Kaniuk, who turned to the court after the Interior Ministry refused to erase his Jewish designation on his identity card. The 81-year-old is married to a Christian woman and they have two daughters. The ministry designated his grandchild as a Christian, and after he disputed this, that designation was changed to “no religion”.
That move prompted him to request the same for his classification, but he was told to accommodate the request, he would have to bring a court order.
The court explained the current law does not make such a provision, compelling the judicial intervention. The court added that this request falls under the Basic Law intended to protest and safeguard the honor and integrity of citizens. As such, permission is granted for Kaniuk to be classified as “no religion”.
Kaniuk told Walla news that he dreamed of this for years and for him, the decision is one that brings him great joy – calling the ruling “precedent-setting and historic”.
“The court basically defined there is a Jewish nationality and I cannot be removed from this since I was born Jewish. But now, I can be classified as ‘no religion’ towards beginning to overcome the Jewish religious officialdom in the country, which is among the worst there is”.
MK (Meretz) Zahava Gal-On, a veteran pro-secularist lawmaker, is calling to accept the court’s landmark decision to work towards implementing total separation between religion and state.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Look what zionism has wrought!
What a couple of nincompoops!
You know what else? This guy doesn’t deserve to live in Eretz Yisroel and to have Israeli citizenship. What does he need it for if he doesn’t want to be Jewish. Kick him out!
Someone who cares so much that he needs to ‘officially’ run away from Judaism is someone who cares enough to be hozer beh teshuva in just as strong a way – you will see!!
Nu if he wants to be a מומר – let him!
MK Rav Yisoel Eichler is reported as saying: “For my part, he can register himself as a monkey or as an alien coming from out of space”. Well said!
Huh #1
Constitution with separation of religion and state is the American way….Israel may be following in those footsteps.
#7 — “The American Way” is not “The Jewish Way”.
zionflag,
Separation of church and state works okay in America, up to a point.
Not so sure it would serve much good at all in a place literally established as “the Jewish state”, which is a separate country from the United States, and which has a separate origin, purpose, constituency and destiny.
The Israel’s founders did not want to creare a “Jewish” state, rather — a Hebrew one.