In a kenos that took place of the Ne’emanei Torah V’Avodah (נאמני תורה ועבודה), a dati leumi organization, the matter of religion and state was high on the agenda. Most present agreed that the current political climate presents an ideal situation towards burying the old religious status quo that exists in the state. The three-day event hosted many speakers presenting innovative ideas; including public personalities and elected officials such as Likud MK Ze’ev Elkin, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Orbach, MK (Yesh Atid) Dr. Aliza Lavie and MK (Yesh Atid) Rabbi Dov Lipman.

One proposal calls for moving religious affairs from the political arena and placing it in the hands of the kehilla, each according to its size, character and belief, void of any and all state involvement. Community rabbonim would replace the local state-appointed rabbonim.

A second proposal pertains to yeshiva funding, today about 1 billion NIS annually. The Council for the Spread of Torah (“המועצה להפצת תורה (המל”ת)” ) would be formed to address this, once again taking it from the hands of politicians. This council would be responsible for addressing issues pertaining to the growth and development of yeshivos, taking the needs of the tzibur and the state into consideration. The council would also address ‘developing’ the next generation talmidei chachamim, as well as expanding limud Torah and of course, IDF recruitment.

Other issues include giyur, public transportation on Shabbos, and rabbinical courts were addressed. Dr. Asher Cohen stated the common denominator between all the issues is the status quo that was set into place with the establishment of the state needed to address today’s realities, the drastic change seen in the nation over the years since 1948. The old status quo is simply irrelevant in many areas in the context of realities in the State of Israel in 2013 it was explained.

The Yesh Atid representatives on the panel were the most vocal in their insistence regarding the need to amend the religious status quo, calling for “far-reaching” change. MK Lipman explained the chareidi tzibur wants these changes, speaking of a group of yeshiva students, 18-20-years-old from Bnei Brak with whom he met a few weeks earlier. They explained to him they wish to serve in the IDF in an appropriate setting. He added one of the rabbonim of the Eida Chareidis told him the effort to recruit chareidim and compel them to learn secular subject matter was an important step, ‘critical’ towards the continued existence of the chareidi community, calling to encourage it even without receiving public support from the community.

MK Orbach called for caution and practicality, to select the core issues, those that may realistically be changed, warning them not to bite off more than they can chew. He felt that position papers presented were pointing in the correct direction but lack an element of practicality. He promised that in this Knesset there will be major changes regarding state and religious services. Regarding the agreement with his party and Yesh Atid, he explained it was not a strategic agreement but one of convenience during this coalition negotiating period.

Elkin called for changes as well in a number of areas pertaining to religion and state, most of all the matter of marriage for the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the FSU who fail to meet Chief Rabbinate criteria. He feels public transportation on Shabbos is a major issue too, but added these changes must be made through negotiations and dialogue, with broad agreement.

Elkin feels this is best accomplished not in Knesset by legislating laws but by mutual agreement which can only be the result of dialogue. Failure to go about this in the correct fashion he warns may boomerang in the face of the non-frum tzibur in the years to come when the chareidi community has a larger political power base.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)