It would appear that for The Movement MK Elazar Stern, the biggest problems in the country today involve the chareidim, rabbonim and their way of life. In his latest attack, Stern targets Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior Shlita, a respected talmid chacham and posek, labeling the rav “a racist” for not accepting Jews who came to Israel from Ethiopia as Jews.

Stern quoted the rav saying the immigrants from Ethiopia are not Jews and therefore, one should not marry them.

Regardless of one’s position regarding these immigrants, the MK, who wears a kippa and labels himself a Torah observant Jew, seems to lack an understanding of respecting the ruling of a posek, regardless if one adheres to that particular school of thought.

Feeling the need to come to the rav’s defense and set the record straight, Yossi Dayan, a talmid of the rav who happens to be the deputy head of the Shomron Regional Council gathered information to show Stern that his allegations lack accuracy.

Former students of yeshivos in the Kiryat Arab area brought testimony of just how caring Rav Lior was to them, with the students being of Ethiopian descent, while others brought testimony and photos a kiddushim involving Ethiopians in which the rav participated in the chupah.

Dayan used Stern’s latest attack to express criticism against the MK’s obsession with attacking rabbonim and any Torah way of life that to the right of his own version of mitzvah observance.

When Stern came out of shul in his home community of Mitzpei Hoshea on erev Shabbos, a 17-year-old community resident spat in his face. Stern told Israel Radio he had a run-in with the youth in the past and his parents apologized. He saw the youth waiting and thought that he too wished to apologize.

The youth shouted “That’s for Rav Lior. Enough! He [Stern] is not our rav. The state should stop paying him money. There is a limit just how much we must to suffer from him [Stern].”

Stern explained he felt this time the police would have to be called and he summoned them, leading to the youth’s arrest. He told Israel Radio “the youth was incited by rabbonim and this scares me. When you attach religion to a fanatic hashkafa you lose control.” He continued by drawing an analogy to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.

After the incident Stern stated the “fool’s actions” are not representative of the nation’s dati leumi community and without a doubt not the youth of the community. However the dangerous trend cannot be ignored.”

Stern told Israel Radio “his religion is not mine” in reference to the youth in custody.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)