Former health minister, MK (Yesh Atid) Yael German, on Monday morning addressed the storm surrounding an interview involving Bayit Yehudi leader Rabbi Rafi Peretz, during which Peretz spoke about member of the toeiva community having ‘conversion therapy’. She leveled her attack at Peretz’s rav, HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Tau Shlita.

Speaking to Galei Tzahal’s (Army Radio) host Razi Barkai, German was asked if she would sit in the same cabinet with Rabbi Peretz following his remarks. She responded, “you know, it is quite easy to promise things”.

“I can say that as a talmid of Rav Tzvi Tau, Rabbi Rafi Peretz needs to clarify his words. If he comes and admits his error and meets with members of the toeiva community, this is quite sufficient. However, if he still thinks as he said, then he cannot serve as the Minister of Education in the State of Israel.

At this point, German attacked Rav Tau, saying, “Rav Tau has a pamphlet called ‘The Courage to Independence’ and the first association that came to me when I saw it was the Protocols of the Elders of Zion”.

Peretz clarified his comments later, stating, “The Israeli education system accepts all of the children of Israel as they are, without differentiating by gender or orientation”.

Peretz added, “I respect every person the way he is. I admit that personally, I am a rav in Israel and our Torah says other things. But this does not mean I am looking at them and grading them”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)