Over 1,500 families signed a letter and decried the explanations and corrections issued this week by Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz, as they view his actions as “bowing to the toeiva community”.
Peretz came under fire this week when he commented during a media interview that members of the toeiva community should undergo ‘conversion therapy’ to bring them back to a normative lifestyle.
His remarks led to a public outcry by many in the secular community, including politicians, including protests outside his home and demands that he be removed from his cabinet post.
Peretz was quick to ‘clarify’ and ‘explain’ his remarks, leading to the condemnations from the religious community, accusing him of ‘bowing down’ to the toeiva community. Peretz later explained “I am against conversion therapy”.
Over 1,500 parents of students on Wednesday decried what they view as being “an attempt to silence them”, insisting they too have freedom of expression and one is permitted to decry the toeiva lifestyle, which is contrary to halacha.
The parents insist they must speak out, for families must be permitted to raise their children in a Torah and normative lifestyle, condemning the toeiva community and its lifestyle in their letter. “We would not want to raise children in an education system in which the minister does not dare to strengthen family values. We love everyone, and we are not fighting with anyone on a personal level, but each child must be given the option to deal, to stop the aggressive behavior of the toeiva community regarding educating our children and to strengthen family values”.
Moshe Dayan Gaz, one of the signatories of the letter, insists normative families must have freedom of expression without fear, to oppose the toeiva community, which he fears is trying to “reeducate the children anew”. He and the others insist they will not permit their children to attend a school in a system that opens its doors to toeiva influence.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
What this article calls “normative” families have every right to adhere to and promote traditional halachic values regarding gay lifestyles. That is not the issue. Peretz is serving as a political appointee in a secular government that recognizes the rights of what the article references as the “Toevah Community” and in that role, he is not authorized to advocate “conversion therapy”. The latter has been found by medical societies in both the U.S. and EY to be a dangerous and deceptive pseudoscientific practice that is actually illegal in several U.S. states. He can resign his government position and pursue his meshugaas as a private citizen and that is why he had to withdraw his remarks.
Those that need therapy to avoid the terrible aveira of toeivah practice should be able to get it, even if toeivah activist reshoim don’t like it.
As to what exact type of therapy is proper and effective, that can be examined. But to ban any type of therapy to cure people from toeivah is surely wrong.
There is a case going on now in New York, where a Lubavitcher chosid who is a therapist, Dr. Schwartz, is suing to overturn a law that tries to prevent him from helping struggling people who want to live a proper Torah lifestyle in this area.
Gadolhadorah as usual pushing anti-Torah LGBTD*@X^^ agenda on this forum. Nice try.