is the above true?
and is it like America, to run for a higher political office have to be a natural born Citizen, i don't how you would have to be natural born, since most are immigrants to Israel
2007-04-30 18:50:17 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Africa & Middle East ➔ Israel
To put it gently, that is a lie.
Any Jew, no matter what his belief or practice, can become an Israeli citizen.
What this clergyman might have confused was that the criteria for religious conversion are such that only conversion in accordance with Jewish Law, is recognized as changing the status of a non-Jew to that of a Jew.
I never ceased to be shocked by the ignorance of the Reform clergy.
2007-05-01 06:52:32 · answer #1 · answered by Ivri_Anokhi 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He meant it more metaphorically. What he probably meant was that to truelly fit in and be accepted (at least as a Rabbi) one must be Conservative or Orthodox, as people and the Rabbinate don't recognize Reform (or even conservative I thought). From a legal point of view there is no truth to the statement, and from a social point of view every Jew is a Jew regardless of level of observance. As for running for office, there is no rule that you have to be born in Israel, and many of Israel's more successful and more famous leaders were not. On the other hand since it is a democracy, you would need to appeal to the masses, so being a new immigrant you would need to adopt the local culture so that the electorate would be able to identify with you.
2007-04-30 22:19:39 · answer #2 · answered by Michael J 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
He was being sarcastic.
His issue is that Reform and Conservative Judaism is not recognized in Israel as a legitimate form of Judaism.
As such the Reform and Conservative institutions their do not receive the same government funding as the Orthodox.
but the individual themselves regardless of their beliefs are full citizens of Israel whether they are Orthodox Reform or Atheists.
2007-05-01 07:03:56 · answer #3 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I couldn't tell you what the case is with running for political offices, but I can tell you that you don't have to be Conservative or Orthodox to be a full citizen of Israel. Right of return applies to all Jews (even those who are not religious), and I think you can even become a citizen without right of return, it's just not automatic.
2007-04-30 18:59:51 · answer #4 · answered by SKSKSK 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
To become a citizen of the state of Israel according to the Law of return one must be a jew or have jewish ancestry to a certain degree I can't remember what, however converts to judaism may also become citizens. Here it becomes murky since according to halacha or jewish law only orthodox conversion is recognized whereas the secular government wants to recognize even conversions which are invalid by Jewish law. To become head of state you do not need to be born in israel i think the first prime minister born in israel was yitzchak Rabin
2007-04-30 22:21:10 · answer #5 · answered by Perplexed User 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No.Why do you think there are secular Jews in Israel in the army.You have to be in the army when you are 18 to be a full citizen.But outside the united states conservative Judaism is misorti.And reform Judaism is considered secular in Israel.
2007-05-02 14:10:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Reform "rabbi" is either a fool or a liar.
There is no truth to that claim.
2007-05-04 02:04:56 · answer #7 · answered by T J 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not true. There are non-religious Jewish citiens of Israel. There are also citiens of Israel who are not Jewish. A few are in the Knesset.
2007-05-01 19:29:07 · answer #8 · answered by Amy W 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋