Definition Of Jew Moves Nearer Law

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32215, 6 February 1970, Page 10

Definition Of Jew Moves Nearer Law

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) JERUSALEM, February 4. The Israeli Prime Minister (Mrs Golda Meir) summoned her Cabinet into special session yesterday to approve the controversial draft legislation defining who is a Jew.

The legislation, the acceptance of which in principle last week averted a walk-out from the Government coalition by the National Religious Party, will write into Israel's statute books for the first time the Rabbinical law that a person is a Jew only if his mother was Jewish or he converts to Judaism. It includes an amendment to the “law of return”—granting all Jews the right to settle in Israel as citizens—to give non-Jewish spouses and their children the same rights as Jewish immigrants. The amendment was worked out to settle a political crisis caused by the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling on January 23 that the three children of an Israeli naval commander and his non-Jewish wife should be registered as Jews by the Ministry of the Interior.

The Court laid down the principle that, in the absence of civil law, the Minixtry should register people as they wished, ignoring Rabbinical law. The ruling was welcomed by non-religious Jews and many believers in progressive, reformed and conservative Judaism, but it angered orthodox Jews in Israel and abroad; they said it would encourage mixed marriages, and expressed the fear that orthodox communities abroad might reduce their financial gifts to Israel if the Jewish State flouted Rabbinical law.

An inter-ministerial committee approved the amendments on Monday, and once it has the Cabinet’s final seal of approval, the legislation is expected to be enacted next week by the Knesset (Parliament).