JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Bennett-Lapid “change government” has yet to get underway but there are already many worrying signs that it is set to significantly harm the interests of the religious public despite Bennett’s claiming otherwise. Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg, who is tipped for being the next Environment Minister, is attempting to promote a bill which would legislate that attempting to persuade a minor to do Teshuva would be deemed a criminal felony with a possible six-month prison sentence. Zandberg is concerned that impressionable minors may become religious against their best interests because of their youth.
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The provocative law would prevent the successful Torah activities of various organizations as well as threatening the Shuvu school system where children from secular homes study high-level secular studies but also gain Jewish knowledge.
Zandberg’s law would probably not merit a majority in the Knesset but it indicates the direction of the new government, which is set to include a Reform rabbi in its cabinet, towards religious affairs.
Coalition whip Miki Zohar said that “the Likud will act with all its parliamentary tools together with other right-wing parties to remove this “persecution of Judaism” law from the Knesset’s roster. It is unbelievable that in the state of the Jews a law could be submitted which is designed to prevent observant Jews from disseminating the Torah of Israel- the source of the Jewish nation’s strength. Without Jewish tradition we have no right to exist in the land of Israel.”
The Yad Le’achim organization also criticized Zandberg’s proposal, stating that for many years they have tried to make missionary activity illegal and they cannot comprehend how luring people into leaving their religion is legitimate but persuading them to maintain traditions which have been hallowed for thousands of years could be considered illegal.
UTJ MK Yaakov Eichler responded to Zandberg’s initiative by proposing a bill which would ban attempts to entice minors to leave religious life. Eichler said that persuading children to leave religious life is like persuading them to convert to another religion which is legislated by law. He used the same expressions used by Zandberg, stating that “enticing a minor, whose views are less coherent than those of an adult, to change his beliefs and become a person without faith is something he should consider by himself without any external enticement.”
Zandberg yimach shmoi !!!
Looks like a violation against religious rights. What it apply to missionaries? What about speaking to kids about LGBTQ or Buddhism.
I hope the same rule applies to the missionaries who target our youth.
This entire potential crisis is the fault of Satmar & Peleg, for banning their followers from voting at Israeli elections; When their followers finally acquire some wisdom and go & vote for a religious party at the Israeli elections, this entire looming coalition crisis would never have transpired in the 1st place.
It doesn’t say whether the law is referring to influencing children with or without the approval of parents .
Soon it will be illegal to be a religious Jew in Israel. I guess will gave to vote for AOC and the squad to cut funding to israel.
But islam is fine. These Soros funded Meretz are truly evil on par with the Satmar Neturei Karta cartel
Bonim Atem Lashem – The Zionists were at fault for emigrating numerous religious communities from Middle Eastern and African countries (Yemen for example) and forcibly seperated the children from the parents and secularizing the children in internment camps by cutting their Payos among other things. It seems forcibly secularizing children against the will of the parents is perfectly legal, yet to bring back the heritage to the descendants of those “Anusim” is now considered illegal. Please Tayere Yiden, wake up and smell the coffee before it’s too late and seek a residence other than the State of Israel, State of forcible Shmad
Pretty standard that adults not be allowed to interact with minors without parental consent. Aside from the legal issue, how would people here feel about booths being set up to explain to yeshiva kids the foolishness of their parents’ beliefs?
Only in the Zionist State…
What a beautiful G-D sent law.
It will give us all a new opportunity for mesiras nefesh.
Mesiras Nefesh to go out and make a Baal Teshuvah and then sit in Jail for it.
Also the mesiras nefesh for the Hafganut that will close down roads and cities.
How beautiful it is.
Well the orthodox were warned this sort of thing would happen. If you sup with the devil, you need a very long spoon! And if you vote for the left wing don’t be surprised with what they try to do!
While this bill may sound sacrilegious and anti chareidi, I would venture to say, not necessarily.
Adults who persuade minors to do or believe anything, regardless if it’s a religious matter or not, are harming the child psychologically. Minors are not to be approached by strangers to be told, persuaded or asked to do anything without parental consent!
The initial and ultimate goal of the Zionists is for the Jews to be a nation like all gentile nations. Oxymoron: If the Zionists beleive in the Torah, they should beleive in Golus and the 3 Shvuos as to not establish a Jewish state anywhere in the world. If they do not beleive in the Torah, how can they claim that the land belongs to them. You either beleive in the Torah 100% or you don’t beleive Chas V’Sholom. You can’t pick and choose