Just prior to the case being heard in the Supreme Court today, the Rabbanut issued a new policy directive. The Rabbanut has decided that they will no longer investigate the jewishness of any person just because they are members of a certain sect or community - they won't look into someone just because he is Ethiopian or Russian. It will be prohibited form now on. The only time it will be acceptable to investigate someone's Jewishness will be if there is cause for suspicion about a specific person, such as practicing tenets of another faith or religion, but not because of his connection to a group. And even then, when a suspicion arises about a specific person, they would have to investigate the Jewishness of all the workers of the factory and not just of that one person, so as not to target him and single him out. The will apply to workers in the food industry in a factory using a mehadrin hechsher.
sources: Uriah Elkayam Twitter, Kipa and Srugim
This makes a lot of sense, especially considering their Jewishness has already been checked and confirmed when they immigrated to Israel and when they married (if they are married), and there is no need for such wholesale investigations, except for perhaps in individual cases. There is no reason to operate on a racist policy that is not even necessary. It is far better to treat people with respect, and in cases where a question is raised, they will be able to check into it if deemed necessary.
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This makes sense with a Rabbanut Hechsher.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think that private Bedatzim should have the right to check the Jewishness of employees, especially in the production of Wine.
If I recall correctly, The Ethiopian Jewish community were able to make Aliya based on a Psak from Rav Ovadia that they are Jews. At the time, the Psak was not accepted by the Eida who tried to require them to go through Giyur LChumra when they made Aliya so that there would be no doubt as to their status. This proposal was rejected. But because the Eida never Accepted the ruling of Rav Ovadia on this matter, I don't see how the courts could now require them to allow Ethiopian Jews to handle wine under their Hashgacha.
Although it sounds racist for them to check the status of only one community, it is based on a decades-old Machoket in Halacha.
the decision is by the Rabbanut and therefore only for the Rabbanut. They have no authority over the Eida or other private organizations. The Eida might have to stop giving a hechsher on some food items, like they stopped by the Barkan Winery. They will not be able to run an alternate line with no Ethiopians because the Rabbanut wont be able to discriminate against Ethiopians, and the Eida cant call it kosher without a rabbanut hechsher
DeleteHave to agree with Mr. Sedley. When it comes to kashrut of wine and in general, the particular sect of community of Jews have the right to have their own hechsher.
ReplyDelete