Reply To: Rav Amsalem

Helpful, I believe he has Rabbanut semicha which is the most rigorous set of tests anywhere, so at the very least he is a Talmid Chacham who knows how to learn.

But the bottom line here is that Shas has every right to kick him out of the party if he does not toe the party line. In some votes, members of Knesset are allowed to vote their conscience by the party chairman; while in others strict party discipline is enforced. One who votes differently can be expelled. The thing is that one is allowed to keep his seat and remain in the Knesset as an independent according to Knesset rules, whereas Shas wants him to resign and give the slot back to them so they can appoint another in his place. Of course, Shas has every right to be mad at him, but this is politics as usual. However, the problem here is when they start slandering him personally and publicly embarrass him and call him an apikorus and an Amaleki and say that he was makdiach tavshilo brabim, that is all completely unacceptable, and moreover, completely false.

As far as the issue of geirus, as I have written here before, due to the Soviet ban on Jewish education all those years, unfortunately many Jews intermarried. Now, one spouse wants to make Aliya which they are entitled to do according to Law of Return. What is the Israeli govt supposed to do? Admit one member of the couple and tell the other they must stay in Russia? That would be rather barbaric. So they do the proper thing and allow these relatives to enter. SOmetimes there may be non-Jewish children if the mother is not Jewish. These people are a potential cause of trouble and a bad influence. Rabbi AMsalem is spot on that the best eitzah would be to make ehrlich Jews out of them. It would require a serious and intense program of study, and methods to insure the sincerity and kabbalas hamitzvos of these potential geirim. There is nothing wrong for him to suggest that this would be a good idea, especially when the spouse or parent may be Jewish to begin with.

This problem was not caused by the State of Israel or Rabbi Amsalem. It was caused by the evil Soviets. The State of Israel and Rabbi AMsalem are trying to solve the problem that they have been handed.

What is your idea, if you disagree with them? I see only 3 choices:

1) Split up families if some members are not Jewish and force them to stay behind in Russia. (Barbaric.)

2) Try to convert the non-Jewish family members if they will sincerely be mekabel ol mitzvos. (State’s preferred solution.)

3) Let these non-Jewish immigrants live their lives in hefkerus and potentially influence Jewish kids for the worse. (Do nothing approach.)

I do not see any other options. If you do, please enlighten us.