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Israel: Supreme Court Overturns Decision To Curtail Missionary Activity


Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the decision of the Finance Committee last year to deny tax benefits to Christian messianic missionary organizations.

The decision was unanimously approved by the entire Knesset, including the opposition, but nevertheless, the Supreme Court approved the appeal of the messianic organizaiton, which in essence means that Israeli citizens are forced to pay for some of the costs of missionary organizations out of their own pockets.

Even Yair Lapid, who was the head of the opposition at the time, attended the committee meeting to support the vote against missionary organizations.

“The Supreme Court judges, in a last-minute attempt to interfere in my position as Finance Committee chairman, revoked the Knesset’s authority to hold discussions on issues within the Knesset’s authority,” said former Finance Committee chairman Moshe Gafni.

“All of the committee’s members, the coalition and opposition, supported the decision not to grant tax-exempt status to missionary organizations on account of their illegal activities but the Supreme Court has seen fit to invalidate that authority.”

“I suggest that the Supreme Court judges refrain from complaints when a battle ensues against their judicial overreach in the wake of their blatant interference in the role of the legislature.”

“Once again, the Supreme Court violates the authority of the legislature,” the chairman of the human rights organization B’tzalmo, Shai Glick, said.

“In an unprecedented move, all the Knesset members supported the decision to deny tax benefits to missionary organizations. But of course, the Supreme Court is the determining authority and invalidates the authority of the Knesset.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)



9 Responses

  1. So lemme get this straight, Kiruv is outlawed, but missionary activity is allowed.
    What a real Yiddisha Medina this is!

  2. I guess we’re seeing with clarity the spiritual vision the Satmar Rebbie saw years ago when he was so opposed to Zionism. Sad day!
    Vuv Chukas is this Friday. History tells us of the awful event when in France, in the 13th century, 24 wagonloads of Sefarim were burned. History seems to be repeating itself albeit very different details.

  3. How about a vote to overturn taxpayers footing the bills for missionary-vaccines, which are also a dangerous use of hard-earned Jewish earnings.

  4. At least everyone will now agree to a law to overturn supreme court decisions.
    If it’s ok to fund missionary activities it must certainly be ok to fund mosdos hatorah – or?

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