As rabbis in Israel ban renting houses to non-Jews, rabbis around the world oppose the idea
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Hundreds of leading rabbis from congregations around the world have signed a petition criticising their counterparts in Israel after they issued a religious ruling forbidding Jews from selling or leasing property to Gentiles. More than 750 signatories to the petition by ‘Rabbis against Religious Discrimination’ deplored the new ruling issued by prominent Israeli rabbis saying it caused "shock and pain.”
"The attempt to root discriminatory policies based on religion or ethnicity in Torah is a painful distortion of our tradition," the petition said. “Am Yisrael [the people of Israel] knows the sting of discrimination, and we still bear the scars of hatred. When those who represent the official rabbinic leadership of the State of Israel express such positions, we are distressed by this Chillul HaShem, desecration of God’s name," the petition also read.
The petition went on to say that the Jewish communities outside of Israel "struggle to maintain a strong, loving relationship" with Israel. It noted that "Many of our congregants love Israel and want nothing more than the safety and security of the Jewish homeland, but for a growing number of Jews in America this relationship to Israel cannot be assumed."
The petition statement added that such proclamations “communicate to our congregants that Israel does not share their values, and they promote feelings of alienation and distancing," as well as provide "justification for anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment across the world.”
For his part, Rabbi Chaim Druckman, a moderate religious Zionist leader, is working to achieve a compromise on the controversy surrounding the banning of Jews from selling or leasing property to Arabs.
Druckman is proposing an alternative that would distinguish between "loyal Arabs" and "Israel-hating rabbis." For him, a "loyal Arab" must have equal rights, but "Israel-haters" should be ostracised.
In the meantime, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein's office stated last week that it would look into possible criminal aspects of the religious ruling that prohibits renting homes to gentiles signed by a number of leading rabbis.
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