Meretz MK Seeks to Ban Chabad from Visiting IDF
MK Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) on Sunday will introduce a bill aimed at limiting the activities of religious leaders interacting with the IDF and Israel Police.
“People of different faiths, as well as the secular, serve in the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police, and any ceremony or event attended by a clergyman may amount to religious coercion, or the appearance of coercion,” Horowitz wrote in his explanatory notes for the bill.
“This act would restrict access to soldiers and police by any rabbi, imam, priest, or any other person who has authority or role in one of the religious communities, as well as any person who manages prayers or religious ceremonies of any kind,” Horowitz wrote.
Horowitz said the bill would not restrict the authority or access of religious leaders formally employed as chaplains by the IDF or Police, and that it allows for additional visits by clergy where an IDF officer of the rank of Major General – or the rank of Commander in the police – approves.
Two months ago the Knesset flatly rejected a bill initiated by MK Horowitz against the entry of emissaries from the Chabad Hassidic movement – known for their dedication to IDF soldiers and for their outreach, providing religious services to Jews who would otherwise not have them – to military bases on the holidays.
Horowitz argued, “Outside clergy who enter military bases, and take over meeting halls and synagogues used by officers, staff, and soldiers, have a captive audience who cannot choose not to participate.”
Horowitz’s latest bill – decried as militant secular coercion in its own right by its detractors – is not expected to garner sufficient support to be passed into law. The bill is scheduled to be discussed by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday.
Kol HaKavod to Chabad-s devotion.
Bs“D This is called, ”chopping off the nose to spite the face”. If these people were on the receiving end of the Chabad devotion, they would sing a different tune. The Rebbe wont let it happen. He loves the Shluchim and he loves every single Jew.
B O B
The MK is right. For security purposes, who knows?? A bunch of terrorists can easily imitate a chabad mitzvah tank to the letter… and attack a soldier base… Let the soldiers be mekarved on their weeks off whenever within the local cities of Israel. Or let Chabad pre arrange a visit with the permission of the generals and staff in a prearranged secret location… Something along the lines of BOB HOPE VISITING VIETNAM to bring cheer to the soldiers.
Utzu etza..
Utzu etza vesufar, dabru dovor veloi yakum. Shulamit Aloni tried the same shtick years ago and never got anywhere. Her einikel was enrolled in a Chabad nursery school when the family was in the US.
B O B, believe me, every visit is well coordinated with security and your scenario can occur only in some 1980s style sub-B Israeli comedy film.
Lubavitcher :)
BS”D
NOT THE REBBE
HASHEM HASHEM HASHEM
guys come on!
Dont forget for whom the Rebbe was an Eved
a great Eved and Tzaddik, but he was an Eved Hashem
We are Chossids of the Rebbe ,because he helped us and helps us get to Hashem with his writings, but not because
sincerely
A chossid :)