http://www3.haaretz.co.il/eng/scripts/article.asp?mador=14&datee=09/18/00&id=93291
Who is a Jew, again
By Shahar Ilan, Ha'aretz
Monday, September 18, 2000
It's still a long road to cancelling the nationality rubric in the population
registry. This is an issue that in the past has stirred up political emotions
strong enough to rock governments.
The road begins with the approval of the Knesset Law, Justice and
Constitution Committee. A majority is expected there, but it's not
guaranteed. Then, Interior Ministry Haim Ramon can cancel the provision
- but only in ID cards, not in the actual population registry. That requires
legislation. But even if he does go the half-step and it might take a lot of
the wind from the sails of this age-old controversy, it won't go away
entirely.
Eleven justices are now convened as a High Court of Justice to hear
requests from some 50 converts who want their Judaism recognized.
Most are Reform or Conservative Movement converts. That's where the
latest battle lines are drawn in the war over "who is a Jew."
There are two issues here. One is who will be recognized as a Jew under
the Law of Return - immigrantion rights. But most of the appellants in the
case already have immigrant rights because of family family ties, so that
element is largely irrelevant.
The real issue is who will be registered as a Jew in the Population
Registry and on the ID - meaning who will the state actually recognize as
a Jew.
If Ramon could cancel the nationality element in the registry that would
render most, if not all, High Court cases on the matter meaningless. But
since he can only eliminate it from the ID card, the court cases will
continue.
Others affected by the issue are new immigrants from the former Soviet
Union, who are forced to suffer odd and bizarre classifications like
"nation-less" or "Ukrainian."
So, who cares about the nationality item? Mostly the National Religious
Party, which regards it as central to the Jewish identity of the state. In the
past there were those who claimed the Shabach needed it for security
reasons. But finally someone asked them, and their answer was
"nonsense." Another myth gone.
Ramon has not yet signed the elimination of the national identity rubric.
He's passed it on to some other ministers for their opinions. But when they
return it to him it will need that Knesset Committee okay.
The chair of the committee, MK Amnon Rubinstein of Meretz, says he
believes the committee has a majority in favor, because of the MKs
representing new immigrants from the former Soviet Union. He plans to
bring the issue up during the Knesset recess, possibly for a vote at the
same time.
Traditionally, the Haredim were in favor of cancelling the nationality
rubric because they saw it as a technical, not a ideological issue. But
committee member Avraham Ravitz of United Torah Judaism isn't quite
ready to say he won't oppose it - in a time of "civic revolutions" he is
particularly suspicious.
Yesterday Rabbi Michael Melchior, the only religious minister, who
represents Meimad in the One Israel faction, came up with his own ideas
for a reform of the registry problem. But his solution requires legislation.
His proposal is for the citizens to declare their nationality. That will satisfy
the Orthodox, because the state won't determine if the citizen is a Jew. It
will satisfy the Reform and Conservative, because it will be egalitarian.
At the same time, the original conversion documents will be deposited
with the population registry, so the registrar can check if the person
converted according to Halakha.
