MK Distel: Every Jew Should Be Able to Pray Without Being Harassed
The law’s initiator said she is considering removing the clause requiring mezuzahs to be installed in every public institution, but would keep the requirement in cases where an employee of the institution requested it. The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee began today, Tuesday, preparing for a first reading the bill on realizing Jewish identity in public space.
In the updated wording, the proposal will focus on prohibiting interference with prayer or putting on tefillin in public spaces and in institutions funded by the state budget, as long as these are not carried out as a demonstration or provocation. Violating the prohibition would constitute a criminal offense.
The bill’s initiator, MK Galit Distel Atbaryan, said she was considering removing the clause requiring mezuzahs in every public institution, but would leave the obligation in cases where an employee of the institution requested it. During the discussion, she strongly rejected claims of religious coercion: "This law is a law of freedom. I am traditional, there are more than a million people like me who wear jeans, watch Netflix, and want to pray in an Orthodox way. They too should have the right to pray in public space."
She gave a concrete example: "In Ramat Gan, a school principal confiscated tefillin from a company that collected money for a shared set of tefillin to pray for the hostages."
Shai Glik, CEO of B’Tzalmo, expressed support for the law. "In a proper state we would not need this law because people would respect one another. The simple question is, do religious people also have the right to live in Tel Aviv?"
Noga Arbel of the Yachin Center added: "The claims that this law is intended to set Jewish doctrine in stone are a complete lie. The justification for the existence of the state is that Jews can be Jews in public space, so that the holidays and Shabbat will be Jewish. One can argue about what is included in that definition, but no Jew of any kind can tell another Jew not to be Jewish as he believes.
"If someone wants to pray in separation, that cannot be prevented. The law says the state’s authority cannot interfere with Jews being Jews. All the law does is stop the authority to coerce and says it cannot be used against Judaism. Are you bothered that it will no longer be possible to coerce Judaism in a way that is different from yours?"
On the other hand, MK Yasmin Fridman asked what exactly is missing from the current law that the new law seeks to solve: "What rights are not protected today? How many legal cases exist in which Jews were prevented from praying?" MK Ouz Chaim added: "The law tells fighters who are fighting side by side that one is worth more and one less."
Attorney Ishi Shron of the Public Defender’s Office warned against criminalization: "Criminalization has a very serious meaning, a criminal record that can ruin young people’s lives."
The Justice Ministry representative clarified that the bill will return to the ministerial committee before its first reading, and that the wording is expected to change further in a significant way. At the end of the discussion, acting committee chair MK Yitzhak Pindrus asked that a revised version be sent with the agreements reached.
