Yair Golan Calls for Removing Religion from Public Sphere, Cites Secularism
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats, called for removing religion from public life, proposing civil marriage and public transport on Shabbat. After backlash, he clarified his aim was to fight religious coercion, not attack faith. He also advocated for ending gender segregation and allowing diverse prayer at the Western Wall. Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri rejected the clarifications, accusing Golan of seeking to erase Israel's Jewish identity and framing the upcoming election as a choice between a Jewish state and a secular one.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yair Golan called for removing religion from public life, proposing civil marriage and Shabbat public transport.
- Golan clarified his remarks, stating his goal is to combat religious coercion, not undermine faith.
- He also advocated for ending gender segregation and allowing diverse prayer at the Western Wall.
- Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri rejected Golan's clarifications, accusing him of seeking to erase Israel's Jewish identity.
- Deri framed the upcoming election as a choice between a Jewish state and a secular one.
Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, has called for the removal of religion from the public sphere, advocating for civil marriage and public transportation on Shabbat. These remarks, made to supporters abroad and reported by Channel 14, sparked significant political and public backlash. Following the controversy, Golan clarified his intentions, stating that his goal is to combat religious coercion rather than undermine faith or tradition.
Golan articulated his vision for secularism, emphasizing that a clear separation of religion and state begins with removing religion from public life. He specifically mentioned enabling public transportation on Shabbat and allowing civil marriages in Israel as key pillars of this agenda. He further detailed his proposals, including ending gender segregation in public spaces, operating public transport on Shabbat in willing areas, allowing businesses to open on Shabbat, and permitting all streams of Judaism to pray at the Western Wall according to their customs.
"Sidewalks and buses will not be divided by gender," Golan stated, adding that each community should be free to determine its way of life without coercion from others. He identified himself as "a Jew, a Zionist, and a secular person," expressing respect for faith and tradition while firmly opposing coercion. "It is permissible to be religious in our country. It is permissible to be secular in our country. It is mandatory to be free in our country," he wrote.
However, Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas party, rejected Golan's clarifications, vehemently criticizing his positions. Deri asserted that Golan openly expresses the intentions of a left-wing government to erase Israel's Jewish identity. He framed the upcoming elections as a crucial decision point for the nation's Jewish character, warning of a "real danger" and presenting a stark choice between Shas and a Jewish state, or the left and a state like other nations.
