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Otzma Yehudit MK Proposes Bill to Redefine 'Who is a Jew'
On Thursday, November 12, 2026, the Otzma Yehudit party introduced a bill in the newly sworn-in 26th Knesset to amend the Law of Return, specifically targeting the definition of "who is a Jew."
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What happened
- 01Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har Melech proposed a bill on Thursday, November 12, 2026, to redefine "who is a Jew" under the Law of Return.
- 02The proposed amendment requires all conversions to be performed "according to Halakha" to be recognized for immigration and citizenship.
- 03The legislation aims to override a 2021 Supreme Court ruling led by Esther Hayut that recognized Reform and non-Orthodox conversions.
- 04The bill defines a Jew as someone born to a Jewish mother not belonging to another religion, or converted according to Halakha.
- 05MK Limor Son Har Melech and her faction are seeking signatures from other Knesset members to build broad support for the bill.
Spearheaded by MK Limor Son Har Melech and co-signed by her faction, the proposed legislation seeks to add the phrase "according to Halakha" (Jewish law) to the law. This amendment would legally stipulate that only individuals born to a Jewish mother who do not practice another religion, or those who underwent a Halakhic conversion, are eligible for immigration and citizenship.
The bill is designed to override a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, led by then-President Esther Hayut, which recognized Reform and non-Orthodox conversions for the purposes of the Law of Return. MK Son Har Melech is actively working to gather additional signatures from various Knesset factions to build broad parliamentary support and advance the bill in the coming days.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Srugim. Read Srugim’s originalThe coverage
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