Activists Seek To Ban Haredi Rabbis’ Pronouncement On Upcoming Elections
Hiddush, an Israeli organization that promotes religious freedom and
equality, has asked Israel’s Central Elections Committee to ban a kol
koreh – a rabbinic pronouncement usually issued on giant wall posters
and in ads in haredi newspapers (and secondarily on haredi news
websites) – from top Ashkenazi haredi rabbis ordering haredim to vote in
Tuesday’s national elections.
UTJ slogan – " We are all haredim"
Activists Seek To Ban Haredi Rabbis’ Pronouncement On Upcoming Elections
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Hiddush, an Israeli organization that promotes religious freedom and equality, has asked Israel’s Central Elections Committee to ban a kol koreh – a rabbinic pronouncement usually issued on giant wall posters and in ads in haredi newspapers (and secondarily on haredi news websites) – from top Ashkenazi haredi rabbis ordering haredim to vote in Tuesday’s national elections.
Yeshiva World reports that the kol koreh was issued by the Ashkenazi haredi United Torah Judaism party (UTJ).
It reportedly closes with blessings for long life and financial benefit from those leading haredi rabbis for those haredim who heed their words and vote for UTJ.
Hiddush argues that this is a violation of Israel’s election law, which already bans offering rabbinic amulets and rabbis’ blessings in exchange for votes.
As much as I think their followers are foolish for idolizing these "gadolim," freedom of speech should apply to rabbis, too. What's next, no celebrity endorsements allowed?
Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | January 17, 2013 at 06:41 AM
which already bans offering rabbinic amulets and rabbis’ blessings in exchange for votes
To say that voting a certain way will bring you blessings is different than saying, "If you vote for so-and-so I will give you a blessing". The latter is a form of vote-buying. What the Kol Koreh is saying is not.
Posted by: Atheodox Jew | January 17, 2013 at 07:03 AM
As much as I think their followers are foolish for idolizing these "gadolim," freedom of speech should apply to rabbis, too. What's next, no celebrity endorsements allowed?
Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | January 17, 2013 at 06:41 AM
The issue has nothing to do with endorsement.
The problem is twofold: 1. The form of the endorsement and 2. The gift given for voting for UTJ.
Any rabbi can endorse any political party he wants to.
What he cannot do is issue a ruling that you must vote for that party.
He also cannot promise blessings for those who vote for it.
Posted by: Shmarya | January 17, 2013 at 07:05 AM
To say that voting a certain way will bring you blessings is different than saying, "If you vote for so-and-so I will give you a blessing". The latter is a form of vote-buying. What the Kol Koreh is saying is not.
Posted by: Atheodox Jew | January 17, 2013 at 07:03 AM
You're wrong.
There's a blanket ban on any campaign material. speeches, etc. that promises blessings, amulets, etc. in exchange for votes – and that applies even if the language used is "those who vote for UTJ will be blessed with…"
To make this easier for you to grasp, what if kol koreh said, "those who vote for UTJ will receive an amulet"?
Do you really think that because the kol koreh does not say, "I, Rabbi Aharon leib Shteinman, promise you that if you vote for UTJ, I'll give you an amulet" it is therefore legal? Because it clearly is not.
Posted by: Shmarya | January 17, 2013 at 07:12 AM
BTW I have to add: You've gotta love "Kulanu Haredim" as a slogan. Can't get much more transparent about their idea of "unity" than that!
They're totally clueless to the fact that it's just as condescending and presumptuous as if I put up the slogan "Kulanu Atheistim".
Posted by: Atheodox Jew | January 17, 2013 at 07:13 AM
Just to let readers know, here's the paragraph in question.
"הננו תפילה להשי"ת כי הפועלים והמצביעים למען רשימת יהדות התורה המאוחדת והשבת אגודת ישראל דגל התורה שסימנה ג' לכנסת, יתברכו בבני חיי ומזוני ובכל הברכות ממקור הברכות, וחפץ ה' בידינו יצליח להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה וכלל ישראל יוושע בתשועת עולמים", כותבים גדולי ישראל.
Basically it says that the rabbis daven to Hashem that whoever votes Gimmel should be blessed with life, nourishment and all blessings.
I suppose one could question whether davening that someone should be blessed is different than "blessing" them directly, but probably not. So yes, I can see how it would be included in the ban.
What they should've done was use language like, "May we all merit a blessing by voting Gimmel", and that would've probably been passable.
Posted by: Atheodox Jew | January 17, 2013 at 08:19 AM
How silly, if they want a word or message to get out, they will get it out.
Posted by: Asher | January 17, 2013 at 08:35 AM
Chidush is a Reform Judaism organization, while the organization helps to promote and defend non Orthodox Judaism interests in Israel its leader Uri Regev alienates himself and his movement by aligning himself with extreme Left wing organizations and causes in Israel.
If the Reform movement want to advance itself in Israel they have to realize that most Israelis are Center-Right and not Left.
Posted by: OTD with ADD but no STD | January 17, 2013 at 08:40 AM
its leader Uri Regev alienates himself and his movement by aligning himself with extreme Left wing organizations and causes in Israel.
Well when the state rabbinate's position is that Reform is not a legitimate form of Judaism and most of the country doesn't seem bothered enough to challenge it, it's not surprising that a sizable number of Reform leaders will ally themselves with other groups and causes that want to challenge, reform, or dissolve the rabbinate-- most of which come from the left. I don't disagree with your point about political affiliation, BTW. Just pointing out some possible reasons for it.
Posted by: Friar Yid | January 17, 2013 at 08:48 AM