Rabbis' letter has stopped home sales to Arabs
You will recall that I reported last week about a letter signed by numerous city rabbis not to sell or rent homes to Arabs. On Thursday, two rabbis - Rabbis Simcha HaCohen Kook and Yaakov Edelstein - removed their names from the letter after their teacher - Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv - denounced the letter. "I've said for some time that there are rabbis who must have their pens taken away from them," Elyashiv remarked.But the remaining rabbis have continued to support the letter, and the letter has all but put a stop to home sales to Arabs by Jews.
"It's interesting that these same Zionist rabbis support symbolically selling their land to gentiles during the shmita year," he added referring to the seven-year cycle when agricultural fields in Israel must lie fallow.
"We know for sure that the rabbis' ruling has already been effective in stopping some sales," says an involved source.Let's fire all the rabbis - that'll solve all the problems, won't it? /sarc
The ruling banning the sale or renting of apartments to Arabs was originally issued two months ago in the Galilee city of Tzfat, of which several neighborhoods can be said to be mixed Arab-Jewish. Arabs comprise the majority of students in the local college, as well as of service providers in many fields.
In light of this demographic trend, the city's Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu issued the ban. It cites not only classic Jewish sources, but also the fact that bringing nationalist Arabs into Jewish neighborhoods leads to violence and danger to life, intermarriage, and a drop in property values as Jews leave the area and it becomes Arab.
Since the ruling was first issued, nearly 50 city rabbis around the country have signed it – and of late, another 250 have expressed support. This, apparently, in light of the demographic dangers presented by Arabs moving into neighborhoods of Jerusalem, as well as cities such as Nazareth Illit, Ramle, Lod, and more.
Some rabbis and many politicians have come out against the ruling, including Rabbi Yuval Cherlow and Prime Minister Netanyahu. The mayor of Herzliya, Yael German of the Meretz party, has said that she will seek to bring about the firing of the city's Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakobovitz because of his signature on the letter. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has said he will look into charges that the signatories are guilty of incitement.
The picture is Rav Ovadiah Yosef, who was involved in the original letter.
Labels: Deuteronomy 7:2, Rabbis' letter, renting or selling land to non-Jews in Israel
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:41 PM
3 Comments:
Hmm interesting but then this is also what Harav Eliyashiv Shlita has previously written regarding the sale and rental of homes to non-Jews in a predominantly Orthodox Jewish area of new Jersey:
“BSD: Due to the Hachlata of Gedolei Yisroel in Golah (outside of Eretz Yisroel) regarding the city Lakewood, to prevent the renting of homes to individuals who are causing damage and pain to the Tzibur (community) – both physically & spirtually – I too join with them, Bnei Yisroel should not do “an avlah”, and should listen to words of Rabonim and in turn be blessed.
So what is different?
Israel's leftist prosecution can't go after all of them. And the letters shattered a major taboo in Israeli society. Its now permissible to talk about the threat the Arabs present to the Jews. By focusing on the letters, Israeli leftists ironically enough have made it clear there IS a problem. No - its not Jewish racism or incitement they keep howling about. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein may want to kill the messenger but he can't kill the message. Its too late for that now.
Heh
Kahane was right! Thankfully some Rabbis are returning to Judaism! Baruch HaShem!!
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