Israel: Forty State-Funded Rabbis Say Jews May Not Rent Homes to Non-Jews

THE JERUSALEM POST just reported that over 40 municipal rabbis signed a petition on Tuesday saying that Jews should not rent homes in Israel to non-Jews. Many religious Jews consider this statement as a prohibition with as much force as law. One Knesset member has condemned it.

Among the reasons given for the prohibition are the “danger of intermarriage” (the true reason) and the “lowering of real estate prices” in areas where non-Jews live (an ostensible reason probably added to sway the more money-minded and less race-minded Jews, and also to appear less “racist”). The rabbis added that “Gentiles’ different lifestyle from Jews” can “endanger lives,” they wrote.

If a Jew sells or rents property to a non-Jew, his neighbors must warn him (that he is violating religious law and must stop), and if he does not “change his ways,” the neighbors must shun the offender, and may not conduct business with him, according to the petition. A person who rents or sells to non-Jews also may not “get aliyahs in synagogue.”

Among the municipal rabbis who signed the petition are Rabbi Yaakov Edelstein of Ramat HaSharon, Rabbi Haim Pinto of Ashdod, Rabbi Dov Lior of Kiryat Arba, Rabbi David Abuhazeira of Yavne, Rabbi David Bar-Chen of Sderot, and others.

In addition, one of the best-known National-Religious rabbis, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, signed the letter, as did Yosef’s son, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef. Haredi leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and Rabbi Avigdor Neventzal of Jerusalem’s Old City also signed the letter.

Another ten rabbis reportedly plan to sign the letter.

A single member of the Israeli legislature, the Knesset, Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) called on Tuesday for these to be fired.

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Source: Jerusalem Post and National Vanguard correspondents