The Minister of Halacha?

The initial statement was troubling. The subsequent clarification didn’t help. Israel’s justice minister, Yaakov Ne’eman, may not be hastening the “Talibanization” of his country, as some allege, but his assertion that Jewish law should be privileged and restored to its “former glory” bespeaks an attitude that can have no place in the governance of a democratic state.

It is not our role to select Israel’s leaders, or to call for their ouster. But American Jews can reiterate our support for a pluralistic Israel that respects certain boundaries between religion and state, that allows every citizen to practice religion freely, or not at all.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected].

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