Important Legal Ruling In Israel

[Dave]

There was an important judgement in an Israeli court last week regarding the right of some messianic believers to make aliyah.



See <URL url="http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/359362.aspx">http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/359362.aspx and <URL url="http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/358897.aspx">http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/358897.aspx for more information.



It was held that the government could not legally block aliyah of people with a Jewish father or grandfather on the grounds that they are messianic.



The feeling is that this is a key victory over discrimination against believers by the Israeli establishment, but there is still plenty of work to be done and much prayer is needed.

[HelenaZF]

I think you are right...this is really an important happening in Israel. Jews do not stop being Jews when they acknowledge that Yeshua is Meshiach. The legal judgement that recognizes this is profound indeed.



I'm sure many are rejoicing over this news. I wonder if there will be a measureable increase in those making aliyah because of it.

[Dave]

<QUOTE author="HelenaZF,Apr 22 2008, 04:31 PM">

Jews do not stop being Jews when they acknowledge that Yeshua is Meshiach.  The legal judgement that recognizes this is profound indeed.

I'm afraid it's not quite that simple...



The question of "who is a Jew" is a controversial one that continues to provoke heated debate.



The traditional orthodox view is that you are Jewish if born to a Jewish mother or you have converted to Judaism (under orthodox auspices, of course).



The Israeli Law of Return, which permits Jews to make aliyah, basically includes this definition, but also also allows people with a Jewish father or grandfather to make aliyah, without regarding them as Jewish. The reasons for this are varied, but include the fact that these people were subject to persecution, and so that families are not split up.



So, from what I can tell, this ruling says that the state of Israel cannot prevent aliyah by messianics with a Jewish father/grandfather. I think it was trying to do this primarily on the alleged basis that they would be engaged in evangelism. The Law of Return blocks aliyah from people who are "engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people" and you can understand that this could be used to bar the door to messianics.



I don't think the question of whether evangelism is in this category has been answered, it's more the case that the courts have held that the state cannot automatically refuse entry to a messianic with a Jewish father/grandfather. In the eyes of the law, such people are not Jews and so the fact that they are messianic is not relevant.



The law of return does prevent Jews (ie people with a Jewish mother) who have "changed their religion" from making aliyah and the existing interpretation is that this does apply to messianic Jews.



So the stronghold which says that "messianic judaism is not judaism but christianity" has yet to be demolished (and it's the biggest one of them all), so, as I said, there's lots more work to do.



But we can praise God for this important victory in preventing discrimination against messianics.



(I hope this makes sense - legal stuff is never simple - ask for clarification if you're confused!)

[HelenaZF]

it's more the case that the courts have held that the state cannot automatically refuse entry to a messianic with a Jewish father/grandfather.

That seems to be the operative change here. At least now, a case can be made.



On a little bunny trail...I find it interesting that Jewish lineage is always traced through the mothers. But it's only been in this generation that science has found that mitochondrial DNA is only passed on through the mother, not the father. Of course, God knew that all along...science is just catching up.