04-22-2008, 12:00 AM
Landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Israel
On April 16, 2008, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that "being a
Messianic Jew does not prevent one from receiving citizenship in
Israel under the Law of Return or the Law of Citizenship, " reversing
a
previous ruling from 1989 whereby the court denied the right of return
to Gary and Shirley Beresford, Messianic Jews from South Africa.
In a landmark decision the Supreme Court of Israel ratified a
settlement between twelve Messianic Jewish believers and the State of
Israel, which states that being a Messianic Jew does not prevent one
from receiving citizenship in Israel under the Law of Return or the
Law of Citizenship, if one is a descendant of Jews on one's father's
side (and thus not Jewish according to halacha).
This Supreme Court decision brought an end to a legal battle that has
carried on for two and a half years. The applicants were represented
by Yuval Grayevsky and Calev Myers from the offices of Yehuda Raveh &
Co., and their legal costs were subsidized by the Jerusalem Institute
of Justice.
All twelve of the applicants were denied citizenship solely based on
grounds that they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. Most of
them received letters stating that they would not receive citizenship
because they "commit missionary activity". One of the applicants was
told by a clerk at the Ministry of Interior that because she
"committed missionary activity", she is "acting against the interests
of the State of Israel and against the Jewish people". These
allegations are not only untrue, but they also do not constitute legal
grounds to deny one's right to immigrate to Israel.
This important victory paves the way for persons who have Jewish
ancestry on their father's side to immigrate to Israel freely, whether
or not they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. This is yet
another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the
Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of
faith within the Jewish world.
Praise Yah!
On April 16, 2008, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that "being a
Messianic Jew does not prevent one from receiving citizenship in
Israel under the Law of Return or the Law of Citizenship, " reversing
a
previous ruling from 1989 whereby the court denied the right of return
to Gary and Shirley Beresford, Messianic Jews from South Africa.
In a landmark decision the Supreme Court of Israel ratified a
settlement between twelve Messianic Jewish believers and the State of
Israel, which states that being a Messianic Jew does not prevent one
from receiving citizenship in Israel under the Law of Return or the
Law of Citizenship, if one is a descendant of Jews on one's father's
side (and thus not Jewish according to halacha).
This Supreme Court decision brought an end to a legal battle that has
carried on for two and a half years. The applicants were represented
by Yuval Grayevsky and Calev Myers from the offices of Yehuda Raveh &
Co., and their legal costs were subsidized by the Jerusalem Institute
of Justice.
All twelve of the applicants were denied citizenship solely based on
grounds that they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. Most of
them received letters stating that they would not receive citizenship
because they "commit missionary activity". One of the applicants was
told by a clerk at the Ministry of Interior that because she
"committed missionary activity", she is "acting against the interests
of the State of Israel and against the Jewish people". These
allegations are not only untrue, but they also do not constitute legal
grounds to deny one's right to immigrate to Israel.
This important victory paves the way for persons who have Jewish
ancestry on their father's side to immigrate to Israel freely, whether
or not they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. This is yet
another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the
Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of
faith within the Jewish world.
Praise Yah!