State may pay Israelis forced by religious restrictions to wed abroad
Bill stipulates the government would return expenses to any couple in which one member is an Israeli citizen.
By Jonathan Lis Tags: Jewish law Israel newsThe Ministerial Committee for Legislation will deliberate today over a bill requiring the state to return expenses of couples forced to wed abroad due to religious restrictions against them marrying in Israel.
The bill, initiated by MK Nitzan Horowitz (New Movement-Meretz) and other Meretz and Kadima MKs, stipulates that the government would return expenses to any couple in which at least one member is a citizen and resident of Israel, but who are prohibited for reasons of religion or conscience from marrying in the country.
"When hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens are not allowed to wed in Israel due to religious coercion, it is a violation of a fundamental right recognized in virtually every country in the world," Horowitz said. "We must not accept this anymore. That's why as long as the state refuses to allow its citizens to marry in their own country, it must pay the expenses incurred by the need to marry abroad. Citizens who want to fulfill their rights to marriage and family in their own country don't need to pay the price for religious coercion."
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#1, @judith. Yours must be the most ignorant, obnoxious and hypocritical responses on this issue I have ever read. You live in NY and enjoy all the benefits of an open society, where there is a clear separation between religion and state, where religious coercion is all but impossible. You are quite content, however, for your brethren in Israel to live in a society where there is in effect no freedom of (or freedom from) religion. You obviously do not understand (still less deserve) the precious freedoms that previous generations of Americans fought for. Don?t deny others the rights and freedoms you take so for granted. The ?Jewish country? (as you put it) does not need to be less just or free than any other; it should be more so. And, by the way, not everyone is fortunate enough to simply up stakes and leave a country because they disagree with some of its policies, nor should they be obliged to do (certainly not for the sake of being able to marry their partner).
Just one of the many unfair racist laws in Israel, where are the (jewish) human rights lawyers?
Real wedding? why is a marriage overseas not a real wedding? just because Israel's racist policies do not allow two consenting adults to marry each other because they are not of the same race, does not mean that the non-religious wedding they will have overseas is not a real wedding! Most countries in the world give their citizens the choice to marry in a religious ceremony or a civil ceremony, and both are as real and legally binding as each other. Many Israelis do not realize that they are being denied a basic human right.
Yep, JO, you would be probably surprised how many Israeli citizens can't marry in their own country.
The funding should be raised by cutbacks in the generous State handouts to religious institutions
Is the State going to pay to transport all the family for a real wedding??? I think not. Bad Idea and not right, especially in a democracy.
Finally! I left Israel because the religous minority that runs all weddings would not allow me to marry the love of my life. I love Israel but it's about time human rights of the 90% majority of secular people are met. Enough to religous tyranny. If the orthodox want their useless ancient superstitions to be followed they could do so in their own homes!
At least some politicians think of the people of Israel Pity these same politicians do not use the full force getting rid of the religious.Politics and religion will never mix. The assitance given to the secular is a perfect showing to the religious how ridiculas life is when religion demands money in the name of idols(dream god)
Absolutely nobody has ever been forced to remain in Israel. It is a Jewish country. Some people can't handle that and are welcome to go to the other thousands on non-Jewish countries on the planet.