The new government that was formed in Israel a couple of months ago, is special in many ways (both good and bad probably), but one change is especially refreshing and is instrumental in attempts to right many wrongs of the past years. The simple fact that this government has left out the Ultra-Orthodox parties enables the correction of distorted and sometimes illegal actions that were taken by previous governments. The “Kosher Phone Line” is a good example of this.
Since 2007, the Israeli public has been able to change their cellphone service provider almost instantly, and more importantly, be able to hold on to their old phone number. With one exception: If you had a “kosher” phone line you were not able move to a different provider and still keep your old number. This way, everybody in your community, including the rabbis, would notice the different prefix of your new number and know that you now are using a “non-kosher” phone line.
To understand the implications of this, a word of explanation regarding a “kosher” phone line is in order. A kosher phone line is a regular mobile phone line but with restrictions. The phone connected to the kosher phone line, will not be able to connect to the internet, does not have access to messaging services or to social media networks. In addition, there are a large number of phone numbers that cannot be called using the kosher phone line. This includes help lines, government services etc. And the prefix of all Kosher Phone Lines is the same, making them instantly recognizable.
The ultra-Orthodox community is ordered by its leaders, to use only the kosher phone lines and both the reasons and implications are obvious. The rabbis want to be able to control what their flock may hear, see and do. The internet is a gate to the outside world that the rabbis do not want their followers to know about. Because just by learning about the real world, the danger exists that someone may actually want to become part of the real world and leave the restrictions of Ultra-Orthodox life behind him.
The kosher phone line is one of the major tools the Ultra-Orthodox leadership has to control their flock. And now, the communications minister in the new government (Yoaz Hendel) has decided that he wants to put an end to this legal distortion and allow the movement of numbers from kosher lines to a different provider. The intention of the minister has the Ultra-Orthodox leadership in a panic. But, contrary to what they were used to, matters that are important to them can no longer be handled below table with ministers that are able to control and assist in them getting their way. So all that is left for them to do is to threaten, demand, beg and warn of doom, in the hope to convince the minister to change his mind.
There are two issues to consider in this somewhat absurd story. First, if methods like kosher phone lines are necessary in their community, a religious community, what is more important to the religious leaders, to keep their people bound to them because they want to, or to keep them bound because they do not know otherwise? And is not it obvious to the rabbis that undoubtedly many (in particular young) people will keep a second phone without the rabbis being able to know? If the kosher phone line is such an important factor in keeping people in the fold, then maybe another look at that fold would be much more beneficial than trying to enforce outdated rules that may be easily circumvented.
The second and much more significant issue to consider, is the fact that the State has for years succumbed to the demands of a religious group to restrict people in their freedom. Anyone and anybody should be free to decide what is good for him, which restrictions he wants to impose upon himself, what is he willing to forego and what will he make himself do. But the State cannot be involved in enforcing such restrictions in the name of a religious organization and limiting the freedom of its citizens because a private organization asks it do to so. Even if this private organization represents (at least a part of) the Jewish religion. Such restriction is blatantly illegal and it is high time to put a stop to it.
Of course this story is only one of many, describing how over the years often (successful) attempts have been made to force religious restrictions upon the Israeli population, and often these are accepted because “We are All Jews”. May it be the first one that will be corrected and abolished, so that the government can move on to the next, such as Kashrut and Conversion.
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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