During the past week, the events surrounding the “Judicial Reform” that the government is adamant to move forward as quickly as possible, have pushed aside other, less sensational news.
The demonstrations and the nonsense going on in the Knesset drowned out a small inconsequential story, which however, gives us a better picture of Israel today and is indicative of the effects the actions by right extremist and religious politicians will have on life in Israel.
In Petah Tiqwa, a suburb of Tel Aviv, a four year old boy was placed by his parents in a religious kindergarten because it is close to their house, while another, non-religious kindergarten, is far away.
In addition, the parents are interested to have their young son learn more about Judaism because this is the country they are living in even when the mother, though Israeli and speaking fluently Hebrew, is not Jewish.
All appeared to be well, but at the first day at school the parents, who were cautious enough, and probably also sensitive to various acts of discrimination against the non-Jewish mother, inquired if the fact that one of the parents is not Jewish, will be a problem. To their surprise and dismay they were informed that a religious kindergarten cannot accept a non-Jewish child (because the mother is not Jewish, the boy is not considered Jewish either, even if the father is a Jew), and their son was immediately transferred to a different kindergarten.
In short, an Israeli kindergarten, funded by the State, i.e. by all citizens, including the ones who are not Jewish, through their tax money, refuses to accept an Israeli child for only one reason: he is not Jewish.
The city of Petah Tiqwa claims they have no other option, because the directives come from the Education ministry and a non-Jewish child cannot receive the education it needs in a religious kindergarten.
The disgusting discrimination in Israel of non-Jews affects you from the moment you are born in this country and designated as “non-Jewish”, or in planar words “second- Class”. The parents, who are originally from Eastern Europe, but live permanently in Israel, with the father having served in the army and the family paying taxes like all Israelis, had to experience something they probably already knew anyway: In Israel being non-Jewish makes you less than your neighbor whose mother happened to be Jewish.
And mind you, this disgraceful racism is already in place and excepted even before the changes in the Judiciary system in Israel will give the religious fanatics free reign to install further discriminating rules without the courts being able to interfere. (This of course in addition to religious restrictions that will affect the lives of Jews as well, with as ultimate goal a Halachic State).
As said above, a small, inconsequential story drowned out by events that are more important. So much so that the local press did not report it even, and the only mention of it was in the Channel 11 news. On the other hand, maybe the censor was of the opinion that a story like this is better kept quiet? It is anyway highly doubtful that the majority of Israelis would be greatly disturbed by it; after all, it concerns a “goyish” child only.
The parents have taken their case to the courts, which indicates that they still have some believe in the Israeli system (or maybe they are just naive). Which doesn’t mean that the chance exists that the court will set this grave injustice right for the small boy, but that is exactly what the “Judicial Reform” is intended to prevent.
This sad and disturbing story is what Israel really looks like today, no matter the protests that are happening today, as encouraging as they may be. The Israeli people, including those on the streets protesting today have made this happen and they woke up twenty years late to prevent it. And it may be too late to stop it.
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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