Title: Legal Association Appeals to Government Ombudsman Over Rabbis’ Boycott Call
Date: [Insert Date]
In the midst of a controversy surrounding a boycott of the Strauss company, Rabbi Adv. Uri Regev, CEO of Hadosh – Freedom of Religion and Equality association, along with Attorney Yifat Solel, Vice President and Legal Advisor of Hadosh, has submitted an appeal to the legal advisor to the government. The appeal urges decisive action against the rabbis who signed a letter calling for the boycott, as many of them are civil servants or rely on state funding for their salaries.
The boycott stems from the announcement made by the Strauss company to stop advertising on Channel 14. In response, dozens of rabbis signed a letter urging a boycott of the company. However, Hadosh argues that the political activities of these rabbis, who serve as civil servants, have become a widespread and serious problem.
In their letter, Regev and Solel expressed concern that the authorities have not taken appropriate action against these civil servants. They claim that the letter signed by the rabbis encourages incitement, racism, and violence. Furthermore, they highlight the fact that these rabbis are using their positions as public servants, whose salaries are funded by the state, to amplify their calls for a boycott.
Hadosh clarifies their intention is not to suppress freedom of expression but rather to establish clear boundaries for permissible behavior. They emphasize the need to distinguish between the freedom of expression of individuals, including rabbis, who rely on state funding and official positions, and those who express their opinions independently.
The legal association is calling on the ombudsman to issue clear instructions indicating that there will be no tolerance for such behavior in public servants. They demand that the rabbis involved refrain from interfering in political discourse or promoting political agendas using their public service positions. In the event of non-compliance, the appeal suggests severe disciplinary measures.
Additionally, Hadosh requests clarification regarding the authority of the signatories to order or abstain from financial engagements on behalf of the public institutions they control. They assert that political reasons and personal worldviews should not influence decisions related to the purchase of food products and services but rather be based on relevant considerations such as price, quality, availability, and religious requirements, such as kosher certification.
The outcome of this appeal will determine whether the government takes a decisive stance on the matter, defining the boundaries of political involvement for civil servants and safeguarding the separation between public service and personal agendas.