Israeli High Court Allows DNA Testing to Prove Judaism
01/26/2020
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From Haaretz:

Israeli High Court Allows DNA Testing to Prove Judaism

Petition filed by Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beitenu and several individuals asking for the DNA testing to prove Judaism to be disallowed is struck down

The Soviet-born Lieberman founded the rightwing secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, largely populated by immigrants from the Soviet Union, which opposes Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Lots of ex-Soviet Israelis aren’t 100% Jewish by ancestry, so they tend to get a hard time from the rabbis, who have certain powers, such as approving marriages within Israel.

Aaron Rabinowitz
Jan 24, 2020 3:15 AM

A panel of High Court justices rejected the petition filed by Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beitenu and several private petitioners against the Chief Rabbinate and the rabbinical courts, ruling that DNA testing to prove one’s Judaism should be allowed.

The High Court of Justice also ruled that the petitioners did not prove that the rabbinate acted in a discriminatory manner in this matter. At the same time, the majority decision said the rabbinate must formulate written rules on the issue within a year.

The majority decision was written by Justice Neal Hendel, who noted that two important issues were raised in the petition: reexamination by the rabbinical court of the Judaism of someone who was already recognized and registered as a Jew, and conducting genetic tests to prove one’s Judaism.

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