Members of the Bnei Israel, the India Jewish sect, who had complained of discrimination on the part of local rabbinical authorities, received strong support today from the executive of the Jewish Agency.
Bnei Israel members had accused local rabbinical authorities of putting obstacles in their way when they sought to marry members of other Jewish communities. The Executive, in a statement, stressed its “unanimous opinion” that “Bnei Israel members should be assured full equality as a matter of course.”
The stress placed by the statement on unanimity obviously indicated that representatives of the religious parties in the Executive had concurred in repudiating the actions of some of the local rabbinates.
The Chief Rabbinate has stated repeatedly that there is no ruling against intermarriage with Bnei Israel members although some of the Bnei Israel marriage and divorce customs differ slightly from those of other Jewish communities.
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