Proposals aimed at bridging sharp differences between Orthodox and secular groups in Israel in the “who is a Jew?” controversy as it related to identity cards for Israeli citizens, were formulated today by Rabbi Jacob Moshe Toledano, the Minister for Religious Affairs and were being given good chances of success.
Rabbi Toledano, it is understood, drew up his compromise proposals after consultation with the Chief Rabbinate. The identity card would not necessarily be the exclusive criterion when the question of the bearer’s religion might be raised in the religious courts and the Chief Rabbinate would have the authority to call for additional proof in cases of doubt.
The Toledano proposals provided that children of mixed: marriages should be registered on the mother’s identity card. Adults who declared in good faith that their parents were Jewish would be registered as Jews.
Hitherto, minors were entered on their father’s identity card. According to the Jewish religion, the child is assumed to be of the religion of the mother. Adults were formerly required, in obtaining identity cards, to state only that they were Jewish.
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