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Leader of Religious Bloc Opposes Ruling by Secular Jews on Issue

November 28, 1958
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Moshe Shapiro, the Religious Bloc leader who resigned last summer as Minister of Religious Affairs, today repeated his charge that the Israel Government was seeking to introduce secular practices in historically religious areas.

The Israel religious leader, now on a visit to the United States, reaffirmed his view in reply to a complaint from Prime Minister David Ben Gurion that the charge made by Mr. Shapiro at a convention of the Religious Zionists of America last week–was unfair.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s statement that designations of children of mixed marriages had been postponed, Mr. Shapiro asserted that the delay had been agreed to “only because of the pressure” created by the resignation of the Religious Bloc ministers from the Israel Cabinet. The former Minister of Religions added that the creation of a commission of Jewish scholars confirmed “my charge that non-religious and secular authorities will be called on to rule in the matter to the utter disregard of religious beliefs and traditions.”

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