The Ministry of Religion will move to Jerusalem next week, Minister of Religion Rabbi Judah L. Fishman announced today. He pointed out that the move will make his Ministry the first government department to transfer its entire headquarters from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Addressing a press conference, Minister Fishman outlined plans to make Israel the spiritual center of the Jewish people throughout the world by arranging for the Israeli Chief Rabbinate to offer religious instruction to Jewish communities abroad. The Ministry of Religion does not wish to make Israel a theocratic state, Rabbi Fishman declared, but doeswant the future Israeli constitution to be based on Jewish religious law.
Lt. Col. L. Gorontchik, chief chaplain of the Israeli Army, speaking at the same news parley, lauded the aid extended by the office of Premier David Ben Gurion and by Chief of Staff Brig. Gen, Yaacov Dori, in connection with kashruth observance in the armed forces. Be revealed that a total of 52 new synagogues have been established to date for use among newly arrived immigrants in Israel. He also disclosed that efforts are now being made to find a universal formula of worship which would. make it possible for Ashkenazic and Oriental Jews to worship in each other’s synagogues.
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