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Israel’s chief rabbi proposes amending the Law of Return

Granting citizenship to anyone with a Jewish grandparent endangers the Jewish character of the state, said David Lau.

Israel Chief Rabbi David Lau speaks at an event in New Jersey honoring Chabad emissaries. Nov. 20, 2022. Source: Chabad.org.
Israel Chief Rabbi David Lau speaks at an event in New Jersey honoring Chabad emissaries. Nov. 20, 2022. Source: Chabad.org.

The Knesset should amend the Law of Return to curb non-Jewish immigration to Israel, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau urged.

Speaking at the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries, Lau argued against the current law under which anyone with a Jewish grandparent is eligible for automatic Israeli citizenship.

According to halacha, Jewish law, only converts and those with a Jewish mother are Jews.

“For 10 years I have been asking to try to change this mistake of the third generation in the Law of Return—to fix it, to ensure that Israel will be a Jewish state, a state of Jews,” said Lau at the event on Sunday night.

“I have had the honor in the past year of being the emissary of [Chabad Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson] and to continue in his great footsteps of ensuring that conversion will be done in accordance with Jewish law,” he said.

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