The Knesset struck down a bill on Wednesday that would have tightened the criteria for being registered as Jewish in the population registry to those recognized as such by state-run Orthodox rabbinical courts.
The law, dubbed the “Who is a Jew Bill,” was introduced by Knesset member Avi Maoz, of the right-wing opposition Noam Party. Out of 120 seats, 60 MKs opposed it, while 15 supported it, including members of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism and Shas parties, who left the coalition over the summer.
The proposal would have revoked official state recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions under Israel’s Population Registry Law, allowing only those who undergo an Orthodox process by the Jewish state’s rabbinical courts to be registered as Jewish. It would also have reinstated the nationality clause on Israeli identity cards.
Coalition officials cited by Israeli media on Wednesday criticized Maoz for bringing the proposal to a vote without sufficient support, stating the move could delay further consideration.
“From the opposition, Maoz brought the bill forward when there is no majority,” coalition sources told Arutz 7. “It’s a move that harms the proposal, because now it is automatically postponed for six months.”
Maoz called it a “historic missed opportunity” and vowed to continue his fight for Israel’s Jewish identity. “Today, it became clear who’s willing to stand behind their declarations about the Jewish character of the state and who runs away at the moment of truth,” Maoz told local media.
The Noam Party chief told JNS on Dec. 11 that “Religious law determines a Jewish person as someone born to a Jewish mother or someone who converted in courts of conversion recognized by a rabbi from the rabbinical establishment in accordance with halachah.
“For people from outside the country, if the conversion tribunal here recognizes the conversion they underwent, then fine—and if not, then not,” he added.
Three years ago, Maoz joined the government as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. He resigned in February 2023, rejoined later that year, and resigned again in March 2025.
Maoz told JNS last month that while he does not sit in the government or the coalition, he respects Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he has known for more than four decades.
