‘Earthquake caused by Reform, Conservative Jews,’ says Shas MK
Shas MK Yinon Azoulay issued a tirade against progressive Jews from the Knesset plenum on Wednesday and postulated that Reform and Conservative demands for egalitarian prayer rights at the Western Wall were responsible for the earthquake in Israel on Wednesday morning.
An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck northern Israel shortly before 5:00 a.m. No damages or casualties were reported.
Speaking from the podium during a motion to the agenda, Azoulay, said non-Orthodox Jews were not Jewish, and that they should spend the money they invest in Israel on building another “Western Wall” in the US.
“Today we heard that there was some kind of earthquake. Maybe we should engage in some introspection that this earthquake was because someone here is trying to harm that which is holy to us?” said Azoulay.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has over the last few days been advancing plans to renovate the egalitarian prayer section at the southern end of the Western Wall, which has generated intense opposition from hard-line National-Religious and haredi groups.
“Listen to our pain. They are not Jews… To whom is the prime minister giving? To those who go against us in all different types of organizations.” He also asked why Netanyahu cannot realize the “catastrophe” of upgrading the egalitarian section at the Western Wall, in compliance with what Azoulai referred to as “the Women of Dispute,” meaning the Women of the Wall prayer rights group and progressive Jews.
“What do you [progressive Jews] have to do with the ancient stones of the Western Wall? I suggest to you a proposal, that you take your money that you invest in the State of Israel and build yourselves another Western Wall in the US,” he said derisively.
Azoulay, who only became a Knesset member in March, made similar comments during a Knesset committee hearing in May, when he said that non-Orthodox Jews were not part of the Jewish people.
His sentiments reflect not only the severe animus of many haredi politicians to non-Orthodox Jews but also those of his father, Religious Services Minister David Azoulay, whose seat in Knesset he inherited when he stepped down as an MK this year due to poor health.
David Azoulay claimed in 2015 that Reform Jews were not Jewish since they do not follow Jewish law, and described non-Orthodox denominations as “people who try and falsify” the Jewish religion.