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such as the Kashrut, they instituted licenses for Kashrut. This means that
each hotel needs to have such a license in order to cater to the tourist
industry: many Jews who eat ham and eggs outside Israel still may want to
go to a kosher hotel. But the rabbinate who gives the license uses the
Kashrut for all sorts ofinterference. For example, some feminists came to a
conference and wanted to take a Torah from a hotel to the Wall. The hotel
people asked them not to, because the rabbinate would revoke their Kashrut
license. This is how the question of kosher food became a political power
base. In a case brought to the Supreme Court the Court ruled that Kashrut
problems are relevant to food alone. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how
the religious establishment
will
respond.
I could go on, but I'll stop. I did not talk about the problems ofsecurity
and peace, or about the question of Russian emigres, because you hear so
much about them. We can discuss them, however, if you would like to.
Thank you.
EK:
Thank you very much for a most informative
talk,
Rivka.
RB-J:
I hope I told you something that you didn't know. Because usually you
know everything.
EK:
William, do you want to moderate?
William Phillips:
All right.
Marjorie Iseman:
I wonder if you think that the Russian immigrants will
change the balance of the parties?
RB-J:
Yes. In the first group of immigrants, many were religious or became
religious. They had some special ideas about Israel, sort of messianic
expectations. The recent migration is not different from migrations to
America. They come to Israel because they want to get out of Russia, to
have opportunities to feel free. I don't know how many
will
stay in Israel. I
hope the majority, but some will leave; I can understand them. Many don't
have any formal links to Judaism; they don't know about it. They are the
second or third generation after the Revolution, educated in a Communist
country although they are not Communist. They are intelligent and eager
to
succeed; they are ready to learn Hebrew and are very curious. If it's true,
as predicted, that during the next year and a halfone hundred thousand
will
come, the balance ofpower could change. Nobody knows how they
will
vote.
But we already see that they are not predominantly right-wing nor
predominantly religious. They probably
will
be spread out over the political
spectrum. Compared to former waves of immigration, they organize
themselves quickly. It always takes time until a group of immigrants
organizes itself in order to represent its interests. The old-timers of Russian
origin received them immediately and are the first layer ofleadership. But I
don't think this leadership
will
stay in power very long: they're a different
generation and will ask for their own rights. They also feel that they
brought something to Israeli society.
