Israel’s chief rabbi: tighten Law of Return now

Israel’s chief rabbi has said the Law of Return should be changed to allow only those with Jewish mothers into the Jewish state.

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau was responding to a report commissioned by the Israeli government that found that almost nine million people around the world were eligible to come and live in Israel under the current law.

“We must change the Law of Return immediately so it will include only those who are Jewish according to the halakha,” said Lau.

“Israel can decide to be the third world’s welfare state, but as long as that decision has not been taken, it needs to stop allowing non-Jews to make Aliyah.”

Currently, children of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, or grandchildren or great-grandchildren of at least one Jewish grandparent or great-grandparent, can immigrate to Israel.

In one example cited by Lau, the Jewish identity of a grandfather buried in Moscow allowed 73 of the man’s children and grandchildren to enter the country.

Lau is one of several religious leaders to worry about an influx of non-Jews, who then marry within Israel.