THE ONLY EXISTENTIAL THREAT ISRAEL FACES:

Deri's behavior is hardly surprising given his reaction to the recent agreement reached by Israel's government with the Women of the Wall over the issue of their demand to be able to worship as they wish at the Kotel. He is quoted as having said: "The problem of Reform and Conservative Jews did not exist until now in the State of Israel and I do not intend to let it happen now. There should be no compromise on this issue."

As a private citizen, Deri is entitled to his prejudices, but not while he serves as a Cabinet member, who is there to address the needs of the entire Jewish People.

Deri's insulting behavior follows that of deputy Minister of Education, Meir Porush, who was reported as having said that the Women of the Wall should be "thrown to the dogs" and that "the Reform are responsible for the terrible intermarriage that we've been witnessing in the United States".

If that were not enough, Israel's Minister of Tourism, Yariv Levin, stated that "Reform Jews are a dying world" and chairman of the government's Finance Committee, Moshe Gafni, described them as "clowns who stab the holy Torah".

His remarks simply endorsed those of the Minister for Religious Affairs, David Azoulai, who is quoted as having said that he could not allow himself to refer to Reform Jews as Jews.

Now all of this could be brushed aside if one were talking about fanatical rabbis or inconsequential figures on the Israeli political stage. However, these are government ministers. 

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