A RELIGION OR A RACE?:

Politicians fanned the flames of the public divide on Monday evening after religious groups defied an order from the Supreme Court and set up an improvised gender divider for Yom Kippur prayers in a central Tel Aviv square and in public spaces across the country, prompting protests from liberal residents. [...]

While Netanyahu attacked the protesters, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid decried the "messianic" Judaism of the nationalist groups that "decided to bring war" to the Tel Aviv neighborhood.

"The Orthodox ultra-nationalist nucleus that came to the neighborhood decided to bring the war to us as well," Lapid said, referring to religious nationalist groups that move into secular and Arab cities claiming to be promoting Jewish values.

"They make sure to explain to us that there is only one version of Judaism, their version. They demand that in the name of tolerance, even in our neighborhood, they will decide what is allowed and what is not allowed," Lapid said.

Lapid noted that he goes to synagogue on Yom Kippur, and that the day is an example of why Judaism "does not need to be enforced."

"We are the flag bearers of a Judaism that is not messianic, not racist, neither arrogant nor violent," Lapid said.

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