A senior figure in Israel's network of premilitary academies has called members of the LGBT community 'perverts.' As long as taxpayers fund part of his salary, he cannot remain in his post.
Haaretz Editorial
Jul 16, 2016
The words of Rabbi Yig’al Levenstein, cofounder of the premilitary academy in the West Bank settlement of Eli, clearly demonstrate the culture war now being fought in Israel –
between those who seek equal rights and freedoms, and those who sanctify the hatred and persecution of the other.
At a conference in Jerusalem last Wednesday devoted to “dealing with the impact of Reform Judaism on Israel’s Jewish nature,” Levenstein said that the values of the Israel Defense Forces, led by its Education Corps, have changed. This is reflected, he said, by educating toward religious pluralism and recognition of the LGBT community, describing the latter as “perverts.” “It is an insane movement whose members have lost the normalcy of life. This group makes the country mad and has now penetrated the IDF in full force – and no one dares voice an opinion and mock it. In the army’s officer training base, there are even lectures given by perverts,” he added.
Levenstein is the latest link in a chain of religious-Zionist leaders who believe they need to dictate to the rest of Israel their narrow interpretation of the past, present and future. Such a confusion of values and misconceptions can only flourish with the support of the government, which allocates their budgets and promotes their followers.
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