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attained over the last decade. It had
worked its influence on the thing most
sacred to the Orthodox: Shabbat. Even
in Jerusalem, on Shabbat restaurants and
cinemas were now open, as were giant
shopping centers at various kibbutzim.
The haredim could scream, but they
were losing and they knew it. All every-
one else had to do was sit tight and let
the Supreme Court and the economy
take their toll.
But as the recent attacks on the court
mounted, many were reminded that for
the last 2 1/2 years Judge Barak has had
a team of bodyguards. Now such protec-
tion would be provided for all the court's
judges. When the haredim held their
pray-in, hundreds and hundreds of
armed police officers surrounded the
Supreme Court building to guard it
against attack.
A big part of the threat was psycho-
logical as well. Judge Dan Arbel, the
senior jurist of the Tel Aviv District
Court, was asked if the haredi threats on
the courts might intimidate judges and
influence their decisions on cases involv-
ing haredim. "This is what everybody
should be afraid of After all, judges are
only human," he replied.
So today, judges might take into con-
sideration their own safety as well as that
of the public. The most obvious example
is the upcoming decision in the corrup-
tion trial of Sephardic Orthodox political
leader Arye Deri. If he is found guilty
and sentenced to prison, the haredim
masses are likely to respond. Will the
public want justice for Deri, or domestic
peace at any price?
And what does it say for the balance
of power in the Israeli democracy when
none of the three major candidates for
prime minister — Binyamin Netanyahu,
Ehud Barak and Yitzhak Mordechai —
showed up at the counter-demonstration
in support of the Supreme Court? I I
Rulings Of
Protest
The three critical Supreme Court
rulings that have upset Israel's
haredi community are:
• The Orthodox must share
authority over conversion to
Judaism with non-Orthodox rabbis;
• Yeshiva students could no longer
have blanket draft deferments from
military service;
• Local religious councils must
welcome Conservative and Reform
mem bers. I I
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2/19
1999
Detroit Jewish News
23