Member of Knesset Zevulun Orlev, a candidate for the chairmanship of the Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home-New National Religious Party), sent a letter, Sunday, to rabbis of the religious Zionist movement, asking for their opinion, under halakha (Jewish law), of a bill, endorsed by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, to observe Independence Day on the Thursday of the week in which the 5th of Iyar occurs. In his letter, Orlev noted, "It is understood thatthis proposalhashalachic implicationsregardingliturgyandbreaking customsof mourningof the Omerperiod on Independence Daythat is notonthe originaldate andis notdelayed by Shabbat orfearof Shabbat desecration.Independence Day isnotjusta secular holidaybuthas also been fixed as a holidaywithmeaningin Jewish law."
The letter also says, "In orderto consolidateour position as a nationalreligiousmovementI would very muchliketheresponse of the important religiousZionist rabbisas well asIsrael's chief rabbis,Chief Rabbinate Councilmembersandmunicipal rabbis." It concluded with a sense of urgency, given the possibility of the measure receiving its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday.