Members of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate swore allegiance to the State of Israel before President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin at the President’s Residence on Wednesday.
“Faced with the possibility of sanctifying G-d’s name, there is also the danger of desecration,” Rivlin told the rabbis at the ceremony. “Any inappropriate behavior, or behavior which is seen to be inappropriate – according to the values of the public – could desecrate G-d’s name.”
The president also commented on the discrimination against Ethiopian-Israelis at the Barkan winery: “I would like to remind us of our duty, all of us, to work together to prevent any harm, discrimination or exclusion of the Ethiopian community in Israel as happened recently at the Barkan winery. The historical decision of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef...united us with our brothers and sisters from Ethiopia and we must continue in his path of unity and peace between the tribes of Israel, as his son the Sephardic Chief Rabbi said, ‘The Ethiopian-Israelis are our brothers and sisters, and are Jews in every way.’”