Rabbi Druckman
Rabbi DruckmanFlash 90

Bnei Akiva yeshivas head Rabbi Chaim Druckman expressed deep shock over the general attack on Rabbi Rafi Peretz and his remarks on the issue of conversion treatment for same-sex attraction (SSA).

"I'm completely shocked," Rabbi Druckman told Arutz Sheva, "I'm appalled because there was nothing in Rabbi Rafi Peretz's words to cause any real storm. Nothing! What happened? He uttered a certain opinion? Have we gone completely mad? Can't an opinion be expressed in the State of Israel? We've got terror here in voicing opinion.

"Where are we living? In Bolshevik Russia? The Stalin period? Maybe they'll decide to send Rabbi Rafi to Siberia because of a certain opinion. What's going on here? What kind of terror is this among us earned by expressing an opinion that isn't the opinion of other people?

"People can think differently; so what? Someone who thinks one way can be Justice Minister but someone who thinks the opposite can't be Education Minister? Where are we living? In which country are we living? A democratic state where anyone can express his opinion, or a dictatorial Bolshevik state? I'm shocked," says Rabbi Druckman, explaining that he does not want to quibble, so he says openly: "I'm of the same opinion as Rabbi Rafi Peretz, so they'll send me to Siberia? I agree with him. Professionals have told me that conversion therapy is successful. I can respect someone who says otherwise, but they deny the right for anyone to express their opinion? It's unbelievable. I want to strengthen Rabbi Rafi Peretz, who should not be deterred. This is a true Education Minister, who educates the children of the State of Israel that we live in a free and democratic country and everyone can voice his opinion. This is an exemplary educational model."

As for the claims that such a statement, when uttered by an Education Minister, ostensibly delegitimizes some of the youth? "I heard what Rabbi Rafi said. They asked him if there was any room for such therapy, and he said yes. He didn't say everyone had to undergo it, and he didn't recommend it. What is the problem? There's a one-way spiritual doctrine. Why? Because there are those who want it a certain way? I dispute it. I don't live in such a country. The State of Israel is much more than that and so it should be.

"Everyone cried out. One of those hoping to be prime minister, and I hope he will never be, speaks in terms of 'darkness' and he's the Enlightened one. But this very thing that it's forbidden to think is the darkest thing of them all. I call out from the bottom of my heart. We all must pay close attention and not accept such a phenomenon."

Rabbi Druckman is not interested in inciting discussion over the political issue, although he also believes there are those exploiting the matter for political purposes. In his remarks, Rabbi Druckman preferred to focus reference to the very phenomenon of silencing those who do not think according to a particular mindset. "It's a problem in the State of Israel and not of a specific gender or population ... The problem is that we live together and not everyone thinks the same thing and behaves the same way. The State is all of ours and we are one. It takes patience to hear out each other's words."