Ponevezh Yeshiva
Ponevezh YeshivaYaakov Naumi/Flash 90

MK Yisrael Eichler (UTJ), recently received a request to help regarding a case published on the Tax Authority's website. On their site, Tax Authority had mentioned that the suspect was an "avrech" (married yeshiva student).

In response, Eichler turned to the Tax Authority and explained the severity of the identification by sector. He pointed out the fact that once the label "avrech" is used, the resulting generalization harms an entire community.

"Just like a suspect's ethnicity or location cannot be publicized, so, too, it is forbidden to publish which sector he belongs to. Writing that he is an 'avrech' feeds into a negative stereotype," Eichler said. The law does not allow ethnic details about suspects to be published.

The Tax Authority has since removed the offending content.

"Our sages taught that a community which has abrogaded its honor - its honor is not abrogated (that is, it has no right to do so, ed.). We must protest every insult and insist that the situation be rectified immediately. If we do this with determination and make sure to word our requests politely, we will achieve results," Eichler said.