Yinon Azoulay
Yinon AzoulayFlash 90

Knesset Member Yinon Azoulay (Shas) slammed the reformists in the Knesset plenum last night and claimed that among them are some who are "doubtful Jews."

At first he referred to the tefillin skit on Channel 2's Eretz Nehederet program (Israel's Saturday Night Live), which caused a wave of protest from religious and haredi Knesset Members.

"It's shameful that in a Jewish state, that which is sacred to the Jewish people is despised. The tefillin that our forefathers gave their lives for during difficult periods for the Jewish people, the Inquisition and the Holocaust - only because tefillin are the sign of a covenant between us and God. They're a sign that symbolizes the connection between the Jew and his Creator," he said during a motion for order he submitted on the subject.

"Sports competitions under the auspices of the State of Israel trample the honor of the Sabbath. The symbols of Judaism have become a backdrop for satire programs and G-d's honor is disgraced by the many."

In his speech, he attacked the expected Sabbath desecration in the capital: "In about two weeks' time there'll be a mass desecration of Sabbath in Jerusalem for a soccer match with Argentina, and I ask how far will this go? There are three signs between us and G-d - Shabbat, Tefillin, and circumcision - the Sabbath is trampled, they mock Tefillin - what remains is circumcision. All that's missing is that soon in the Jewish state this too will be canceled."

At this point he went on to attack the Reform: "I ask from this stage, what would have happened if such things had happened abroad? After all, everyone would shout 'anti-Semitism'. What would happen if G-d forbid they insulted the Koran? The very earth would tremble. But when we do it, everyone's silent. Reformers celebrating a bar mitzvah for a dog are Jews? Can these people touch and kiss the stones of the Western Wall? There are people there who are doubtfully Jews."

Knesset Member Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid), who was present in the plenum, found it difficult to remain silent: "Reform Jews are kosher, who are you to talk like this? You have no monopoly on religion and you have no right to speak against the Reform."