Zehut party chairman Moshe Feiglin on Sunday presented a plan to preserve Israel's Jewish character by distinguishing between state institutions and local community sites.
Under the proposal, presented during an interview at the "Olam Katan" conference, state institutions representing the country would be required to maintain Israel's Jewish character and respect Shabbat as the national day of rest, while decisions affecting local communities would be left to residents themselves, without coercive legislation.
At the heart of the proposal is a distinction between the national sphere, which represents the State of Israel as a whole, and the local sphere, where Zehut seeks to give communities greater authority to determine their own way of life.
According to Feiglin, national institutions such as Ben Gurion Airport and the Kan 11 public broadcaster should operate in a manner that respects Shabbat and its status as the Jewish people's day of rest.
However, when it comes to local community arrangements, he wants to reduce political involvement and allow residents to make their own decisions.
During the interview, Feiglin explained, "For thirty years, futile coercive laws have not brought anyone closer to Shabbat. On the contrary, they have fueled unnecessary disputes and invited court rulings that have harmed tradition."
"Shabbat and Judaism are based on choice, connection, and mutual respect, not political populism," he emphasized, insisting that transferring responsibility for regulating issues affecting local community life to residents and communities themselves would prevent local disagreements from becoming nationwide political battles.
"Questions concerning the local community sphere must be returned to the residents and communities themselves, without turning the sacred traditions of Israel into weapons to be used against one another," he said.