Matan Kahana

Kahana's outline for conversions revealed

Outline developed with senior Religious-Zionist rabbis, will enable tens of thousands of conversions of non-Jews of Jewish descent.

Minister Kahana: No miracle will help us if we are not united

Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana participates in candle lighting ceremony for the 2nd night of Hanukkah at the Western Wall.

Religious Affairs Minister to protect rabbis' freedom of speech

Minister Matan Kahana announces legislation to protect freedom of speech of municipal rabbis. MK Bezalel Smotrich says he will support it.

Security detail for Religious Affairs Minister following threats

Other Yamina MKs have also reported threats & harassment; MK Idit Silman insists that gas station attack really did occur.

Ombudsman: Remove Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef's status as judge

Former Supreme Court Justice Uri Shoham tells Religious Affairs Minister Chief Rabbi Yosef's opposition to kashrut reforms has gone too far.

Religious Affairs Min.: Minority shouldn't control Western Wall

'The Orthodox are the majority, there's no need to allow other sectors to run the Western Wall,' Religious Affairs Minister Kahana says.

Religious Affairs Minister: I act only according to Jewish law

Kahana describes plans to convert 500,000 Israelis of Jewish descent to Judaism as "national responsibility of Religious Zionist sector."

Minister Kahana: Yamina tried get Netanyahu to form government

Religious Affairs Minister says Yamina did what it could to allow Netanyahu to form a government, did what was necessary after that failed.

Government's Kashrut Reform plan clears first hurdle

Controversial plan to open up kashrut certification to competition approved by Knesset committee, sending it to full Knesset plenum.

Yisrael Beytenu MK promotes her own mock kashrut certification

"MK Yulia Malinovsky is saying what Matan Kahana is trying to hide." This is "Avigdor Liberman's idea of kashrut reform."

Protestors grill shrimp outside Matan Kahana's house

Protestors against the proposed reform brought seafood and rodents to the Religious Services Minister's house with signs saying 'Kosher.'

Minister Kahana: No room for US consulate to PA in Jerusalem

Religious Affairs Minister says PM, Foreign Minister have made their opposition to the reopening of the consulate clear to the US.

Minister Kahana invites Emirati counterpart to Hebron

Minister of Religious Affairs visits Dubai, meets the Emirati Minister of Tolerance, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak.

'We will continue to strengthen Judea and Samaria'

Minister of Religious Affairs meets heads of Yesha Council. discusses intention to give priority to the Judea and Samaria area.

'I understand those who are disappointed'

Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana to Arutz Sheva: The Meretz ministers who met Abbas don't represent the government.

Knesset debates kashrut reforms: 'Toilet cleaner is kosher'

Haredi MKs boycott debate on bill to reform kashrut industry in Israel.

New criteria offer advantage to new synagogues in Judea, Samaria

Min. Matan Kahana sets new criteria for funding construction of new synagogues, offering advantage to areas with 'sensitive security needs.'

Yamina Minister: Netanyahu is shamelessly lying

Minister Matan Kahana fires back after Netanyahu claims Bennett acted against police and IDF in lifting closure on Judea and Samaria.

Travelers to Uman to test before boarding plane home

Minister Matan Kahana presents plan to allow hasidim to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. 'This year, there will be no discrimination.'

The government's next battle: conversion reform

Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana expected to meet with chief rabbis in coming days, to discuss conversion reform.

Chief Rabbi Lau opposes kashrut reforms

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi writes to Religious Affairs Minister: 'Those behind reforms are the ones who try to destroy State's Jewish character.'

First publication: Chief Rabbi's deal with Minister Kahana

Rabbi David Lau will continue to serve as a judge after his term ends in exchange for not opposing kashrut reforms.

Government prepares for Rosh Hashannah trip to Uman

Religious Affairs Minister meets director of Ben Gurion Airport to discuss annual hasidic pilgrimage to Tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.

Religious Zionist rabbis decry 'kashrut revolution'

Leading rabbis say any reform to kashrut industry must be approved by the Chief Rabbinate.

The government's next target: Conversion services

Religious Affairs Min. turns his attention to eliminating Chief Rabbinate's authority over conversion process.

Religious Affairs Minister announces 'kashrut revolution'

Reforms in kashrut aimed to increase competition while having Chief Rabbinate set universal standards.

'A single law for theaters and synagogues'

Religious Affairs Ministry formulating plan for synagogues during holiday season, promises single standard for all venues.

Yamina minister lies about haredi support for Shabbat compromise

Minister for Religious Affairs Matan Kahana made claim in Knesset plenum, only to be shot down by UTJ MK Uri Maklev.

Yamina's plan to negate haredi influence on key committee

Religious Affairs Minister intends to ensure more rabbis, religious judges appointed from Religious Zionist community.

Minister Kahana: Smotrich continues scorched earth policy

Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana says Bezalel Smotrich willing to destroy everything if he doesn't get his way.

Israel's first deaf MK to enter the Knesset in 48 hours

Yamina's Shirley Pinto will enter the Knesset following the resignation of Religious Affairs Minister as part of the Norwegian Law.

Closure of Temple mount was 'pitiful decision'

'The Temple Mount is in our hands? Or are those who are violent victorious?': Right-wing MKs slam decision to close Temple Mount to Jews.

MK Matan Kahana: We have forgotten that we are brothers

MK Matan Kahana speaks at Memorial Day ceremony, stresses importance of unity among Israelis.

'There's no way Yair Lapid will become prime minister'

Yamina's MK Matan Kahane says his party aims to replace PM Netanyahu, but refuses to rule out sitting in a Netanyahu-led government.

Matan Kahana: Netanyahu is afraid to be right-wing

Yamina MK says Yair Lapid cannot be prime minister because the majority will vote right-wing and he is left-wing.

'New Hope is a balloon that'll pop after elections'

'New Hope party is filled with air, it was created only from hatred, with no agenda,' Yamina's MK Matan Kahane says.

Yamina MK Matan Kahane meets with Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef

MK Kahane speaks with Rabbi Yosef about issues of religion and state. At end of meeting, Rabbi Yosef blesses Kahane.

MK Matan Kahane:

'Without Bennett, Palestinian state would have arisen here'

Yamina MK: 'I don't move an inch on religion and state without close rabbinical guidance. No one will teach us what religious Zionism is.'

Bennett heaps praise on member of his party

Yamina chairman praises MK Matan Kahana and quips: He's more religious than I am.

'Netanyahu-Abbas alliance is a disgrace'

MK Matan Kahana blasts Likud after its members fail to attend vote on motion to bar Joint List and Ra’am from running for the Knesset.

MK Kahane:

'Lawbreakers enter IDF bases and steal property'

Yamina MK Matan Kahane blames government for lawlessness in south: 'After six Likud Internal Security Ministers, reality is complete chaos.'

Yamina MK Kahana: Our main objective is to replace Netanyahu

"We'll sit with any Zionist party that can set personal differences aside for two minutes."

MK Kahana blessed by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky

Yamina MK meets with leader of Lithuanian haredi community. says Torah united the Jewish people.

Yamina MK: Will Netanyahu agree to join Bennett's coalition?

As Yamina closes in on Likud in polls, party predicts Netanyahu's demise.

Construction freeze in reverse: Waste incinerator only in Judea

Environment Ministry freezes plans for "all incinerators across the country" but plans for waste disposal in Judea to continue.

Bill would declare PA a 'foreign political entity'

New bill would allow for prosecution of Israeli citizens who cooperating with PA gov't or security agencies against the State of Israel.

MK Matan Kahane: 'I'd recommend Bennett to be prime minister'

MK Kahane announces 'next person I'd recommend to be prime minister is Naftali Bennett,' stressing this is not official Yamina position.

MK Kahana: You admit that you failed in Area C

Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee holds dicussion on state's failure to respond to PA takeover of Area C.

'Blue and White is pushing the Likud around time and time again'

MK Matan Kahana attacked the coalition's decision to bury the Override Clause - 'Likud is like a leaf blown in the wind by Blue and White'.

Can Jerusalem tourism be saved from the clutches of COVID-19?

With CV-19 virus not allowing flights in and out of the country, the tourism industry in Israel may have gotten the boost it badly needed.

Shaked: Apply sovereignty without strangling communities

MK Ayelet Shaked visits protest tent, calls on PM to 'seize opportunity' while avoiding dangers in application of sovereignty.

MK Kahana slams Minister Deri's conversion law proposal

Yamina MK attacks Deri's proposal to enact new conversion law ensuring that only conversions in Israel approved by Rabbinate recognized.

'Gantz, Netanyahu, how dare you give a tailwind to terrorism'

MK Matan Kahana criticizes Prime Minister, Alternate Prime Minister for suspending order stopping PA banks from transferring terrorist funds

'Netanyahu is to blame for the sickness of the justice system'

"A day on which the Israeli Prime Minister sits on the defendant’s bench is a sad day for the State of Israel," says MK Matan Kahana.