Matan Kahana

Matan Kahana seeks re-appointment as minister

Deputy Religious Services Minister seeks support from coalition members for his reappointment as minister.

Matan Kahana's next goal:

A top spot in Yesh Atid or Blue & White

Dep. Religious Affairs Minister wants to switch parties, be in top five spots - but Yesh Atid does not seem to consider that an option.

Matan Kahana: Solely right-wing govt would be 'terrible'

Bennett's former right-hand man poised to join Blue & White in quest for "broad unity government."

Will Yamina MK abandon party for Blue and White?

Haaretz analyst expects Yamina's Dep. Min. Matan Kahana to leave his party. 'Obviously, Kahana and Shaked were not meant to run together.'

Bennett to Yamina activists: We need broad unity

The prime minister and members of his faction met Yamina activists with Bennett telling them he will deal with the Iranian threat.

Opposition takes aim at reforms to kosher supervision

Amendments designed to restore powers of Chief Rabbinate weakened by former Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana.

Ahead of the election

UTJ launches election campaign: 'They hurt us'

In first campaign video, UTJ warns of the "persecution" of religion by the government.

Deputy Minister:

'I wish I could press a button, send the Arabs to Switzerland'

Israel's de facto Religious Affairs Minister draws criticism after saying 'there is no chance for peace with the Palestinians'.

Women in combat units:

'Gender equality is important but not inviolable' says Kahana

IDF is about to "conduct an experiment" in elite 669 Unit, says Kahana. "Is that justified?"

Matan Kahana:

'Silman sided with those who used violence against her'

Deputy Minister of Religious Services: Silman proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that she does not want to be part of Yamina.

"Silman, you're fantastic!"

Netanyahu praises MK who prevented Kahana's reappointment

Appointment of Dep. Min. Kahana to position of minister ties in vote and fails, Yamina expected to remove MK Silman from Knesset role.

Another blow for the coalition

Kahana's appointment for Minister fails to pass

MK Idit Silman votes against, and vote on appointment of Matan Kahana as Religious Services Minister ends in tie.

Religious Affairs Min. to recognize female halakhic authorities

'The time has come for the State of Israel to celebrate this reality,' Dep. Min. Kahana says.

Op-ed:

Beyond the euphoria of Yom Ha’atzmaut is political chaos

We bask in its astonishing achievements but if a person wanted to destroy the Jewish state, there are several steps that he could take.Op-ed

An illegal maneuver?

Kahana is de facto Relig. Affairs Minister even after resigning

Supreme Court invalidated precisely this situation in 2015 following a petition by the Yesh Atid party.

Matan Kahana:

'We weren't afraid of a defection'

MK Kahana claims the move in which he resigned as a Minister was intended to stabilize the coalition.

Report: Kahana's resignation as minister to be temporary

Religious Affairs Minister to resign, return to Knesset as an MK to strengthen coalition, but will remain Deputy Religious Affairs Minister.

Religious Services Minister Kahana to resign, return to Knesset

Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana is resigning from his ministerial post, and will return to the Knesset as a regular Yamina MK.

Conflict in the coalition:

Yamina ministers: 'We won't rely on the Joint Arab List'

Interior Min. Shaked, number two to PM Bennett, says FM Lapid's statement on cooperation with Joint Arab List 'completely unacceptable.'

No Religious-Zionist bonfire in Meron this year

Just one bonfire permitted this year after last year's terrible tragedy.

Minister Kahana does not rule out cooperating with Joint List

Religious Affairs Minister defends potential cooperation with anti-Zionist Arab parties, says Netanyahu, Smotrich cooperating with them.

Minister Kahana:

'Yamina MKs intend to move forward in current government'

Religious Affairs Minister says Yamina will not see more defectors after MK Idit Silman bolts coalition.

Blow to coalition:

American rabbis come out against conversion reform

After Min. Kahana visits US, rabbis from major American Jewish organizations warn conversion reform will 'divide Israelis even further.'

Op-ed:

We American Orthodox rabbis can’t support Kahana's reform

Decentralizing authority for conversion to local rabbinic courts means potentially contradictory standards that we are glad to be rid of.

Conversion reform:

Avigdor Liberman: Chief Rabbinate left with too much power

Minister Kahana rejects criticisms, accuses Liberman of refusing to meet with him to iron out differences.

We do not cherry-pick or forum-shop Judaic minority opinions

Matan Kahana argues to adopt completely unacceptable minority viewpoints as the Judaic law of the land. Op-ed.

The green goggles of faith and Min.Kahana’s conversion proposals

Every legal system engenders cogent minority viewpoints from great scholars. But we do not light 8 candles the 1st night of Chanukah.Op-ed.

Bypassing Knesset vote:

Religious Affairs Min. to pass Conversion Law as gov't decision

Conversion plan to be approved by government in coming weeks, implemented before Knesset vote.

Chief Rabbis: New Conversion Law is based on deceit

Those who 'convert' according to Kahana's law won't be recognized as Jews by vast majority of rabbis, warn Israel's chief rabbis.

30 bottom lines on Min, Matan Kahana's "Conversion Reforms”

With Jewish lineage chaos beyond control in the US , the Chief Rabbinate is the unifying force for maintaining Jewish authenticity, Op-ed

Conversion reforms to be brought for vote on Sunday

Minister Kahana's bill, written with help of senior religious Zionist rabbis, stipulates conversions must be done according to Torah law.

Kahana: I want to limit terms of office of local rabbis

Religious Affairs Minister explains that doing so will lead to "more communities that feel connected to Judaism."

Organizer of last year's Meron events to be put in charge again

Decision was made by Religious Affairs Ministry for reasons of "economy & efficiency."

Kahana proposes deal:

Consular marriages in exchange for Law of Return reform

Religious Affairs Minister vetoes bill to recognize marriages at foreign consulates in Israel, but proposes deal to salvage bill.

Minister Matan Kahana:

The Slippery Slope of Divisiveness

Addressing the 19th Jerusalem Conference, Israel's Minister of Religious Services spoke against the rifts amongst the people of Israel.

Kahana blasts 'extremism' within Religious-Zionist sector

Kahana condemns rabbis for failing to protest speech by Chief Rabbi, calls for an "end to divisive discourse."

'With better organization, similar numbers can visit Meron'

Government appointee for Meron: "I want to take everyone's opinions into account, understand everyone's customs."

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef: 'Minor rabbis' mislead Minister Kahana

Sephardic Chief Rabbi rails conversion, kashrut reforms of Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana.

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu: Kahana beholden to Meretz, leftists

Hundreds of rabbis demonstrate against conversion reforms. Safed Chief Rabbi says reform dangerous to Judaism.

Thousands of yeshiva students march in Jerusalem against reforms

Students from national-religious community demonstrate against Minister Kahana's religious reforms.

Chief Rabbis to lead rally against government reforms

Israel's leading religious authorities have issued an 'emergency call to action' against proposed reforms in religious services in Israel.

Tzohar's 'Code of Ethics' for kosher supervisors

Tzohar rabbinic organization stresses importance of teaching ethical behavior even prior to the practical side of kosher supervision.

Religious-Zionist youth to hold protest march against government

Religious Affairs Minister: "Protesting is best use of one's citizenship rights; I have no problem with people protesting my policies."

Rabbi Eitan Eizman: Rabbinate must discuss conversion reform

Leading Religious Zionist rabbi calls on Chief Rabbinate to hold dialogue with Religious Affairs Minister on 'good' conversion law.

An open letter to the Hon. MK Mansour Abbas, head of Ra'am

Arafat only got to start intifadas. You actually get the deciding vote in the Knesset on who is a Jew. This is what is at stake.Op-ed

Minister Kahana enlists aid of 3 experts for conversion bill

Dr. Shuki Friedman: "The trend towards private religious services raises the question- do we need a chief rabbinate?"

Religious Affairs Minister: Without Torah we have nothing

Minister Matan Kahana responds to no confidence motion, says 'those who can study Torah must. That is what State of Israel stands for.'

Meron disaster

Bridge where 45 were crushed in stampede is demolished

Government unit demolishes dangerous and illegal bridge where 45 were killed in stampede last year.

Man arrested after threatening minister will 'end up like Rabin'

Ashkelon resident arrested after calling office of Religious Affairs Minister to say his 'harming of rabbis' will lead to his assassination.

Today: Kashrut reform takes effect

First stage of kashrut reform advanced by Minister Kahana will enable every religious council to provide certification anywhere in Israel.

Religious Affairs Minister: I hope Rabbi Lau changes his mind

Kahana: Chief Rabbi's decision to cease authorizing conversions "solely because a certain official did not have his tenure extended."

Haredi MK: Haredim can't be bought with money

'If elections were held today, Yamina would not pass electoral threshold,' MK Gafni says.

Unintended results of Min. Matan Kahana's conversion plan

We will find US halakhic authorities in RCA and OU subjecting Israeli converts coming to the US to lineage investigations. And worse. Op-ed

Unintended consequences of the Conversion Authority changes

Why Matan Kahana's proposals for changing Conversion Authority will severely rupture Israel's relations with World Jewry. Opinion.

French consulate refuses to register Judea and Samaria couples

Consulate does not recognize marriage certificates of French citizens who married in Israel and registered in Judea and Samaria.

Minister Kahana: Days of stepping on religious Zionists over

Religious Affairs Minister accuses haredi MKs of refusing to see religious Zionists as Orthodox or religious Jews.

European Rabbis: Making conversion easier leads to assimilation

Leaders of Conference of European Rabbis warn in letter to PM, Kahana of potential disaster for tens of thousands of Israelis in Europe.

Religious Services Minister discusses threats to his life

Minister Matan Kahana tells about the threats against him and his recently assigned security.

The threats which led Shabak to increase security for Kahana

Shabak details threats against Religious Affairs Minister over his proposed kashrut, conversion reforms.

Conversion Reform will not recognize Reform conversions

Minister Matan Kahana's draft legislation for conversion reform amended to ensure conversions will remain according to halakhic standards.