From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Ministers to discuss bill to block non-Jews whose grandparents are Jewish from immigrating to Israel
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday is set to discuss a bill from far-right coalition MK Avi Maoz that would amend the Law of Return to remove from the grandchildren of Jews the right to immigrate to Israel and obtain citizenship.
The Law of Return was formulated in 1950, two years after the State of Israel was established, giving every Jew from around the world the automatic right to immigrate to the Jewish state. While Orthodox religious authorities traditionally only recognize as Jewish those who have a Jewish mother or who converted to Judaism through an Orthodox track, the law was expanded in 1970 to also allow any grandchild of a Jew to immigrate even if they themselves are not Jewish.
“In its current form, the Law of Return also allows the grandson of a Jew to receive immigrant status and rights, even if he himself, and sometimes even if his parents, are no longer Jewish,” the law’s explanatory notes read.
“This situation means that the law is being exploited by many who have severed all ties with the Jewish people and their traditions, and in effect empties the law of its original intention, which was to open the country’s gates to Diaspora Jews.”
Previous proposals to change the grandchild clause were submitted in late 2022 and early 2023 and were part of coalition deals ahead of the current government’s formation.
“The timing of the proposed change to the grandchild clause is deeply troubling,” says Rabbi Seth Farber, the director of the ITIM nonprofit, which helps Israelis navigate their country’s religious bureaucracy.
“At a time when thousands of immigrants — some not halachically Jewish — are showing courage and sacrifice on the battlefield, it is morally absurd for government officials, many of whom never served in the IDF, to question their right to belong.
“In the long term, however, it is legitimate to consider thoughtful and inclusive adjustments to the Law of Return that strengthen Jewish identity while preserving Israel’s role as the homeland of the entire Jewish people.”
The Times of Israel Community.