Smotrich: Transgender child doesn’t belong in religious school, just like a non-kosher sandwich

Religious Zionism party chair Bezalel Smotrich says that a transgender child is simply not fit to attend a religious school, just like someone who brings a non-kosher sandwich to class.

“Whoever is enrolled in religious schools needs to act according to Jewish law,” Smotrich tells Channel 13 news. “Therefore, just like someone who brings a non-kosher sandwich for a snack can’t learn in religious schools, so too someone who violates Jewish law can’t learn in religious schools.”

Such a determination, Smotrich adds, is defined in state law, and is “separate completely from the overall conversation” about transgender Israelis.

Smotrich is asked about the issue in light of news reports over the past week that a transgender student was studying in a religious school in Givat Shmuel, without the knowledge of the other students or parents, angering some of them.

Before answering the question, Smotrich also says that he is “much more accepting and tolerant” of the LGBTQ community than Ra’am MK Walid Taha, and that the news media is “hypocritical” in not asking him similar questions.