Matan Kahana has upset the religious status quo, and his work won’t be easily undone
After a year in the Religious Services Ministry, Yamina MK gets a middling grade from liberal figures for shaking up Haredi hegemony but failing to advance core issues
Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana, left, with Haya Kliger, on July 15, 2021 (Courtesy)
In his short term as head of Israel’s Religious Services Ministry, Matan Kahana made his mark on the often-overlooked office, rolling out a number of reforms that won’t easily be reversed no matter who wins the upcoming election.
Kahana updated the long-maligned process of naming municipal rabbis, removing many of the aspects that left the positions open to corruption and abuse. At his direction, women have not only been allowed to participate in the management of religious services but are now mandated to do so for certain tasks.
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Palestinian security officers clash with demonstrators in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank, on June 26, 2021, during a rally protesting the death of human rights activist Nizar Banat. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)
