Flier distributed by Honenu in support of the printing house
Thursday, August 6, 2020, 9:23 On Wednesday, August 5, a deliberation took place at the Be’er Sheva District Court on the appeal filed by the owners of the “Tzivei HaKeshet” printing house on the ruling handed down by Be’er Sheva Magistrates Court Judge Orit Lipschitz. The ruling obligates the owners to compensate the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), specifically Israel’s LGBT Task Force associated with it, known as “The Aguda”, for discrimination. The printing house owners refused to print material requested by The Aguda because it violated their religious beliefs. The Be’er Sheva District Court heard the claims from both sides and is expected to hand down a ruling on the appeal soon.
One of the owners expressed hope that the court would accept the appeal: “Today a deliberation took place on our case, against the ruling in which the court decided that we are supposed to carry out jobs contrary to our religious faith. We regard this as a problem and therefore we filed the appeal. We hope that, G-d willing, the matter will turn in our favor and that Am Yisrael will come out ahead in this story.”
Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado, who is representing the printing house owners, pointed out a growing and spreading trend: “We left the deliberation on the appeal of the decision by the Be’er Sheva Magistrates Court which ruled that the printing house owners had been obligated to produce, contrary to the laws of the Torah, to their sensitivities, and to their free will, material for LGBT Task Force. There is a feeling that the deliberation, and also the public discussion, which unfortunately is invading the courthouse, has turned from a legal deliberation into one based on agendas. The spirit of equality, the spirit of LGBT freedom, is blinding the eyes of those involved with judicial work, at the level of legalities, at the level of appropriate priorities of life in a country in which various groups live, and at the level of fine points of law.”
Yado emphasized that, “The law is on our side, justice is on our side. We hope that the court will stop the pendulum of LGBT freedom at the correct place and not cause radicalism, but rather preserve a balanced society of groups that can live together, without harming or suppressing each other. Especially in a Jewish state, it is hard to come to terms with the fact that the LGBT [community] is coercing Torah-observant Jews. This is a warning signal which I hope the court will heed, and therefore accept the appeal.”
The incident occurred approximately three years ago. Students from “The Aguda” on the Ben Gurion University campus requested a price estimate from “Tzivei HaKeshet” for printing material. In response, the printing house emailed a warning not to send them abhorrent material: “We do not handle abhorrent material; we are Jews.” The custom order violated the owners’ beliefs and would have forced them to violate Jewish law.
The students did not directly reply and all further correspondence was handled through an attorney. To the shock of the printing house owners, the matter resulted in a 100,000 NIS lawsuit. In April, Be’er Sheva Magistrates Court Judge Orit Lipschitz accepted the suit and awarded the plaintiffs 50,000 NIS.
Honenu: Support the printing house!
Honenu has distributed fliers calling on the public to support the printing house: “Today, in the Jewish State, a printing house that refused to print fliers which violated Jewish law and their faith, was fined over 50,000 NIS [50,00 NIS to the plaintiffs in addition to legal expenses] by the court!! This is the price of keeping mitzvot in the State of Israel.
“Following the publication of the scandalous ruling we have received many requests for information from citizens interested in assisting the business owners who were fined. Whoever needs quality printing services is invited to place an order.”
Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad, the director of Honenu: “Today, unfortunately a court in Israel crossed a line. What is left for us is the People of Israel, solidarity, and mutual assistance. ‘They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother: “Be strong”.’ (Isiah 41:6) The Torah and faith in G-d were here long before the court and they will be here forever.”