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8 Sivan 5761 - May 30, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Tel Aviv University Cancels Planned Rav Amnon Yitzhak Appearance
by S. Bruchi

The Tel Aviv University administration cancelled an appearance by Rav Amnon Yitzhak planned for the afternoon of Rosh Chodesh Sivan on its Exact Sciences campus.

Last month, three members of the Agudas Yisroel group at the University approached the Student Authority with a request for use of an auditorium for the appearance of a guest speaker who is a rav. The Authority gave the organizers written approval for the rav's appearance on May 23 at the campus' Bach auditorium.

A few days later, Nili Amit, head of the Student Authority, announced that the request was being reconsidered, questioning if such an event should take place within the University. After a few days of discussion with University attorney, a decision was made to cancel the event, since it was "unsuitable" for the University and "contrary to University policy."

Last week, legal experts said that they can not understand how the University could cancel an appearance that had received prior approval, by claiming that such an appearance was contrary to University policy. "It is inconceivable that a place that gives a platform to Mohammed Zilka, members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and others speaking against our society and our democracy, would silence rabbonim. How is it possible that the appearance of rabbonim contradicts University policy?"

In response, MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni said that a university claiming to be an open, pluralistic institution is afraid of letting another view of Judaism be heard.

"It seems that those who speak in lofty terms about freedom of expression and being open to ideas are themselves closed individuals, afraid of an ideological struggle with the truth. Eventually, the Jewish people will return to its roots, and nothing will help those who are trying with all their might to prevent this; they are going against the wishes of the people."

 

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