The US State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom this year mentions claims by the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ), a legal advocacy group for religious rights that represents mostly evangelical Christians and Messianic Jews, that the Interior Ministry refused to process immigration applications from persons entitled to citizenship under the Law of Return if it was determined such persons held Christian or Messianic Jewish religious beliefs.

In a landmark decision dealing with 12 Messianic Jews who are eligible under the Law of Return for automatic Israeli citizenship but who are not Jewish according to Halacha because their mothers are not Jewish, the Supreme Court ruled on April 16 of this year that the state could not deny them citizenship. In its ruling, the court said that individuals who are not halachically Jewish are still eligible to immigrate to Israel, even if they embraced a faith other than Judaism. Nevertheless, according to Calev Myers, head of the JIJ, five months after the court ruling was handed down, the 12 petitioners have still not received citizenship.

Cohen, one of the 12 Messianic Jews who petitioned the Supreme Court and won, said that the Interior Ministry has so far ignored the ruling. He preferred to use only a last name out of concern that a high profile might hurt chances of receiving citizenship.

“None of us have received citizenship so far,” said Cohen. “We were told two months ago that in one month’s time we would receive our citizenship. But so far nothing has happened. In the meantime I cannot work and I have to pay full tuition at university, which makes it difficult for me to make ends meet.” Cohen, who affirmed faith in Messianic Judaism, identifies as a Zionist. “I see myself as a Zionist. Why else would I give up a good job, family, friends, an incredible education and come here to be reduced to nothing?” he said. “I believe in the State of Israel and I want to raise my family here and I can’t imagine myself elsewhere.”

The Interior Ministry’s spokesperson said in response that “The Interior Ministry abides by Supreme Court decisions,” and that Messianic Jews, like members of any other religion, are entitled to Israeli citizenship due to their familial relations with a Jew. However, the spokesperson refused to comment on the delay in providing citizenship to the 12 petitioners.

– Matthew Wagner, JPost