The issue of freedom of expression has recently become a hot-button issue in Israel’s religious community, in part, as a response to the sketch comedy television program “The Jews Are Coming” that pokes fun at biblical stories and other Jewish issues. Prof. Yuval Elbashan, Dean of the Law School at Ono Academic College served as one of the three panelists addressing a conference convened to discuss this issue by the Beit Hillel Organization and moderated by Rabbi Zvi Koren, a member of the organization’s board of directors.
The main message emerging from the Beit Hillel Rabbinical Conference on Freedom of Expression, as noted in a Kipa website article was, “It is appropriate to maintain the content [of free speech] in a respectful framework and not in a defiant and contemptuous manner.”
For his part, Prof. Elbashan noted “that in his opinion, apart from the limits of good taste that are personal, the only restriction on freedom of expression is in telling lies. When you create a false appearance by distorting the truth and presenting it as correct and accurate – the publication of things must be avoided.”
The full article can be read at: https://www.kipa.co.il/%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%a0%d7%96%d7%94/1099463-%d7%9b%d7%a0%d7%a1-%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%91%d7%99%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%9c%d7%9c-%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%97%d7%95%d7%a4%d7%a9-%d7%94%d7%91%d7%99%d7%98%d7%95%d7%99-%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%95%d7%99-%d7%9c%d7%a9%d7%9e%d7%95%d7%a8-%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%94%d7%aa%d7%9b%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%91%d7%9e%d7%a1%d7%92%d7%a8/
