Tzvia Greenfeld
Encyclopedia
Tzvia Greenfeld is an Israel
i politician and a former member of the Knesset
for Meretz-Yahad.
and was among the signatories of the Geneva accords
. She wrote the book They're Afraid': How the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Became the Leading Force in Israel. She lives in Har Nof
and her five children attend Orthodox Zionist schools.
In 2006 she decided to pursue a parliamentary career. She was on the Meretz list for the 17th Knesset and was ranked sixth in an internal vote by 700 of Meretz's 1,000 central committee members, after Chair Yossi Beilin
, Ran Cohen
, Avshalom Vilan
, Zehava Gal-On
, and Haim Oron
. Meretz received five seats. On 4 November 2008 Greenfeld replaced Beilin, who retired from politics, and became the first ultra-Orthodox woman sworn into the Knesset. Prior to the 2009 elections
she again won sixth place on the Meretz list. However, she lost her seat in the February 2009 elections
, as the party was reduced to three seats.
Greenfeld opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories
and supports a two-state solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
along the Green Line
with "minor adjustments". She describes herself as a social democrat and a supporter of a strong welfare state. She does not follow any rabbis, claiming that contemporary Israeli rabbis do not advance the interests of their followers. She also accused them of not preparing their followers for the disengagement plan. She remains Orthodox, rather than choosing Reform Judaism
or Conservative Judaism
because she believes in continuity, feels close to Jewish tradition and history, and is committed to observing Halacha.
Greenfeld considers herself an Orthodox woman with similar values to those of the United States
and Europe
, accepting separation of church and state
, which she believes is necessary in Israel as well in order to save Judaism. She supports gay rights and gay marriage. In her book, she accuses the Orthodox of using child benefits as a source of income. She does not use elevators on Shabbat
and had a pet dog. She has stirred controversy among the ultra-Orthodox, and ultra-Orthodox journalist Kobi Arieli wrote that she is not truly ultra-Orthodox because she had a dog, and that real ultra-Orthodox hate Meretz.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician and a former member of the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
for Meretz-Yahad.
Biography
Greenfeld was born in Jerusalem in 1945. She grew up in a Haredi home and attended Beis Yaakov schools. She earned an MA in philosophy and history at Hebrew University, and a PhD in political philosophy. She has been politically active since the 1990s. In 1993, she established the Mifneh ["pivot point"] Institute for education toward peace, tolerance, and democracy in Orthodox society. She was among the founders of Orthodox Women for the Sanctity of Life, which opposed the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon. Greenfeld is a member of the Board of Directors of B'tselemB'Tselem
B'Tselem is an Israeli non-governmental organization . It calls itself "The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories"...
and was among the signatories of the Geneva accords
Geneva accords
The Geneva Accords, known formally as the agreements on the settlement of the situation relating to Afghanistan, were signed on 14 April 1988 between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the United States and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors....
. She wrote the book They're Afraid': How the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Became the Leading Force in Israel. She lives in Har Nof
Har Nof
Har Nof is a neighborhood on a hillside on the western boundary of Jerusalem, Israel, with a population of 20,000 residents, primarily Orthodox Jews.-History:...
and her five children attend Orthodox Zionist schools.
In 2006 she decided to pursue a parliamentary career. She was on the Meretz list for the 17th Knesset and was ranked sixth in an internal vote by 700 of Meretz's 1,000 central committee members, after Chair Yossi Beilin
Yossi Beilin
Dr. Yosef "Yossi" Beilin is a left-wing Israeli politician and a former Knesset member, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and Justice Minister, representing both the Labor Party and Meretz-Yachad, of which he served as chairman between 2003 and 2006. He is best known for his involvement with the...
, Ran Cohen
Ran Cohen
Ran Cohen is an Israeli politician and former Knesset member for Meretz-Yachad. He is a resident of Mevaseret Zion and married with four children....
, Avshalom Vilan
Avshalom Vilan
Avshalom "Abu" Vilan is an Israeli politician and economist. He served as a Knesset member for Meretz between 1999 and 2009.-Biography:Born in kibbutz Negba in 1951, Vilan served in the IDF as a Master Sergeant in Sayeret Matkal, the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit.Vilan studied Economics and...
, Zehava Gal-On
Zehava Gal-On
Zahava Gal-On is an Israeli politician. She is a member of the Knesset for Meretz, as a mid-term replacement after the retirement of the head of the party Haim Oron and is well-known for her outspokenness, opposition to Meretz's election strategy, and very liberal and pluralist...
, and Haim Oron
Haim Oron
Haim "Jumas" Oron is an Israeli politician and former Minister of Agriculture. He is currently head of the political party New Movement-Meretz, for whom he served as a member of the Knesset.-Biography:...
. Meretz received five seats. On 4 November 2008 Greenfeld replaced Beilin, who retired from politics, and became the first ultra-Orthodox woman sworn into the Knesset. Prior to the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
she again won sixth place on the Meretz list. However, she lost her seat in the February 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
, as the party was reduced to three seats.
Greenfeld opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
and supports a two-state solution
Two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consensus solution that is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007...
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
along the Green Line
Green Line (Israel)
Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
with "minor adjustments". She describes herself as a social democrat and a supporter of a strong welfare state. She does not follow any rabbis, claiming that contemporary Israeli rabbis do not advance the interests of their followers. She also accused them of not preparing their followers for the disengagement plan. She remains Orthodox, rather than choosing Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
or Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
because she believes in continuity, feels close to Jewish tradition and history, and is committed to observing Halacha.
Greenfeld considers herself an Orthodox woman with similar values to those of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, accepting separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
, which she believes is necessary in Israel as well in order to save Judaism. She supports gay rights and gay marriage. In her book, she accuses the Orthodox of using child benefits as a source of income. She does not use elevators on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and had a pet dog. She has stirred controversy among the ultra-Orthodox, and ultra-Orthodox journalist Kobi Arieli wrote that she is not truly ultra-Orthodox because she had a dog, and that real ultra-Orthodox hate Meretz.
Publications
- They are afraid - how the religious and ultra-religious right became the leading factor in Israel (Yediot Aharanot/Tamar, 2001).