Oh, but there is a world of difference between reciting a religious prayer and singing the national anthem of one's country. If a justice of Israel's Supreme Court feels compelled to remain silent during the singing of Israel's national anthem, then he ought to feel equally compelled to resign his position. He's not being asked to participate in a religious service of any sort; he is being asked to show respect for the State of Israel. If he cannot do that, he does not belong on the bench, particularly of Israel's highest court. Perhaps they can find something suitable for him to do in Ramallah.

Well, any Israeli Arab who has an issue with singing Israel's national anthem is free to vote with his feet and leave the country. Israel should not tolerate a justice of the Supreme Court who feels unable to express loyalty to the State which pays his salary and accords him a higher standard of living than he can hope to enjoy anywhere else in the Middle East.

Well, then, let them voluntarily give up their citizenship and leave for a country more to their liking. Hatikvah is not an anthem exclusively for Jews. It is an anthem for ALL Israelis, and those who cannot bring themselves to join in its singing have no business living there. And even LESS business serving on the highest court in the land.

Firstly the majority of haredim sing the anthem, serve in the army and have jobs. Its only the more radical ones that interest because who cares about a haredi who lives a perfectly normal and very uninteresting life? Everybody wants to lay into the haredi condemn them for every little thing they do and you can't really criticize if the only thing they do different from everybody else is they are religious and dress like they belong in 19th century Europe rather than jeans and t shirt. Even if there are haredi who do not sing the anthem are ordinary citizens not public officials and an individual is entitled to any political opinion he likes and can refuse to sing the anthem if he choses. A Supreme Court judge must follow protocol and if its expected for him to sing Hatikvah in the duty of carrying out his job he must put personal opinions aside and do something he doesn't want to do. If he wants to give up being a judge and go back to civilian life he can sing Allah praise Arafat if he wants and nobody will criticize him. If he wants to be a judge then he has to sacrifice his personal political opinions as part of the job. We are not asking him to say a prayer which might conflict with his religion just sing a song and he doesn't even have to believe in what he is singing just open his mouth and sing the words because his job demands it of him.

I respect the arabs. I know that they cannot sing hatikva. All arabs are loyal to the arab nation and not the jewish state. All arabs will desire and work for the replacement of the jewish state with an arab state. Its that simple. Therefore all arabs in order for them to properly fullfill their arab nationalistic aspirations must be repatriated to the 22 arab states.

When this guy chose to accept the nomination for Supreme Court judge he gave up his right to freedom of choice and had to follow the rules that come with the position. If you apply for a job and the employer demands you come into work 10am - 6pm and wear a suit and tie the minute you accept the job you gave up the right to spend the day at the beach and wear short and t shirt. All jobs require sacrificing certain freedoms all that changes is the freedoms your asked to give up and if you can't bring yourself to make the sacrifice then you just don't apply for the job its that simple.

You probably don't even know the words of MY [ not your ] Anthem .

#2 has an excellent point: to sing "Nefesh Yehudi homiyah" (A Jewish spirit still sings) when you are not Jewish? He has already taken an oath of office. He stood out of respect.

Do French Canadians/ Quebequoises sing the Canadian national anthem?

To sing "Nefesh Yehudi homiyah" (A JEWISH spirit still sings) when you are not Jewish? The word is NOT “Israeli”. You speak as if Jewish and Israeli are the same; they are not, and for him they certainly are not. You speak of politics, but the word is a religious one. There is a world of difference between the two. (Republican or Monarchist, this is political, not religious.) And calling it a national anthem does not turn "Jew" into a nationalist word, especially when there is the nationalist word "Israeli". I know of no other country that has religion intertwined with its anthem, although there probably are some. And if I was a citizen of that country. even an official, I would sing the anthem...but keep silent for the moment that I am to sing as if I was of the other religion. Calling it an anthem does not change the religious connotation of the word "Jew". I am proud of that word. But I see no reason for someone who is not a Jew to sing it or even say it as if it applies to himself.

What's up with you sport-do you like to be constantly chastised by a woman.Sarah is jewish and an Israeli citizen who has served in the IDF.Are you seriously implying that she does not know the national anthem?You are purposely trying to belittle Sarah-it will not work.She has more nouse than your insulting skull.

I'm really not interested in reading the psychotic ramblings of idiots such as yourself, Charles. Sorry.

Oui.

I might believe you had he sang the lyrics which are non-denominational. He didn't. He chose to remain silent throughout. Then again, if he doesn't like living in a Jewish state, he IS free to leave. He's got a raft of Islamic and Arabic states from which to choose, doesn't he? Yeah. He does. Yet he chooses to remain in Israel. In that case -- SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. Or resign your post and leave. Not that difficult a concept to grasp, you know?

But Israel is a Jewish state. If you cannot accept that and prefer not to honor the anthem of the State which has given you EVERYTHING you could possibly have hoped for, and more -- then leave. At a minimum, resign from that State's highest court. Move to a state whose anthem you prefer to sing, and in whose "judiciary" you prefer to serve.

Yeah ? But what if that citizen of Israel is a Supreme court Justice ? The National anthem is for all the citizens to partake in, regardless of religion or creed... And Yes, I agree with solatic @ 15... Israel is a Jewish State..A tiny spek of land, hardly to be found on the map & situated in the ocean of Arab countries...So excuse us, if we expect the Arab Israeli citizens, who chose to live on our soil and who do enjoy our Democracy, to demonstrate some loyalty and solidarity with Us...Can any of you ever immagine having one Jew residing in any of the Muslim countries ?

This time, I have to disagree with you, Solomon..this was an official State ceremony, not a wedding...The fact, that he stood up, is no wonder, because everybody did and being the Supreme court Justice, what choice did he have...And there is no doubt, that the man knowsin the traditions both religious and historic...The guy is not just regular citizen..He is a lawmaker, a ruler, a big macher... Don't we All, people of every religion and creed sing the national anthem here ?And the fact, that the Israeli anthem includes words, that pertain "nefesh Yehudi", makes no difference, because this is what Israel has chosen to be the National anthem for All Israeli citizens, 66 years ago..

What is the big deal, national anthems and flags do not mean that much and are just symbols. The whole exercise of the secular Zionist movement was to be like other nations and to create the Israeli identity. So Mr.Joubran acted correct, this state is not Jewish and he is a citizen after all. Either be a Democratic secular state like all others, or start applying Jewish laws and principles and be a Jewish state. What we have seen in the past years is that the supreme court is very anti religion anyway so this judge fits right in, applying a law that is not ours in the first place.

So which Anthem are you loyal to?

It does immediately seem incongruous, but on further thought, I guess the idea is that a loyal Arab is happy that the Israel has a Jewish character because it improves the lives of its citizens. This would be much the same as the descendant of an African slave or a Lakota singing the national anthem.

How in the world did this man become a Supreme Court Justice of Israel..wasn't there a swearing- in when he was made a Justice of Peace and if there was, weren't certain procedures followed concerning oaths of allegiance to Israel or at least the laws of Israel that he had to make which during the ceremony would also include the singing of the Anthem? If there was then he must be practicing the Muslim "Taqiyah" (lying). For some reason he is now showing his true colors and so needs to lose his position in the Israeli courts.

A Supreme Court judge is not a private individual who is welcome to sing or not sing he is a public official and there are certain obligations that come with that. Its a condition of employment that he be willing to sing Hatikvah when its expected. He might have a fancy title but he is no different to any other employee and as in all jobs the employee doesn't give orders you take them from the boss and the boss is always right. If the boss tells you to do something that conflicts with your personal opinions you don't say no its against my political opinions you either do it or you quit.

I sing proudly along with "The Star Spangled Banner" and with "Hatikvah." I do not sing along with "God Save the Queen." Sorry. Her, I could care less about.

I am now talking first hand knowlege. The man is Christian and therefore your accusations are groundless, and what is more stupid. I know the man and his family, very close members of his family. They love Israel very much and mostly do their duty. They are very patriotic. And if you read my # 6 you will understand my individual stance. I also do not sing the anthem, I believe that it is a childish practice. My loyalty is not in question, it has been proven many times over.

Singing the Hatikva a "condition of employment" ? The words are full of Jewish feelings , so to ask it from a non Jew is very delicate . He showed the most respect to the Anthem , but there are things you can't ask a Non Jew to fullfill . There are certainly many other non Jews in official functions , they too can have some problems with singing the [ mostly Jewish ] Hatikva , but are nevertheless loyal servants of the State they belong to .

I ray of light and sanity as usual.

necessarily a sign of being disloyal. our arab mk's now thats a different story.

I disagree. Yes, he should have done it differently; singing 'non-denominational' lyrics by not saying the word 'Jewish' (which he is not). But religion is deeper than nationality, as we Jews well know, after having been martyred for our religion, not nationality, and we should be sensitive to this. Not that difficult a concept to grasp, you know? (I am thinking of German Jews before WW2 who thought nothing could happen to them as they were 'good Germans'.) I wonder what Mr. Andre Azoulay, a senior advisor to the king of Morocco (and Jewish), would do had the Moroccan national anthem used the word Moslem. It doesn't. The judge upholds the laws of the State, does not speak against the State, and is not involved in the 'politics' of arab members of the Knesset. He stood out of respect for the State and does not speak ill of it. And Sarah, it seems you know very different French Canadians than I do. Peace.