The appeal was made because of increasing reports of racism against Ethiopian Jews and their status as Jews being called into question as revealed in a Kann investigation on the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Gat. Zana's letter states: "The racism of Rabbi Havlin in Kiryat Gat and the Badatz Eda Haredit in the Barkan Wine Affair exposed a disparaging reality of racist views of rabbis and those providing religious services to Ethiopian Jews. The Chief Rabbinate has to condemn and denounce this as it has in the past. The conduct of Rabbi Havlin is similar to the conduct of Badatz Eda Haredit, that was condemned unequivocally for its racist conduct in the past in similar circumstances. At the same time, the Unit for Coordinating the Struggle against Racism approached Equal Opportunities Commissioner Miriam Kabha to examine whether the conduct of Rabbi Havlin violated the Equal Employment Opportunities Law.

Source: Ethiopian News September 17, 2018 18:33 UTC