Rabbi Yuval Sherlow, head of the ethics department at the Tzohar rabbinical organization, is coming out against Prof. Oded Goldreich, after the Supreme Court ordered the Minister of Education to award him the Israel Prize.
He said that although the award should be presented for achievements regardless of political positions, Goldreich crossed a line by supporting the boycott of Israel.
The Supreme Court decided today (Tuesday) by a majority of orders to order the Minister of Education, Dr. Yifat Shasha Bitton, to act on the recommendation of the Israel Prize Committee, and to award the Israel Prize for the year 2001 in the field of mathematics and computer science research to Prof. Goldreich.
Judge Wilner, who wrote the main ruling, accepted the Attorney General's position and ruled that there was no reason to intervene in the professional committee's decision to award Prof. Goldreich the prize.
Justice Solberg, in a minority opinion, held that there was no legal ground for interfering in the Education Minister's decision.
Education Minister Yifat Shasha Bitton sadly reacted to the decision.
"The High Court could have decided when the issue came to its door, but from the moment it chose to transfer the decision to me, it was right that it respect it.
A person who calls for a boycott of an Israeli academic institution does not deserve a state award from the State of Israel, whatever his achievements may be and whatever his political views may be.
I am sorry for the High Court's decision, but I will respect it. "
"The Israel Prize should indeed be awarded for achievements in various fields, regardless of political positions," says Rabbi Sherlow in what was written as part of the "Zikim" seminary, to convey his thoughts on WhatsApp.
"The Israel Prize should indeed be awarded to people whose opinions are not acceptable to other parts of the nation."
Rabbi Sherlow said that in the past he supported the awarding of the Israel Prize to Shulamit Aloni.
"At the time, I wrote an article in the newspaper Nakuda, thanks to the awarding of the Israel Prize to Shulamit Aloni, even though I was very, very far from her worldview, and resented the denial of the Israel Prize from Schnitzer.
However, said Rabbi Sherlow, in Goldreich's case it is an exit outside the legitimate lines.
"A state does not award a prize to anyone who drops the ground beneath it, and works to boycott it, and in fact to silence its members," he concluded.
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