Olga Radionova is in a strange and absurd situation.
All religious authorities define her as a Jew, but the Population and Immigration Authority insists that the immigrant from Belarus is not such and should therefore be deported from the country as soon as possible.
The affair began in 2019, when 36-year-old Radionova arrived in Israel and asked to complete aliyah.
She met with a representative of Netiv, an organization in the Prime Minister's Office that decides if a person is a Jew who is entitled to aliyah under the Law of Return, and told the clerk that her mother and grandmother were Jewish.
A representative of "Nativ" signed the form in which she stated this, in which she also says that she is familiar with the Christian holidays and that on an early visit to Israel she visited the "Via Dolorosa" website.
The same document was used by the Population and Immigration Authority to declare that Olga is not a Jew but an "active Christian."
"The gentleman took an innocent document, translated it inaccurately, and suddenly it sounds like a Christian Olga, who is celebrating Christian holidays and visiting Via Dolorosa," is furious Advocate Anna Bronsbach.
The Rabbinical Court ruled: "Olga should be considered a Jew in every way," Photo: Olga Radionova
The surprised Olga hurried to go through the process of returning to Judaism in the Rabbinical Court, at the end of which the judges clarified in January 2020 that: "She should be considered a Jew in every way.
Unfortunately, this also did not satisfy the Population and Immigration Authority, which continued proceedings against it and demanded that it prove that it was living an "effective Jewish life."
In February 2021, Olga, according to the religion of Moses and Israel, married Maxim, through a rabbi from the Chief Rabbinate.
However, the Population and Immigration Authority continued to insist that because she was an active Christian, she should be deported from Israel.
Last month, the Jerusalem District Court ruled on her deportation to Belarus, a move that could lead to imprisonment in her country of origin for her statements against the war in Ukraine.
"The situation is very painful for me," says Olga, "I have to prove something I am not guilty of, because I told the truth. In Belarus I suffered harassment because of my Jewishness, but here I have to prove it again. The rabbinical court recognized me as Jewish, "More than the Population and Immigration Authority. I'm afraid I will be deported."
Her lawyer is now considering appealing to the Supreme Court: "Olga is currently living without status. She cannot work or receive medical treatment, so she also does not want to have children in the meantime."
The Population and Immigration Authority responded: "Mrs. Olga Radionova has previously submitted applications for various reasons for obtaining status in Israel, and these have been rejected. The issue is now in the courts, so we will not expand on the issue."
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
