INTERMARRIAGE PROTEST ENSNARES ISRAELI BANKNOTE

Several religious figures have criticized the Bank of Israel’s decision to feature renowned Hebrew poet Shaul Tchernichovsky on newly minted NIS 50 notes, citing his marriage to a Christian woman

Dr. Hagai Ben-Artzi, brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara, said last week that the use of the Russian-born poet’s image on the bill was “an outrage.”

“Shaul Tchernichovsky has become a symbol of assimilation, of assimilation ideology,” he said, according to Israel National News. “It is inconceivable that such a person, as important a poet as he may be, should become a symbol in the state of Israel.”

Tchernichovsky was married to Russian-born Christian Melania Karlova, with whom he had a daughter, Isolda.

Ben-Artzi said he would refuse to use the new banknote, and said he hoped similar refusals by numerous other citizens would lead to its recall.

To read the complete article, see:
Tchernichovsky sparks currency row (www.timesofisrael.com/does-face-of-poet-who-intermarried-belong-on-new-currency/)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web