Officials in the small community of Tzafria, in central Israel near Ben-Gurion International Airport, have come under criticism after threatening to ban members who are not overtly religious. The officials said some residents had falsely claimed they were religious to be allowed into the community as temporary residents. But others said the community's tenants committee has no right to dictate their way of life. "The tenants committee is doing all it can to maintain the community's character, and that is why it puts a special emphasis on ensuring that new families are observant and stay true to that way of life upon joining the community," the committee wrote in an email to the residents. "Unfortunately, a growing number of tenants in the community appear to have misled the committee and [the men] walk publicly without a kippah. The committee asks that landlords inform their tenants that if they do not wear a kippah, their lease may not be renewed. The committee will not hesitate to enforce this measure." The email led to an outcry among the tenants. "The committee cannot tell us who is religious and who is not," one man said. "Some pray three times a day, keep kosher and observe Shabbat, but choose not to wear a kippah. What gives the committee the right to determine who is more religious? Threatening someone over this is illegal; this is discrimination." Menachem Friedman, who chairs the committee, says his hands are tied. "Tzafria is a religious community and has an official code of conduct stipulating that anyone who joins the community must be religious," he said. He noted that this includes kippahs for men. Friedman said the committee was not carrying out "surveillance" on tenants, but it was disappointing to learn that some of them shed their religiosity upon joining the community. "Some who arrive for an interview wear a kippah and appear religious only to lose the kippah upon joining," he said. "This undermines the community's religious character. We have no misgivings about what they do behind closed doors, and we never asked anyone to undergo a lie detector test, but we believe it is important that tenants live up to their pledge to maintain a religious lifestyle in public." Another tenant told Israel Hayom that the committee had acted beyond its purview. "It is not as if we are blasting music or going surfing on Shabbat," one resident said. "This is a private matter, and the committee has no right deciding this [our degree of observance] for us. Who says that wearing a kippah is the only criterion for determining if someone is religious? Some do not keep any mitzvot and disrespect others but are still considered religious, and some are righteous and pray three times a day and follow every religious teaching, but choose not to wear a kippah. Who says they are not religious-" Another member said, "There was a time when women who wore pants and did not cover their heads would not be considered religious, but today some religious people send text messages on their phones on Shabbat. Who says it is all about how you behave in public-"
