Lands conference awards Safed rabbi who said that Jews shouldn't rent to non-Jews

The rabbi of Safed who encouraged citizens to refuse to rent apartments to non-Jews has won an award at an annual conference dealing with issues of the Land of Israel. The conference, which was founded by the Jewish religious movement Komemiyut (independence), was officially called the "Land of the nation or land of all the nation’s citizens." Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu was one of 18 prominent rabbis who signed a petition that came to be known as the 'rabbis' letter' in October 2010 urging Jews to refrain from renting or selling apartments to non-Jews. Eliyahu reiterated his prior message at the conference held in the central town of Ramle, saying "the Jewish law is clear… Thank God that in Safed, land isn't sold to foreigners." Minister of Science and Technology Daniel Hershkowitz awarded Eliyahu with the prize for "his actions, effort and devotion to the Jewish nature of the Land of Israel." Most of the signatories were from Safed, a city that has seen an increase in its Arab student population that is enrolled at the town's local college. The rabbi slammed those who have accused him of being a racist, saying that a survey showed that 74% of the public supports the letter. He added that he believed the letter had backing from God.