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27 Ellul 5760 - September 27, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Home and Family
Degel HaTorah's Secretariat Deliberates on Current Issues
by A. Cohen

The secretariat of Degel HaTorah convened on the 15th of Elul for an urgent meeting on issues on the public agenda, among them religious services, government offices and their attitude toward the Torah world, relationships between religious and secular Jews and the elections to the municipal councils of Elad and Modi'in Illit.

At the beginning of the meeting, Rabbis Avrohom Ravitz and Moshe Gafni presented maranan verabonon's statement that, "Due to the desire of the prime minister to effect a secular revolution, we will not negotiate with him over the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry. Dismantling of this ministry is the spearhead of his efforts to bring about a secular revolution."

Intense discussions about the dangers of Barak's "secular revolution" took place. The spokesman noted that Barak's dangerous declarations have resulted in palpable changes in the attitude of government clerks on issues relating to the Torah world. Obviously the antagonistic and belligerent attitude prevailing in the Office of the Prime Minster towards the chareidi sector has affected clerks in other government offices.

At the meeting, the recent elections in Modi'in Illit and Elad were discussed. In Modi'in Illit only one slate was presented: a united slate headed by Degel HaTorah's R' Yaakov Gutterman, which includes representatives from all circles in the city. All of the spokesmen praised the kiddush Shem Shomayim of this slate whose accomplishments in uniting all residents of the city are unprecedented. This slate has the approval of maranan verabonon. The spokesmen said that this slate constitutes a model of unity with the various groups in the chareidi sector having joined for the sole purpose of providing for the needs of city residents.

In reference to the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, MK Rabbi Ravitz said: "We weren't particularly enamored with the ministry, and aren't mourning its demise. However, we are upset that things are being done without considering the ministry's various functions and how it helped people on a daily basis.

"A case in point is the Gamzu settlement which has no religious council. Its mikvo'os had to be heated, and for that purpose, Gamzu applied to the Religious Affairs Ministry, which sent fuel.

"Now the Government says that because there is no religious party in the government, they can do whatever they want. [And they have stopped sending fuel to Gamzu.]"

Rabbi Moshe Gafni said: "Regarding the changing of laws, Barak has no majority. We oppose the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, and will vote against it. But we must deliberate upon its outcome in all that pertains to funds earmarked for the chareidi sector."

He then said that according to Education Ministry records, the chareidi sector comprises 11% of the overall population, while it receives only 3.9% of the funds. In addition, 5.5 billion shekels are transferred to the country's educational institutions by the local authorities; chareidim receive none of these funds.

Rabbi Ravitz and Rabbi Gafni suggested that Degel HaTorah organize a team of top-ranking economists to examine the various budget clauses and prepare a report substantiating the shocking discrimination against chareidi educational and Torah institutions in comparison with secular ones.

Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus said that he opposes dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, since it will cause massive damage to the Torah world. He added that we must fight this plan in every manner possible.

Rabbi Moshe Karp spoke about hatred in the anti-religious sector for anything related to religion, and proposed the launch of an explanatory campaign to combat this growing trend.

Rabbi Avrohom Deutsch said that the media's hatred for chareidim stems from our siyata deShmaya in outreach work. "When large groups of people draw closer to Yiddishkeit, and Torah education is expanding, the secular become envious of us," he noted.

Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz spoke about the discrimination against the chareidi sector in all aspects of daily life. He startled those present with statistics he presented. As a case in point, he said: "The Education Ministry transferred money for school trips to the Bnei Brak municipality. However, this money was only for the secular and the national- religious schools in Bnei Brak. When I asked the Education Ministry why chareidi schools didn't receive any money for trips, they replied: `There's no budget for that.' I sent all of the money I received back to the Education Ministry, and only then was I promised that the following year school trips will be subsidized in all schools."

The secretariat of Degel HaTorah convened on the 15th of Elul for an urgent meeting on issues on the public agenda, among them religious services, government offices and their attitude toward the Torah world, relationships between religious and secular Jews and the elections to the municipal councils of Elad and Modi'in Illit.

At the beginning of the meeting, Rabbis Avrohom Ravitz and Moshe Gafni presented maranan verabonon's statement that, "Due to the desire of the prime minister to effect a secular revolution, we will not negotiate with him over the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry. Dismantling of this ministry is the spearhead of his efforts to bring about a secular revolution."

Intense discussions about the dangers of Barak's "secular revolution" took place. The spokesman noted that Barak's dangerous declarations have resulted in palpable changes in the attitude of government clerks on issues relating to the Torah world. Obviously the antagonistic and belligerent attitude prevailing in the Office of the Prime Minster towards the chareidi sector has affected clerks in other government offices.

At the meeting, the recent elections in Modi'in Illit and Elad were discussed. In Modi'in Illit only one slate was presented: a united slate headed by Degel HaTorah's R' Yaakov Gutterman, which includes representatives from all circles in the city. All of the spokesmen praised the kiddush Shem Shomayim of this slate whose accomplishments in uniting all residents of the city are unprecedented. This slate has the approval of maranan verabonon. The spokesmen said that this slate constitutes a model of unity with the various groups in the chareidi sector having joined for the sole purpose of providing for the needs of city residents.

In reference to the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, MK Rabbi Ravitz said: "We weren't particularly enamored with the ministry, and aren't mourning its demise. However, we are upset that things are being done without considering the ministry's various functions and how it helped people on a daily basis.

"A case in point is the Gamzu settlement which has no religious council. Its mikvo'os had to be heated, and for that purpose, Gamzu applied to the Religious Affairs Ministry, which sent fuel.

"Now the Government says that because there is no religious party in the government, they can do whatever they want. [And they have stopped sending fuel to Gamzu.]"

Rabbi Moshe Gafni said: "Regarding the changing of laws, Barak has no majority. We oppose the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, and will vote against it. But we must deliberate upon its outcome in all that pertains to funds earmarked for the chareidi sector."

He then said that according to Education Ministry records, the chareidi sector comprises 11% of the overall population, while it receives only 3.9% of the funds. In addition, 5.5 billion shekels are transferred to the country's educational institutions by the local authorities; chareidim receive none of these funds.

Rabbi Ravitz and Rabbi Gafni suggested that Degel HaTorah organize a team of top-ranking economists to examine the various budget clauses and prepare a report substantiating the shocking discrimination against chareidi educational and Torah institutions in comparison with secular ones.

Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus said that he opposes dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, since it will cause massive damage to the Torah world. He added that we must fight this plan in every manner possible.

Rabbi Moshe Karp spoke about hatred in the anti-religious sector for anything related to religion, and proposed the launch of an explanatory campaign to combat this growing trend.

Rabbi Avrohom Deutsch said that the media's hatred for chareidim stems from our siyata deShmaya in outreach work. "When large groups of people draw closer to Yiddishkeit, and Torah education is expanding, the secular become envious of us," he noted.

Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz spoke about the discrimination against the chareidi sector in all aspects of daily life. He startled those present with statistics he presented. As a case in point, he said: "The Education Ministry transferred money for school trips to the Bnei Brak municipality. However, this money was only for the secular and the national- religious schools in Bnei Brak. When I asked the Education Ministry why chareidi schools didn't receive any money for trips, they replied: `There's no budget for that.' I sent all of the money I received back to the Education Ministry, and only then was I promised that the following year school trips will be subsidized in all schools."

 

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