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24 Cheshvan 5764 - November 19, 2003 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Religious Services Facing Total Collapse
by Eliezer Rauchberger

The Religious Councils now owe employees over NIS 400 million in unpaid salaries Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Levy reported to the Knesset's State Control Committee during a meeting to discuss dismantling the Religious Affairs Ministry.

According to Levy the local councils owe the religious councils NIS 250 million, with the balance consisting of debts generated by increased cost of services and other factors. He says pension payments constitute a heavy burden. Levy proposes setting up a debt administration with representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Finance Ministry who would propose solutions to the problem.

On the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, he promised no ministry employee would be neglected. Some would be transferred to other ministries and understandings would be reached with the remaining workers.

Ministry Director-General Attorney Meir Shpiegler said the religious councils have been operating very earnestly in recent years, yet they must stand in front of the Finance Ministry periodically like beggars on the doorstep.

State Control Committee Chairman MK Nisan Salomiansky (Mafdal) stated his grievances that NIS 50 million earmarked to fund the pay of religious council employees and rabbonim has vanished. "Where did this money disappear to?" he asked. "Approximately 1,000 religious council employees have not received pay for almost a year and not a word is said in protest." He also lodged criticism against the absence of Finance Ministry representatives at the meeting despite announcing they planned to arrive. "This is evidence of the Finance Ministry's scorn and its desire to shake off Religious Affairs Ministry employees," he claims.

"In light of the severe figures showing religious services in Israel are in a state of total collapse," MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni asked Mafdal representatives, "if these problems are not solved and religious services continue to collapse, then will the Mafdal resign from the government or will it remain a member?"

Representatives of the rabbonim and religious council employees say although they have not been paid for a long time they continue to provide religious services. Some of them aimed criticism against the Histadrut for not assisting them in their fight to receive wages.

For the next meeting the committee plans to summon the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Center for Local Government, the Histadrut Chairman and Finance Ministry officials.

 

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