The National Secretariat of Degel HaTorah with Vaad
HaRabbonim member HaRav Nosson Zochovsky met in Bnei Brak,
making a series of key decisions about coalition negotiations
with the Likud Party.
Attention was focused on the state of chareidi education,
Torah institutes and religious services in light of the
drastic budget cuts during the past year-and-a-half; the
decisions of the Dovrat Committee on curricular matters at
educational institutions and the Education Ministry's
attempts to interfere with the curriculum at chareidi
institutions; and Ariel Sharon's moves to open the coalition
negotiations in order to expand the government.
Several dozen representatives and public figures from Degel
HaTorah branches around the country were on hand at the
meeting, where an in-depth discussion on current issues was
held and all those present were given an opportunity to
express their views.
The meeting was opened by Degel HaTorah Chairman Rabbi
Avrohom Ravitz, who greeted the distinguished branch heads
and public figures and reported on the course of recent
developments, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's efforts
to begin serious negotiations regarding the inclusion of
United Torah Jewry in the coalition. Before opening the
negotiations, party representatives received directives from
gedolei Yisroel on how to proceed and UTJ
representatives told Sharon they would not be willing to sit
at a table together with people whose sole aim is to slander,
degrade and revile chareidi Jewry, meaning Shinui.
Sharon said the goal of expanding the government is to pass
the Disengagement Plan and asked to hear UTJ's position on
the issue. Sharon was told first that a decision would have
to be made to rectify the harsh economic decrees against the
Torah world and large families, decrees that endanger the
entire chareidi education system from kindergartens to
yeshivas and kollelim, as well as Bais Yaakov schools.
Sharon was asked to act before the 2005 Budget is passed to
restore all that was cruelly taken away during the past 18
months at Shinui's initiative and with the NRP's consent.
UTJ representatives then met with the Likud negotiating team,
explaining to them that matters under discussion would be
laid out before gedolei Yisroel, who would decide how
to act on the disengagement issue.
Rabbi Ravitz provided an overview of the difficult state
Torah institutions face and the severe budget slashing, far
beyond the percentage cut in other areas of the budget
affected by the new economic program.
Degel HaTorah Secretary MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni presented
details on the economic decrees strangling the Torah world,
including a reduction of over NIS 500 million ($110 million)
just from funding for the yeshivos gedolos and the
kollelim. Rabbi Gafni said UTJ representatives have
been acting to partially remedy the funding situation and,
through a long, tenacious struggle, they managed to make some
changes in the minimum number of talmidim required at
yeshivas and kollelim to make them eligible for
funding, and to have a portion of the withheld yeshiva
funding returned.
"United Torah Jewry representatives are working towards two
objectives," said Rabbi Gafni. "1) Correcting the economic
decrees and the damage done to the Torah world and 2)
removing Shinui from the government. Sharon knows his
colleagues in the Likud will not allow him to set up a
secular government. Similarly Sharon has encountered major
difficulties in his party on the disengagement issue since
the Labor Party's demands are more extreme than the plan
Sharon himself drew and therefore Sharon prefers to include
the chareidim in the government, but he must be aware the
chareidim will not sit with Shinui."
Rabbi Gafni said the first task would be to reverse the
economic decrees, saying Sharon and Finance Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu are directly responsible for the present situation.
"United Torah Jewry will not be able to sit in the coalition
if these matters are not rectified immediately, for
[otherwise] they will not be able to accept collective
responsibility for the current situation."
Later in the meeting Rabbi Menachem Blumental of Jerusalem
raised the issue of crisis at the Jerusalem Religious Council
and the threat of the total collapse of religious services
across the country.
Bnei Brak City Council Member Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Friedman
suggested not entering coalition negotiations until the
government carries out changes in favor of the chareidi
sector.
Rechasim City Council Chairman Rabbi Yitzchok Reich said
certain central matters should be raised not just when the
time arrives to talk about joining the coalition. He also
called for strengthening activity at the branch level as if
tomorrow were Election Day.
Ofakim Councilman Rabbi Avrohom Deutsch said figures from
peripheral areas who are closely familiar with the problems
at a grassroots level should also take part in coalition
negotiations.
Rabbi Eliyohu Weinman of Jerusalem reminded his colleagues of
the dire state of the seminaries saying their plight is
inadequately articulated.
Rabbi Mordechai Blau of Bnei Brak spoke about the importance
of the chareidi community's assistance within Degel HaTorah
and praised Degel HaTorah MKs, council chairmen and
activists.
Rabbi Shimon Hadad of Jerusalem noted the importance of the
meeting and the need to create a positive attitude in the
general population to counter the effects Shinui has had on
public thinking.
Rabbi Chaim Williger of Haifa said the decrees placed on the
Torah world and chareidi educational institutions should
serve as a wake-up call for us.
Rabbi Yaakov Borstein of Hadera said Degel HaTorah
representatives everywhere should be occupied primarily with
the yeshiva world, educational institutions and religious
services under the direction of gedolei Yisroel.
Rabbi Avrohom Maklev of Jerusalem said MKs Rabbi Ravitz and
Rabbi Gafni are assisting Torah and education institutions as
much as they can and their dedicated efforts should be
appreciated.
Rabbi Moshe Montag of Beit Shemesh described the work of
Degel HaTorah MKs and representatives everywhere as a
kiddush Hashem and called on everyone to support their
efforts.
Beitar Illit Mayor Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus said, "We must do
everything possible to bring about the removal of the Shinui
Party from the government in order to allow us to enter the
coalition."
Bnei Brak Mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz said jurists have
found a way to damage the chareidi sector and this process
has been going on for five years. Entering the coalition
would not solve these problems quickly, he claimed, and he
called for rethinking the party's approach and the battle
being waged by chareidi Jewry.
Later Mayor Karelitz presented various figures on the Dovrat
Commission and a discussion was held among Secretariat
members.
