At a meeting of the Jerusalem branch of Degel HaTorah held
last week to discuss various issues, participants included
HaRav Ephraim Tzemel, the Jerusalem chairman of Degel
HaTorah, Deputy Welfare Minister MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz and
Party Secretary MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni.
Rabbi Moshe Frank opened the meeting by saying the board had
convened to hear a report by the Deputy Minister of Welfare
on activity in his ministry, a report on activity by MKs for
Torah institutions and a discussion on developments at the
Jerusalem Religious Council in light of the body's
interference in halachic affairs.
MK Rabbi Ravitz presented a survey of activities in his
ministry since he assumed his new post as part of the
coalition agreement. He said he instructed the senior
ministry officials to act for the general public as well as
individuals, placing an emphasis on establishing clear
criteria for the benefit of the public at large. He also
spoke of the personal attention given to institutions that
turn to the ministry and the immediate response they receive
in order to alleviate their difficulties. Rabbi Ravitz noted
that he instructed the ministry's director-general to prepare
to increase funding for institutions in the 2006 budget.
Rabbi Gafni then spoke, recounting the no-confidence motion
in the Knesset that day following the harm done to religious
services under the Likud government and the dismal state of
affairs at the Jerusalem Religious Council, where clerks have
been interfering in matters of kashrus and halochoh.
"Jerusalem is a showcase for what takes place in all other
places in the country," he said. "The Likud should not have
the ability to act with its officials in such a manner or in
any other way it chooses in halachic matters at all. These
issues have always been under the control of the spiritual
leaders of the generation, poskei halochoh and the
rabbinical world alone."
He also spoke about the NIS 150 million agreed upon in the
coalition agreement between UTJ and the Likud, saying this
money was earmarked for talmudei Torah, dormitories,
kindergartens, transportation to Chinuch Atzmai institutions,
student insurance and seminaries.
Turning to the issue of the delay in setting up the committee
for chareidi education, he said that Degel HaTorah submitted
the names of its committee members two months ago but the
Education Ministry and other bodies have yet to submit names.
Therefore he had asked the Government Secretary to attend to
the matter of setting up and convening the committee as soon
as possible.
Both Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky and Deputy Mayor
Rabbi Uri Maklev spoke out against the way the Religious
Council is being run, saying the City would back the
rabbonim.
During the course of the meeting participants spoke about a
fringe element that identifies itself with the chareidi camp
yet belongs to the secular Likud Party.
