The Degel HaTorah Executive Board met at the Beit Degel
HaTorah in Bnei Brak to discuss a series of issues on the
agenda of chareidi Jewry in Eretz Hakodesh, focusing on
spread of party branches across the country.
MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz, party chairman and deputy minister
of welfare, opened the meeting with an overview on political
and party developments and Degel HaTorah's unique position in
the various organizational and ideological campaigns
currently taking place. Rabbi Ravitz delineated several
future paths he says should be presented to maranan
verabonon shlita.
The participants held a piercing discussion on the topic,
eventually reaching a decision to promote the development of
existing branches and the opening of new branches around the
country. Several proposals were also raised regarding the
nature and contents of the upcoming Degel HaTorah
convention.
At the beginning of the meeting, Party Secretary MK Rabbi
Moshe Gafni surveyed the issue of religious services in
Israel and talks on reorganization, which is slated for a
government decision at a certain stage. Rabbi Gafni said that
in response to a demand by Degel HaTorah the government
approved the setup of a unit authorized to provide religious
services.
Until now, following a decision made during the previous
coalition with Shinui and the NRP, essential services had
totally collapsed due to a lack of proper management and
unpaid salaries; in some cases mikvo'os were even
closed. Now the matter has improved and the new unit provides
an address to turn to and someone to shoulder legal
responsibility.
However further talks on the proposed reform were frozen
until a solution is found to the serious problem of various
appointments at the religious councils and the collapse of
the kashrus department in Jerusalem to the great dismay of
maranan verabonon.
The issue of funding for yeshivas, talmudei Torah,
Chinuch Atzmai, kindergartens and various educational systems
and the difficulties they face was also discussed and a
decision was made regarding the steps Degel HaTorah will take
to solve them.
