Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is in the news again, this time for arranging for VIP medical care for the Rebitzen of the Gerrer Rebbe Shlita.
According to the report released by the daily vehemently anti-religious Haaretz newspaper, Litzman arranged for premium medical care for Rebitzen Shoshana Alter from May 2018 until January 2019, bringing senior physicians to her side to treat her, arranging expedited and private visits, which Haaretz explains were at the expense of the general public. The report adds that the deputy minister oversaw home visits by senior physicians, which he also arranged.
“The moment she arrived she received service as if she was no less than the country’s president,” Haaretz quoted an unnamed medical official who witnessed the process.
The report adds that Litzman moved her ahead of long lines for an MRI for example, and when she would come for tests or visit the hospital, there was a large delegation, which Haaretz reports caused significant disruptions and even the closure of sections of Hadassah Hospital during her visit.
“It was VIP+++ treatment,” the anonymous medical official quoted by Haaretz said. Litzman is accused of contacting Hadassah’s director and other senior officials, placing the rebitzen’s care ahead of many, at their expense. The report adds that after consulting with medical askan Rav Elimelech Firer, it was decided that the rebitzen would undergo surgery in Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, and the surgeon was hand-selected, which is not done in the socialist HMO healthcare system. Following surgery, the rebitzen had a private double room for a week, and her family was given two additional rooms during that time period, rooms that are usually used for medical personnel.
The article does not forget the rebbe, adding the Gerrer Rebbe was also given preferential medical care, all under the careful choreography of Litzman, himself a Gerrer Chossid. In this case, patients were removed from three rooms to accommodate the rebbe and his entourage of over 30 people.
“This is how government corruption looks,” a medical official was quoted as saying. “When it comes to Gerrer Chassidim and the rabbi’s wife, Litzman is there at every major crossroads. We are used to all sorts of celebrities asking for preferential treatment, but when it comes from a government official like the deputy health minister, you can’t say no.”
The following statement was released by Litzman’s office following the publication of the Haaretz article.
With regard to the requests of Litzman’s office for help, we see it as a right and a duty to help anyone who turns to our office on medical matters, with an emphasis on anyone who is transported [to a hospital], regardless of religion, race or community. This is in complete contradiction to the alleged claim of preference for close associates and chareidi patients.
Attempts to discredit Litzman and his office in support of others should be rejected because this is a clear policy that we announced at the beginning of the term. We even published telephone numbers of the staff of the bureau to assist the public, while preventing bureaucracy and streamlining the health system.
It should be understood that many of the appeals to us are in the context of pikuach nefesh, truly life-saving. It is our duty to assist the applicants, of course with strict observance of the requirements of the law and procedures.
We have never checked who is the one who appeals to us for help. Most of those who turn to us are unfamiliar to us and do not belong to the chareidi public or a certain community. Secular and chareidi, religious and non-religious, Arabs and immigrants, all of whom are equal in our efforts to help and assist us in every possible medical issue.
For the benefit of the public, we hereby re-issue the phone numbers to the staff of the Deputy Health Minister’s office:
Attached is a picture and a short video file documenting the boxes of public complaints that accumulate in the Litzman office. The material in the documentation is for the last 5 months only. Every six months we reach this amount.
All this is only documented and conventional public inquiries. In addition, there are at least two more immediate inquiries, which are handled by written notice and without attached documents. This is to give proportions to the phenomenon of public inquiries and its scope, which we are proud of and are completely legal.
Litzman was also in the media recently for intervening and blocking the extradition of chareidi woman wanted for 74 attacks against students in schools under her care by Australian authorities, as reported.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Deputy Minister Litzman’s Office)
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21 Responses
I’m not sure I understand Litzman’s response to these allegations. Is he claiming the facts are untrue and she didn’t receive any special treatment compared to any other patient OR is he justifying the VIP treatment because she is married to his Rebbe? In any event, some of the allegations are difficult to believe. Even a chashuvah rav would not have “an entourage” of 30 chassidim in a hospital setting. That makes no sense and no responsible Rav or askan would knowingly disrupt a hospital by bringing along 30 gabboim etc. Perhaps there were some chassidim who arrived on their own to daven outside the hospital for the rebbitzen but otherwise that makes no sense
litzman will not get preferential treatment where he belongs – in jail
He is an arrogant liar. An opportunist. And corrupt. If he stays on the ticket (& he will, he won’t give up a speck of power) the frum veldt should not vote UTJ. Not if you have any moral fiber or conscience.
Why is her blood redder?
Haaretz is an anti dati leftist voice in the media. If it were lapid. Ariel sharon etc. instead of the gerrer rebbetzin …does anyone believe any stone would be unturned??. Why not give “extra “to our rabbinical leaders? Is there nothing left holy in our world. But all the extras that the public had to pay for -if the public really were actually billed for them-those expenses should and probably were paid for by the gerrer sources. This is high politics. Right up the alley of Haaretz….
Just wondering,
How come that at this day and age anyone running for a political position is not prepared for public/media bashing?
You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. Of course the Gerer Rebbe and his Rebbitzen got some special treatment. As one of the most senior and important figures in the Charedi community, one would expect that to be the case as one would expect the same to happen with any other religious leader or his wife, and as Rabbi Litzman would surely arrange. I don’t think most Israelis would argue or find anything wrong with that principle. The problem that Haaretz has is that Rabbi Litzman is immensely successful in his job thus debunking all the secular left-wing theories about how illiterate and stupid the Charedim are. Let nobody forget that Israel as a nation operates with large doses of vitamin P. It is not a Western European nation but a mix of a Mediterranean / Middle East country and that is how things work.
“According to the … vehemently anti-religious Haaretz newspaper…”
Doesn’t that say it all? Anonymous sources, unnamed medical officials, etc. Seriously? And you actually published this?
to
dryidd you are like in the old days or be reform or in jail…………….
stop being a self hating jew you are nothing better then the neturi karta
when does using your influence become a crime? a cheder rebbe talks with a Rosh Yeshiva to get a boy accepted? a parole officer speaks with a businessman to get a parolee a job? a doctor speaks with a hospital to get an emergency case accepted quickly?
And if it would the wife of Rav_____ you fill the name of your LOR in the blank, would you not do anything to help?
“Of course the Gerer Rebbe and his Rebbitzen got some special treatment”….”when does using your influence become a crime??”
I guess there are some who would argue that VIP Treatment might be appropriate in terms of not having to stand on line at the airport security checks or giving preferred seating at some big event at the Kosel but where do we bring down the inyan that such treatment is appropriate when it comes to critical health care in a state-run hospital system where providing such VIP attention, priority medical treatment, the best doctors to one person by definition is going to result in someone else getting less attention, long wait-times, lower quality care etc. The question being raised is shouldn’t ALL lives be treated equally when it comes to health care decisions. Also, if we do provide VIP treatment, is that limited just to the wife of a chashuvah Rav, or does it extend to his children, grandchildren, etc. Where do you draw the line.??
If it would be just this one instance I don’t think anyone would make a big deal out of it but mr litzman had proven himself corrupt previously either with the cigarettes scandal or with the molester scandal so this just adds to the list of corruption
And what is wrong with that? That he used his clout to get better treatment for (a) his Rebbe, (b) the Rebbe who is the leader of the largest tzibbur in E”Y, and (c) a person that gives up from himself so much for Klal Yisroel – that is not only acceptable – but it is very commendable.
Furthermore, he would use that same clout to get better treatment for any Godol, and in a lesser way – for any frum Yid that asks for help.
Haaretz is a newspaper that hates the chareidim and especially the Gedolim – so they see this as an aveira. We, as heimishe Yidden see this as a Mitzva
Kol Hakovod Rabbi Litzman
PS – Every day we hear different ministers and political figures getting indicted for excepting bribes and favors. Rabbi Litzman is only being accused of helping people. L’havdil elef havdolas. I may not like him on a personal level, but I respect him for his untiring efforts for Yidden.
“Furthermore, he would use that same clout to get better treatment for any Godol, and in a LESSER WAY – for any FRUM Yid that asks for help”
Several issues. First, it is totally hypocritical to suggest that giving preferential treatment to anyone is fair given that by definition, such priority puts others at a definition in terms of having to wait longer for their own tests, being displaced from their rooms, getting the “B Team” for their treatement etc. But even worse, the suggestion is that Litzman would do the same for any FRUM yid but to a LESSER extent. When did we ever hold the life of ANY yid as having a lesser value than another yid, whatever his/her gadlus or perceived “frumness”? Does Litzman have the navius know whether Yankele, who brings his wife into the ER suffering from severe pain of unknown cause, may be one of the lamud vov tzadikim and therefore should get VIP treatment. Does the wife of a Rebbe with a much smaller chassidus merit the same attention or does she get a lower level VIP treatment that Alter’s wife. When it comes to health care we should treat all yidden as VIPs.
GodolHadorah – You are obviously out of touch with reality. Sounds like you never tried to get your son into a cheder or yeshiva, nor your daughter into a seminary. Welcome to the real world. Some people have pull, some have money, some have yichus – they get treated better
When a war veteran goes to Walter Reid Hospital, he will not get the same room or treatment as would a 5-star general or the President
Wake up and smell the coffee
Yes – the Gerrer Rebbe will get better treatment wherever he goes. So will Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a.
And that’s the way it should be.
And that’s the way ehrliche Yidden think and act.
In a Utopian world you could be right – all Yidden should be treated the same. But in our world, we consider our Gedolim higher than the poshute Yid, and we give them better treatment – that’s the Torah way.
Right or wrong, how is this different than using protektzia with politicians, askonim, people in higherup, people in the know, in company positions , all over the world?
….. To get a job, a discount, a favor, “a push” etc…
Or is it because some have it in for Litzman ? In that case, the criticism is unfair.
Nobody here has used “connections” , ever?? Not even for family?? Really??
So when is Haaretz finally going to be deep- sixed into the Adamah already?
To all, wake up and smell the coffee!
Of course our Gedolim deserve better treatment. Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shteinman etc. all got better treatment, and they should.
This website is purely a Degel Hatorah site so this is normal politics.
Amazing how people who think they are so progressive and enlightened show themselves to be so obtuse.
They know, and would support, if some Arab terrorist leader shows up to the hospital they would receive VIP treatment. The progressive among us would understand perfectly that they go first in line, even before the “lamed vovnik”.
Fools.
He should be commended! He treats both pedophiles (like Malka Leifer) and famous rebbetzins with the same VIP treatment. Maybe he considers them both in the same vein?