Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the Bayit Yehudi party, spoke with Kikar Shabbos for 15 minutes. In that interview he was asked to evaluate the performance of the current administration. He explained that regarding the chareidim, he is pleased with the effort to bring more chareidim into the workplace. He adds his ministry has a number for any chareidi to call for assistance in completing one’s education and finding a vocation and a job. He feels the chareidi tzibur does not have to be limited working as a sofer STaM and the like, but can and should seek “more profitable means of earning a living”. Anyone interested in seeking assistance may dial *5181. Bennett explains 500 million NIS has been allocated to this project in the hope of assisting those willing to take advantage of the service.
Bennett adds his ministry is offering employers subsidies, paying a third of one’s salary for businesses hiring chareidim. He question how the chareidim cannot see anything positive, and if throughout our entire history if 100% of the Torah observant Jews studied full time. “What about the Rambam and many other greats? You want to tell me that no one worked? Even in the USA the government does not fund Torah study while here in Israel we do. Had we done the right thing back then we would not be facing this today.”
Bennett adds that his party maintains a dialogue with Shas leader Aryeh Deri.
Draft Law
Regarding the draft law, Bayit Yehudi is pushing in the direction of economic sanctions while others in the Shaked Committee insist on criminal sanctions, which include imprisonment. Likud is also a part of this process Bennett explains and without Likud he admits his party cannot do it alone.
Bennett clarifies 100% of chareidim can continue limud Torah at the age of 18 for three additional years. At that time 1,800 may continue while the others enter the IDF or alternatively, enter a national service and learn part time. “In my opinion, criminal sanctions will not compel a single chareidi to serve in the IDF and I believe it will have an adverse effect. This is why I and the party oppose it.”
State Religious Services
Bennett admits that religious services in the state are far from ideal and much must be done towards improving this. He speaks of his own personal experience when he and his wife were married by the Jerusalem Rabbinate some 14 years ago and the unpleasant ordeal they were subjected to as is the case with many others.
“When I went to register for my marriage I was asked what party I vote for. Is that acceptable? Isn’t that a chilul Hashem? What has this to do with getting married?” Bennett explains this is why he and his party are working hard to implement change.”
The Partnership with Yair Lapid
Bennett explains the deal with Yesh Atid was out of necessity, for he was certain that if not for that deal Bayit Yehudi would have been in opposition and this permitted them to become key players in the coalition. Simply stated the partnership is one of necessity and not a l’chatchila situation. He adds there are areas in which the parties see eye-to-eye while issues like the establishment of a Palestinian state leave them far apart.
In Conclusion
Bennett addressed an event in which chareidim booed party colleague Minister Uri Orbach. He explained his opposes such actions in principle, but adds “I understand the stress of the tzibur. I really understand the concern of the chareidi tzibur”.
I never vetoed sitting in a coalition with chareidim. Quite the contrary for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is aware he can bring in Shas and Yahadut Hatorah tomorrow and we are fine with this.”
What is your connection with the Chief Rabbis of Israel?
I just met with Rav Lau today. Baruch Hashem we maintain a good working relationship.
Bennett concludes that the Nichum aveilim at the shiva for Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L was a special event for him and he understood that Maran wanted to bring him in and embrace in but never got that opportunity.
“I really understand the distress of the tzibur and one who really wants to dedicate his life to limud Torah, please do so. However to the others who do not please use the coming years to call and take advantage of the funding and training and support your family. No one wishes to harm anyone or compel any changes in one’s lifestyle.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
I’m still trying to understand why anyone thinks that the chareidy tzibbur doesn’t work.
In every chareidy neighborhood there are full of stores , company’s and more with all kind of chareidy workers should it be chassidish litvish sfardish or mizrachish, but to say that the chareidy tzibbur aren’t working is just an hollow lye out of hate to frum Jews.
This Benet is one self hatred Jew and is seeking fame at the secular parties.
He calls himself frum but the only thing he does as for Judaism, is a kippah.
1. His party opposed a law to make it illegal to discriminate against hareidim.
2. Most hareidim aren’t interested in having a secular government providing “religious services” – they want to be able to provide them for themselves, according to their own halachic standards without government interference.
3. The only way to enforce conscription would be to throw people in jail (as his coalition partners favor), or to close down the yeshivos. As it is, anyone not serving in the IDF is subject to significant legal sanactions (such as being banned from employment outside the hareidi community). The way to increase hareidi service in the military is through broad based accomodations, and economic incentives. His party cast the deciding votes to conscript yeshiva students, and they are free to change their mind.
The groise tzaddik! Why is it that his party arranged that not only did the “Zionistic” yeshiva get any cuts in government funding, their stipends were increased! Only “Zionistic” Torah is worth supporting? The thousands of avreichim lost their stipends and can’t put food on the table.
Ok, so the argument is “Let them go out and work!” Sounds nice in theory, but what are they supposed to do until then? Starve?
And what about all the yeshivos with talmidim from Chutz La’aretz? Why was their funding cut out completely? Talmidim from chut la’aretz bring in a lot more revenue to the holy State than the State pays out!