Shas party leader Aryeh Deri on Sunday 8 Teves, during the weekly cabinet meeting, presented his plan to integrate chareidim into the workplace. He explained to his fellow cabinet ministers the plan is to integrate chareidim into the public sector, civil service positions and that currently, there are almost no chareidim counted among civil service employees and this discriminatory policy must change with an affirmative action plan. “I have heard complaints from chareidim who cannot get hired in the public sector and are pushed aside for one reason or another in the early stage of application” he added.

Deri explained his plan calls for hiring dozens of chareidim annually so that by 2020 there are hundreds employed in the public sector. He envisions the chareidim will study on different tracks, a training course designed for them under the affirmative action program to be accepted into civil service positions. He cited his plan carries a definitive message, that the nation wishes to bring more chareidim into the ranks of public service. Deri feels this will send a resounding message to the private sector, to end the discrimination against chareidim.

His plan calls for the establishment of these specially tailored training tracks in 2016, adding the positions must be equally divided between men and women.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said “Today, the Cabinet will approve steps to integrate the chareidi population in the civil service. The integration of all sectors in Israel in the labor market is very important both for them and for the continued economic growth of the State of Israel, to build up its economy and – of course – to reduce the social gaps.

“In the coming days we will also decide on a five-year government plan to aid the Arab population in Israel, in the Arab sector, this includes a broad variety of areas…”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)