The head of the Moetzas Gedolei Hatorah of Shas, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita, has come out in full backing of Jerusalem Councilman (Shas) Tzvika Cohen. Cohen hold the chareidi education portfolio on the city council and he came under fire from Moshe Gafne during the urgent Bnei Brak kenos held on Sunday evening.

Rav Cohen expressed satisfaction with Cohen’s performance, citing he is genuinely concerned with the well-being of girls and he consults with him before acting.

Gafne accused Cohen of acting as if he is “baal habayis of chareidi education”, adding “he is here today and gone tomorrow”, leaving Shas officials and Rabbi Cohen with a less than a pleasant feeling regarding the attacks against Tzvika Cohen during the meeting.

Shas leader Minister Aryeh Deri also commented on Monday morning, backing Councilman Cohen, explaining he is dedicated and works tirelessly on behalf of the chareidi mosdos in the capital. Deri adds that Councilman Cohen works hard on behalf of everyone, “and he simply cannot accept the fact that dozens of Sephardi girls are left without a school.

“He is our representative and does not act on his own but consults with the head of our Council Chacham Cohen and myself before doing anything. With all due respect to the principals of the schools, we are not looking to become involved but the schools are public, not private, and receive state funds and we are seeing to it that every girl is assigned a school what do they think these are their private schools? With all due respect, these are public schools”.

The fact remains that while the Ashkenazi chareidim are angered over state involvement in the schools, the Sephardi chareidim are working to use state agencies to compel schools to take the Sephardi girls left without a school, placing Yahadut Hatorah and Shas at odds with one another.

In his comments Deri acknowledged that it is true some schools are now facing a crisis of having their budgets cut over their refusal to accept girls but this is a reality that has come about due to continued discrimination.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)