Knesset hopeful Yair Lapid, who is championing the plight of the working class, promises that if his ‘Yesh Atid’ (There is a Future) party is successful in the upcoming general elections on January 22, 2013, he will take 909 million NIS currently allocated to kollels and move the money over for the state’s teachers.

Regarding housing for young couples, he vows to change the current criteria to ensure that first priority government subsidized housing will go to those who serve in the military and pay taxes, i.e. away from chareidim, adding he is committed to the construction of 150,000 homes that will be offered to rent, aware of the dire lack of housing available in Israel today.

“If we achieve 22 mandates, on the first day of the new Knesset I will submit a bill demanding equal service by all. If we have 22 seats we can order the government to handle affairs differently – not the same old politicians, those who only think of themselves to run our lives. We will have good ratings – people we can believe in and trust, those who gave up successful careers out of an ideology to work for the public” he stated.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)