Shas’ Aryeh Deri has spoken out against the “discriminatory policies” of the Ashkenazi girls schools, vowing to work to end it once and for all.

In the Monday 6 Cheshvan 5773 edition of Hamodia (Israel), affiliated with Agudas Yisrael, the counter attack appears.

The headline reads “Call of the Hour, Achdus and Not Dispute” as the article speaks of how Shas was united last week under the leadership of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, aware that a party with two leaders may have resulted in a significant Chilul Hashem chas v’sholom.

The newspaper continues by explaining that even if there is machlokes in another frum party it does not report it as others may, since their “kovod is important” and they wish to assist towards making a Kiddush Hashem and not the contrary.

Then the article shifts gears to the offensive, addressing “the person who returned to the leadership of Shas” who is quoted saying “he plans to wage an unrelenting war against the discrimination in Ashkenazi seminaries (frum girls high schools).”

Hamodia:

For this you returned to politics? Without even entering into the heart of the painful situation – perhaps try explaining some of the details, why and what? To just declare war in the chareidi camp – this is what you have to offer?

Don’t get me wrong. We are not disqualifying the opinion of the candidate who feels the necessity of commenting on the situation and we are not mocking the tears of the Jewish mothers who do not have schools for their daughters. But why supply the ammunition to those who oppose us and our way of life? Why give them this pleasure?

…Shas as a party is well defined, representing its specified sector, which is fine. The main point is to cooperate towards being מקדש שם שמים and even if differences arise, we should not air our dirty laundry in public for the secular media to see.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)