Speaking with Kol Chai Radio on Wednesday morning 23 Sivan, Minister of the Economy Aryeh Deri explained that on the one hand the chareidim are under attack for not entering the workplace but on the other hand, the discrimination against chareidim continues. He cited that on Tuesday he and a colleague attended a ministerial committee dealing with housing\, and of the dozens of clerks and officials present, he realized he, his colleague and an advisor were the only one with black yarmulkes.
Deri insists that despite the promises of equality, it is clear that a qualified chareidi person seeking employment today has many barriers to face since the many businesses in the mainstream sector will not hire a chareidi job applicant. “There is no one out there pushing out agenda” he exclaims.
Deri explains the government is working to end discrimination against Arabs and Ethiopians but the same cannot be said regarding the chareidi community.
“We have a great deal of work ahead of us and this will only be accomplished through legislation and not by seeking chessed from anyone”.
He details that in most cases, even when chareidim are hired it is a minimum wage position and at times the employer receives a government subsidy to employ a chareidi. He plans to work to change this so that chareidim who are qualified are also hired to jobs paying significantly more than minimum wage.
Deri explains that the bottom line is the chareidim are all but forgotten and only receive a very small amount of what all citizens receive, adding he does not state this is intentional, but emphasizes whatever the reason he and his colleagues must work to correct this injustice. Deri states that in fact, most chareidim are clueless to their rights and he is launching a campaign in the chareidi tzibur to make people aware of their rights in all areas, including daycare, schools and other aspects of life. He feels the chareidi tzibur must begin demanding what it is entitled to.
Kol Chai:
What is your prediction for the narrow coalition government?
We announced during elections we would back Binyamin Netanyahu and so we did. When the prime minister set up the coalition we did not get involved. Now that the coalition exists we are responsible to work and to change things. I have spoken with Finance Minister Kahlon and Education Minister Bennett, explaining the situation is not good, not healthy and counterproductive. We cannot continue like this for too long. There are many issues pertaining to the problems vis-à-vis the international community and the current situation is not a gezeiras Shomayim and it can change. We must act to increase the size of the coalition for if the coalition wishes to really implement change then it requires widespread public support.
One major change I must comment on is between us and Naftali Bennett. At present there is a reciprocal relationship, a willingness to work together and assist one another. The same holds true with Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Given the zionist ideology focused on establishing a secular state, it will be impossible to resolve the discrimination issues. You can pass all the rules on Shabbos observance, but key factor is what people feel in their hearts, and the hiloni zionists hate us. Their whole idea in founding zionism was to establish a place where they could be free from us.
If eventually the religious zionists take over the zionist movement, things might improve. But the Israeli upper class overwhelmingly consists of the secular elites.