Shas party leader Economy Minister Aryeh Deri is under fire from opposition and coalition members. Former Education Minister (Yesh Atid) Shai Piron released an open letter to Deri asking him to stop Shas’ efforts to take over all of the nation’s religious services. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) directs her anger at Likud, accusing the ruling party of “selling out to the chareidim”.

Deri is not apologetic in the face of the harsh criticism that followed the cabinet decision to dissolve giyur reforms and place the authority for the nation’s batei din in the hands of the Shas-controlled Ministry of Education, taking it from the Justice Ministry headed by Shaked.

At the opening of a Shas faction meeting in Knesset on Monday 18 Tammuz, Deri said “Yesterday there was a cabinet meeting. I would like to set the record straight. There is a great deal of disinformation. We have all forgotten to point out that the authority for state giyur has moved from the Ministry of Religious Services to the Prime Minister’s Office. This is for all those who insist Shas never relinquishes authority”.

In response to criticism over dissolving the liberal giyur law from the previous administration, Deri leveled his attack at former Foreign Minister MK Avigdor Lieberman, explaining “The giyur we supported is the same formula backed by the former minister, Avigdor Lieberman, as per the compromise agreement involving the chief rabbi in that time, Rabbi Shlomo Amar Shlita. This is not our formula, but the formula of Yisrael Beitenu”.

Regarding the transfer of authority for batei din from the Justice Ministry to the Religious Services Ministry, Deri explains they only returned what was taken by former Justice Minister Tommy Lapid. Deri explains that Lapid at the time maintained the move would strengthen the authority of the national beis din system but time has proven the opposite is true. He stresses everything that has moved to the Religious Services Ministry is administrative and Minister of Religious Services David Azoulai will prove to all just how much effort he expends to assist agunos. He adds that the head of the committee that appoints dayanim is Likud Minister Dr. Yuval Steinitz, not Shas.

Deri also rejects accusation that the Shas amendment to the national kashrus law will create a monopoly for the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. “People forget that I am also Minister of the Economy and I have a great interest to remove barriers. However, we are a Jewish nation and most citizens want good kashrus. Therefore I must find a balance between these needs so I postponed the debate yesterday [in the weekly cabinet meeting] and I will do everything to streamline and reduce the costs for imports, reduce the cost of living but with the desire to provide the majority of Israelis with kosher food”.

Deri concluded by rejecting criticism against the chareidim. He cited that claims that everyone sold out the nation to the chareidim, he suggests looking at the coalition agreement which clearly shows Shas could have received at least twice as much if it entered into a coalition with Yitzchak Herzog and the Labor party.

“The hypocrisy must stop” stated Deri, adding “We have not done anything new. We are simply trying to restore the status quo. Two years the government harmed the chareidi tzibur and the poor tzibur and we are trying to repair this. This government is strong. The prime minister is running the coalition with a strong hand. No one can topple the coalition. One who wishes to join please do”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)