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Interior Minister, Minister of Negev & Galil Development Aryeh Deri on Tuesday 9 Iyar visited Ofakim and a number of other southern district municipalities. His first stop was in Ofakim, where he was met by Mayor Yitzchak Danino and senior city officials including Deputy Mayor Rabbi Shlomo Azran, Ofakim Religious Council head Rabbi Binyamin Malka and Councilman Rabbi Avraham Deutsch, who holds the chareidi education portfolio.

Other officials in Deri’s office accompanied them as well as did the Director of the Shas-affiliated HaMayan Education Network Moshe Iluz.

Mayor Danino explained at the opening of their meeting that in the past he has hosted cabinet ministers and even a Prime Minister but for him, he is most excited to host Rabbi Aryeh Deri due to the special closeness and emotional to Ofakim and from his wealth of experience as Interior Minister he has done a great deal for the city.

“The city is 60 years old but still suffers from symptoms of a development town. Many new immigrants from all walks of life have joined us and this includes a large mosaic of populations including the chareidim which today number 30% of the city’s population” the mayor explained. They mayor then continued, explaining the city’s direction, advances and needs.

Deri announced his office is advancing a cabinet decision to view Ofakim as a priority. He is also changing the status of government offices in city’s that accept many immigrants, such as Ofakim, by which the national government will pay 100% property tax, thereby generating an additional NIS 500 million and these funds will be given on a priority basis to the weaker municipalities including Ofakim.

The entourage then visited Mosdos Bnei Yosef and the Shoshanim Girl’s School as well as the Misgav HaImahot High School. The welcome was an excited one at the Darchei Chaim Talmid Torah in Ofakim headed by Rabbi Yosef Butbul.

They then traveled to Kiryat Malachi where Deri was greeted by Mayor Eliyahu Zohar and he painted a picture of the current situation and future needs. The mayor explained the city’s population is expected to double in the coming decade. They also visited the Beit Yosef Talmid Torah in the city headed by Rabbi Mordechai Chamu. Deri tested the students and was reportedly impressed with their ability to respond.

Deri then visited HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yuroslovsky Shlita, Secretary of Rabbanei Chabad in Eretz Yisrael and an area rav in the city. Deri was received warmly and received a bracha for success from the rav.

Deri completed the visit visiting kivrei tzaddikim in the city.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)