Following a surprised inspection by state authorities in Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim Purim time, state funds for the yeshiva have been held back. It was explained that many talmidim were not there as they should have been due to Purim, but the explanation fell on deaf ears.
Yeshiva officials were promised the outcome of the surprise inspection would not count against the yeshiva and another inspection would be held.
A letter has now been sent from the law office of Yaakov Weinrott, an effort by the yeshiva to have state funds released. The letter makes reference to the March 20, 2017 surprise inspection that failed, referencing the additional inspection of March 27th that was supposed to take place. Due to the results of the inspection, Mir officials were summoned to appear before state funding officials on May 22, 2017, at which time a hearing weighing the yeshiva’s funding would take place.
The yeshiva has since received a letter signed by a deputy director of a department, Sigalit Daniel, informing Mir that funding for April 2017 was being withheld, 2 million shekels. However, it was explained why the first inspection failed. It adds that 22 May was the day the US president was visiting and this was known well in advance. Hence, officials [from Mir] arrived in the capital eight hours earlier and they rented a venue to remain to enable arriving at the hearing on time. However, just four hours before the scheduled hearing, around noontime, Mir officials were informed the hearing was canceled, explaining one committee member was unable to attend due to difficulty traveling as a result of the presidential visit.
Attorney Hadad of Yaakov Weinrott’s office in the letter explains how the hearing was postponed by state officials, and over a month has passed since the original date and over two months since learning funds were being withheld and three months since the surprise inspection in question.
Hadad explains the trouble and expense his client went through to attend the hearing, which was canceled, not to mention an expert was brought in from the USA by Mir to attend as well. He continues by adding things are what they were and the presidential visit was a reality. However, Mir turned to state officials quite some time ago requesting the state release the funds in question.
At the time of this report, Mir awaits a response to the letter from state officials as well as freeing up the funding.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
The constant attack on the Torah community by the corrupt secular government is appalling. This is part of their evil plan to uproot Torah. The Mir Yeshiva is the largest institution with the largest enrolled American students in all of Israel. Their student body (with the constant visiting of parents & relatives) contributes so much to the Israeli economy. You would think these “smart” Government officials would have eppes a mashehu of Hakaras hatov, but no. They would prefer to have a Am Chofshi. They would rather cut their nose to spite their face. We have to keep davening to remove these awful gzeiros.
I agree 100%. We have to daven and ask Hashem to remove these harsh decrees.
While I’m not in favor of holding back funds that the yeshiva apparently desperately needs, let’s just keep in mind that they are not owed that money by any law of the land. Especially as the talmidim contribute little if any tax money themselves, that money they are getting is a pure chesed from the government. And if you want to bring the whole argument that their learning protects the country so the government owes it to them – perhaps they should institute a mandatory tax for all Jews in America to help fund Lakewood and other such institutions as logic would say they benefit from the same such spiritual protection. Also the shmira aspect is supposed to be one of the main defenses why yeshiva boys don’t go to the army (don’t get me wrong, I don’t want them to go to the army anyway but just sayin…)
I just double checked the calendar and purim was March 12th, Shushan Purim March 13th, so why did Purim prevent them from being in shiur a week later on the 20th? Also, why the expectation that they can be “mashlim” the failed surprise inspection with a pre-planned inspection? Isn’t the whole point of the surprise one to see how many guys actually show up when there isn’t somebody to call ahead of time and tell them to be there?
“Their student body (with the constant visiting of parents & relatives) contributes so much to the Israeli economy. ”
Does it really? Who are they renting their apartments from? Charedi landlords who may or may not be reporting income tax on the rent? Purchasing things from gemachim where everything is under the table? Money spent in the Charedi community basically enters a black hole and had very little direct connection with the greater Israeli economy.
For example, my kids go to chinuch atzmi schools and the checks for tuition, chug, and tzaharon all have to be written without a name on them. I checked my online bank account to see where these checks are going to and it’s all being cashed by money changers so basically they get cash and never have to put any money in their bank account thereby avoiding any income tax because there’s no paper trail. Now I’m not going to report them because I’m not vindictive and know that they aren’t exactly “well off”, however that is majorly illegal and also unfair as I work at an above the table establishment and taxes are taken off my paycheck before it even gets to me. My landlord also requests that I pay him in cash.
Maybe if I had more money left in my pocket after living in this ridiculously difficult country I’d take some of that and donate directly to the Mir, but because I and people like me play by the rules, we’re left with nothing. I’m forced to pay taxes and I don’t have a say where the money goes. I’d rather it go to somewhere like the Mir than some anti-Torah cause but again that choice is being made for me. If in the end it’s true that a lot of these guys aren’t showing up for shiur it’s a bit of a slap in the face – and not just to chilonim but to sucker frummies like me who get hit from both sides of the aisle…
Exert time you turn around there is another fund raiser diner or brakefist for them
We do they need government money
Or better why are you picking our pickets if you Re funded
Assurnet , “I’m not vindictive”
Umm, what part of your hateful and lie-ridden diatribe was not vindictive? Do you even know how an economy works?
Kollel faker, I think i’ve worked out what your badly written hate says. You have no idea how much it costs to run a moisad