National Shas Chairman and minister of Interior Aryeh Deri met on Tuesday with the four elected Shas members of the Jerusalem City Council and revealed to them the agreement reached between Shas and the Degel HaTorah faction regarding the portfolio for the directorship of the Charedi Education System. The portfolio has been a major point of contention between the two factions and according to a report on Kikar Hashabbat News website, Deri told the council members that the portfolio will be split between the two factions.

The meeting came ahead of the planned coalition talks between newly elected Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon and the parties.

Deri told the faction that the portfolio will be held by a council member from Shas, however, the director of the department, who is expected to be replaced in the near future, will be appointed from the Degel HaTorah faction.

The oversight of the construction of new institutions, as well as the licensing of class space, will be removed from the council member holding the portfolio and given to a new sub-committee that will be formed. The head of the new sub-committee will be a member of the Degel HaTorah party while the director of the committee will be a Shas member.

Deri also said that the committee positions will be paid positions.

A senior member of the city’s staff, who has a strong knowledge of the Department told Kikar HaShabbat that: “Everything is currently in the hands of the rabbinic committee that is being set up by the two parties. The powers that Tzvika Cohen held are being passed on to the sub-committee. The sub-committee will also get to weigh in and make decisions regarding the status of Sephardi Girls institutions, many of which have been neglected in the past.”

Deri also told the Shas council members that the Absorption Portfolio will now be given to Shas and the person who will oversee it will be French representative Shmuel Marciano.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)