Inserting special clauses including “encouraging IDF service” and pressuring the correct people, the dati leumi yeshivot have succeeded in obtaining budgetary increases that were not given to their chareidi counterparts.
This prompted MK Rav Moshe Gafne to file a complaint with the Knesset Audit Committee, citing discrimination against chareidim. Gafne’s actions have led the Knesset committee to direct the matter to the Office of the State Comptroller for a probe into the additional yeshiva funding for the dati leumi tzibur.
The Audit Committee convened on Tuesday, 9 Kislev 5774 at Gafne’s behest, permitting him to air his grievance. He rejected the disproportionate division of state funds under the “encouraging IDF service” clause that was inserted to permit additional funding for dati leumi yeshivos.
At the Tuesday committee meeting MK Rav Yaakov Asher added that the facts speak for themselves and it is clear that one sector is being funded at the expense of another. He accused the dati leumi community of creating criteria that is political in nature to advance their cause, increased funding for their mosdos at the expense of the chareidim. Committee Chairman MK (Shas) Amnon Cohen decided to pass the matter to the state comptroller.
Also taking part in the meeting was HaGaon HaRav Reuven Elbaz Shlita, who heads Mosdos Ohr Chaim. He was present because of his involvement with so many baalei teshuvah. Hundreds of the rav’s talmidim served in the IDF, in elite combat units and many were officers. Most continue to serve in the reserves despite being frum today.
The rav opened by stating “yes we need equality but we mustn’t forget the foundation upon which Am Yisrael rests.” The rav explained that over 50% of his talmidim served in the IDF, most in combat units and today, over 80% continue reporting for reserve duty. He adds that counted among his talmidim are ten high ranking officers who continue to serve as well.
Addressing the state comptroller, Rav Elbaz continued to address the ‘sharing the burden’ issue. He explained there are many sharing the burden in Ohr Chaim, doing their part with mesirus nefesh. They do it with Hatzalah scooters and much more. “We are called the blacks! I personally never looked to see what one has on one’s head but looked to see what a person wants. Even those who are far away from us are loved but if we are speaking of equality, we too want equality.”
He explained that of his close to 600 talmidim in yeshiva, over half served in combat positions including many officers who served five years. “Don’t they deserve equality too” he questioned.
In response to Gafne’s actions, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Yoni Chetboun commented “The chareidi community knows very well how we fought for increased funding for the Torah world over recent months despite the cuts. MK Gafne feels a need to make headlines in the Audit Committee, and this will just make funding all yeshivot more difficult in the future.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Gafne does not realizing but he is reassuring the zionists that there policy is working. It is designed to discriminate against the hareidim. Having decided that hareidim are their “misfortune”, they are of course discriminating against them. That is the open purpose of the policy. There is nothing secret about it.
Gafne is appearing very naive, or perhaps a fool who doesn’t want to admit that his former benefactors whose support and patronage he craved, are stabbing him in the back – and are quite please with themselves for doing so.
“and it is clear that one sector is being funded at the expense of another”. -(BTW one is not gaining at the expense of the other) GAFNE did the same thing when he was in charge of Finances, he funded Charedi yeshivos without increasing extra funding for DL ones.
Most continue to serve in the reserves despite/WHILE being frum today. – WRONG WORD “despite”…use WHILE instead.
Actually, “despite” is probably the most appropriate choice of words. Serving in a den of immorality and the main organ of shmad, the IDF, for the State of Israel, the power center of Zionist shmad, easily qualifies for “despite” when referring to a frum Jew serving there.
In any event, the implication seems to be that they may not have been frum back when they were serving in active duty though, thanks to this Rabbi’s work, they have since become frum.