MK R’ Meir Porush explains that from his perspective, chareidim in Israel today are like foreign workers. He made his comments during a session of the Shaked Committee, which is finalizing the new chareidi draft law.
“I am hesitant about discussing the law in the Law Committee. I suggest that the discussion is moved to the Committee for Service of Foreigners since the chareidim as treated as foreigners.” The chareidi lawmaker explained “chareidim in Israel today feel like second rate citizens”.
Porush took a swipe in the direction of Prime Minister as well, recommending to the committee that instead of enlisting chareidim into a national service program permit them to serve in the Prime Minister’s Residents and his villa in Caesarea. He explained this could be viewed as an acceptable alternative.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
He acts like a child.
Mr Porush if Charidem are foreign workers don’t they need a permit to work and if they work then they get all benifiets from the country they work so we must agree they get everything from this country so what do you want mr Porush
The hilonim regard Bnei Torah as “parasites” (their words). Foreigners would be preferable since they don’t object to the idea of making Israel a nation free of the yoke of Torah.
The zionists for the most part like foreigners since they do the work that the zionists don’t want to do. Zionism’s goal is to make Jews a people like all others, and being able to rule others was historically the mark of a successful nation. However hareidim are avdei ha-Shem, and we don’t like being ruled by others. As hard as some of us have tried, we’ll never be good zionists. We are already “in service” and it will never be to the state.
I sugggest that Porush is especially bitter since his family has been a leader in the movement to make hareidim part of the zionist state for over 60 years, and he is being forced to admit that his family was wrong, and their opponents (e.g. R. Yosef Haim Sonnenfeld, R. Yoel of Satmar, Dr. Jacob Israel De Haan, etc.) were right all along.
Until a reasonable and intelligent dialogue can be conducted between groups of people……all is naught.
Perhaps behaving as “foreigners” might be a more accurate description. Engage, talk to each other, with respect and interest and we can move forward. This advice is given to both opponents.
empty-kup said, “However hareidim are avdei ha-Shem, and we don’t like being ruled by others.”
Hareidim also beleive that the most important mitsvah is learning Torah. Try it sometimes, so you don’t sound like such an ignorant fool.