It appears that Shas will be demanding the education portfolio in negotiations to form a coalition following general elections. In an interview with the daily Ma’ariv, party leader Eli Yishai stated he believes he will seek the education portfolio in the next government. He explained if Shas emerges with “enough power” following the elections, he will seek the education portfolio, explaining “only then can we instill Jewish values in the nation’s education system.”
Yishai stressed he has no plans of implementing a religious coercion policy, adding in Shas schools, students learn secular subject matter too, “on a very high level” as he put it.
He stated that there are values that must be introduced into the education system such as respect for one’s parents, Jewish identity, and morality. “Today’s parents and the parents of parents of today miss the days when the children were taught Jewish Torah values in schools.”
“If one would ask a student today who are the four Mothers they would respond the ladies who got us out of Lebanon,” making reference to the Four Mothers organization that worked to pressure Israel to leave the Security Zone in southern Lebanon in 2000.
“It is painful to see children do not know what Shema Yisrael is or who was Shimon Bar Yochai” added Yishai.
Yishai stated this time; Shas will not make due with the deputy ministerial post but will demand the ministerial post in the education ministry.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
Go for it, Shas!!
The religious favour of the country is more important than the cash cow, we are all behind u, just remember JERUSALEM IS NOT FOR SALE!!!
Given that Hareidim are a distinct minority, that is unlikely – though control of funding for Hareidi schools or a special “Ministry of Torah Education” might be possible. It is at least a generation too early to think about closing down the Hiloni schools and establishing a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael. One should also ask how important control of the Ministry of Education is versus more money for the poor, or concessions on foreign affairs (especially from the perspective of the likely Shas voters). Even though from a Torah perspective, learning Torah is more important than money for groceries, or control of Jerusalem and the West Bank – that will be a hard sell politically.