Regardless if one plans to vote for Shas or another frum party, party leader Eli Yishai has once again delivered the goods, big time. With less than two weeks before the general election and without a state budget, Shas has secured no less than NIS 162 million, which will be paid for kollelim and yeshivas in addition to the NIS 190 million already existing.

Remarkably, after two weeks of negotiations between Shas Minister Meshulum Nahari with senior treasury officials, with Yishai overseeing the talks from a close distance while maintaining an open channel with senior treasury official Ron Belinkov, the two managed to bail out avreichim at a time when many do not have enough money to buy bare necessities.

As a result of the global economic crisis, the Gaza war, and the fact the government does not have a 2009 budget, there simply are no funds. The law only permits the government to spend 1/12 of last year’s budget and failure to pass a budget may soon result in Israel making tardy debt payments in February, a reality that would deliver another blow to the nation’s financial ranking.

Shas realizes that despite the treasury’s willingness to be forthcoming, the situation remains difficult but the negotiations Yishai hopes will bring payment to bochrim to NIS 400 and for avreichim NIS 720. This would represent a major increase from the current NIS 100 resulting from the difficult fiscal picture.

Not wishing to rely on treasury officials during this most difficult time, Nahari one night earlier in the week personally visited the Torani funding unit and instructed clerks just how the funds may be transferred to ensure the relief reaches kollel bank accounts as quickly as possible. When the process was finally complete, Nahari telephoned Maran Rav Ovadia Shlita to inform him they succeeded in their mission.

Yishai then phoned Maran Rav Elyashiv Shlita, who commended him for his achievement during these difficult days. When conveying the good news to Maran Rav Shteinman Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva exclaimed “It’s truly a miracle”.

While Shas officials stated they are not interested in entering Yahadut HaTorah’s turf, undoubtedly the achievement will give a boost to the party’s election campaigning and it may indeed influence some Yahadut HaTorah voters to cast their ballot for Shas.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)