Dozens of directors of mosdos torah convened this week together with Deputy Minister of Education (Yahadut HaTorah) R’ Meir Porush, as well as Lior Shachar, a senior advisor to Interior Minister (Shas) Eli Yishai as they seek a solution to expedite processing paperwork of yeshiva bochrim from abroad.

The heads of the mosdos explained that at times, the hundreds of passports submitted to the Interior Ministry for processing may take up to four months. During that entire period, the school will not receive any funding. R’ Porush promised to do his utmost to rectify the situation, which results in adding to the financial burden of many mosdos.

Adding to the problem, when a bachor returns home for yomtov during the year, airport police cancel his permit, compelling a yeshiva to begin the process all over again. At times, the Interior Ministry then refuses to issue a new visa, insisting the old one is still valid, placing the bachor and the yeshiva in a no-win situation. One of the causes of the difficulties is being blamed on what is being called a lack of communications between Israeli diplomatic facilities abroad and the Interior Ministry in Israel, which is evident in cases when a student files papers abroad and then when arriving in Israel, realizing there is no paper trail.

Also reported is cases that a talmid arrives at the airport with a letter from a yeshiva and a stamp of approval from the ministry. Nevertheless, police in the airport do not accept this and bochrim are detained, regarded as being in the country illegally.

Porush listened attentively, indicating his office will do whatever possible to begin correcting the problems discussed.

Among the attendees were representatives from Ohr Elchanan, Ohr Somayach, Belz, Aish HaTorah, Chevron, Binyamin Olam, Knesset Yisrael, Cachmat Shlomo, Yeshivas Lev HaTorah, Lev HaTorah, Merkaz HaTorah, Machon Meir, Mir, Telshe Stone, Netiv Aryeh, Sanz, Ponovitz, Tomchei Tmimim Lod, Kamanitz, Shaare Mevaseret Tzion, Toras Moshe and Tiferet Ir HaKodesh.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)