Jerusalem – Shas’ gender agenda revealed: The Shas movement views the advancement of equality towards women in the society and encouraging their education and integration in the labor market as highly important, the ultra-Orthodox party says in the last clause of its platform, under the title “Strengthening Women”.
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“Through education and integration into the labor market, women will be able to break through the frameworks of poverty and distress, and integrate in society from a status of economic strength and high self-esteem,” the clause adds.
“There is no discrimination between men and women in our party,” Shas Chairman Eli Yishai tells Ynet. “There are equal opportunities here. We have appointed women for many positions.
“Look at our appointments and look at other places. We’ve done a lot of work on this matter, giving them the tools so that they can really provide for their families in a respectable manner. It’s highly important to provide them with the strengths and abilities to go out and provide for their home. It’s a very important thing in the haredi public.”
Yishai believes that haredi women’s failure to integrate into politics is not an ideological thing, but rather a practical one.
“At the time, the person who led the people of Israel was Deborah the prophetess,” he notes. “There’s nothing wrong with it as far as Jewish Law is concerned.
“In today’s reality, we have no women looking for work in the Knesset and for all this mingling. They engage mostly in health, education, welfare, associations and schools. They are more interested in real day-to-day work, in saving the people for the people, and youth in particular, than in the Knesset.”
Yishai admits that the timing of the surprising clause, which did not appear in the party’s platform in the past, is significant.
“Today this issue is realized more because of the need, the obligation to provide them with the tools. Today it has a central place because of the existing hardship.”
Are we witnessing a trend of strengthening haredi women? “Look at the power of the women’s headquarters. The work they’re doing cannot be compared to any other headquarters. You’ll be impressed,” Yishai said, and he was right.
The women’s headquarters of Shas, located in Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul neighborhood, differs from regular election headquarters.
At first glance, the headquarters do include common motives: Telephone operators phoning activists, volunteers moving swiftly around the place, election signs all over, and a map of Israel divided to sectors hanging on the wall.
At second glance, a clear different can be spotted: The atmosphere is relaxed, and the work is conducted pleasantly, accompanied by smiles.
The headquarters are run by none other than the chairman’s wife, Mrs. Tzipi Yishai. Yishai doesn’t usually talk to the media, but was available for a unique interview.
“Our activities differ from those of the men,” she told Ynet. “We believe in the power of a women’s prayer. In the special days we organize things together, all the women supporting Shas work and pray together.”
Throughout the year, Yishai runs a charity organization called “Tiferet Chen”. One of the organization’s goals is to help needy brides ahead of their wedding. The organization also offers philanthropic assistance by handing out food baskets ahead of holidays and school kits at the start of the school year.
During the elections, she works round the clock. “I do two things: Strengthening and rights for Israel, and recruiting new voters for Shas,” she says.
“It’s not a full-time job as far as I’m concerned,” Yishai clarifies. “I am first of all a grandmother and mother. All year round, not only during elections.”
Recruited by Rabbi Ovadia
“This is the women’s headquarters’ third tenure,” Tzipi Yishai says. “The first one was during the term of (former Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon. At that time we also operated in full strength, but we didn’t have our own place. In the previous elections our work was more limited, but this time, with God’s help, I received a personal call from our master.
“He told my husband, ‘Ask Tzipora to go out and start working.’ He told to the women directly, and when the rabbi asks it’s much more powerful. No one asks questions, they all jump in,” Yishai says.
At the beginning of the month, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef called on every activist in the part to bring 10 people who will vote for Shas. “Women are no exception,” he clarified, and his words have had an impact on each and every activist.
“Without praying and without believing it won’t work, and this is our faith,” says Miriam, head of operations at the women’s headquarters. One way to convince the new voters is by granting each one with a personal blessing from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef himself.
“There’s great potential in the haredi sector,” says Tzipi Yishai. They really develop frameworks there, both in education and in employment. Women are very capable, and everyone knows a woman’s power.
“If we want to expand haredi women’s employment and studies, we must make a cultural adaptation. Without a cultural adaptation there won’t be any changes in the Israeli society. The frameworks focus on this. We listen to people’s needs and show understanding. This is what provided this upgrade.”
Welcome to the 21 century.
So what is this all about? Womens equal rights or getting women to volunteer for elections?
I thought that Rav Ovadya Yosef doesn’t hold of wearing sheitals. What is one of the women activists doing wearing one?
its about time a gadol hador comes out in the open with out being afraid to say so.
Rav Ovadia as always been a sharp razor, and its been greatly appriciated as well.
may he continue to raise these important issues
How dare he. Doesn’t he realize the importace of keeping the woman uneducated and at home. I hope there is a kol koreh about this soon.
This has nothing to do with the 21 or 20th century. This is a very delicate balance in general because of Koved Bas Melech Pnima and the associated halachas which are very specific. On the other hand, when the priority is Zionism over Torah Judaism anything can happen in the hands of leaders who merge the true Torah with the false neo-Sabbatian ideology of Zionist politics and the Medinah………
i love rabbi ovadia, and to the comment above about sheitels, just bec. people aren’t on the level to put on a hat that doesn’t make the the rabbi look bad or put him down, that’s shtuss.
I’m sephardic and my family all wear wigs even though the rabbi opposes it, this is how it goes,10-15 years ago in my community no one covered their hair, and since then the only way the woman would have agree to put something on their head was only if it was a wig, not a hat therefore that became the custom even though WE know its not the best thing.
I agree that hats are better from halacha point of veiw bec. the reason of covering hair i to make the ladies less attractive to other men meanwhile the wigs enhance the beauty of the the woman, does that make any sense? It’s the same as see through clothing, there ‘s no difference because both don’t equal modesty.
I am not a Sephardi, but I have admired Chacham Rav Ovadia Yosef for years. This is a great idea, and I hope many Chareidim, including the Ashkenazim follow this too.
Devorah was an amazing woman. I remember learning bout her in day school, specifically how she was a leader and a judge. If I am not mistaken, she had tremendous faith and was willing to lead Bnei Yisrael into battle.
I also recall how Yael defeated Sisera. If I am not mistaken, there was a reason why she used a tent peg to kill Sisera. Our holy Imahot had holy tents.
If women in tanach were able to ‘work,’ so can women today. Then again, more of our men can work too. I know my ketubah has language in there about providing for my wife.
As a man who is comfortable with himself, I have zero problems with great women who can work and lead.
kol hakoved, welcome to the 21st century by stone age. woman are just as important as men. men and woman are ture equals in raising families.
the idea of womans equal rights to the man and feminism has ruined society and made terrible inroads into the ortodox community with nothing good coming out of it
Iam not against women working,but it has to be with a cerain borderline meaning only half day, so that the other half she can sit at home and be mechanech the children and do other things wich needs to be done for the house.
If large numbers of charedi men are going to continue to sit and learn full time for a period of years, of course, more of the burden of providing for their large families will fall upon their wives. So it is a very practical thing R’ Ovadiah is advocating — if woemn have to work to support their families, better they should do so with more education and training so they can make decent money, rather than having to work for minimum wage because they have no real skills.
Someone has got to pay the bills.
To #5 : The following is a statement by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, z”tl, regarding the importance of wearing a sheital over hats and tichels:
” The difference between a sheitel and a kerchief is the following: It is easy to take off a kerchief, which is not the case with a sheitel. When one is at a gathering and wears a sheitel, then even if the President were to enter the room she would not take off the sheitel. This is not so with a kerchief which can easily be removed. The objection that wearing a sheitel was not made a condition of the match prior to the wedding is not at all convincing. Does wearing a sheitel have anyting to do with keeping one’s word? It should be worn because it brings true good fortune to the husband, the wife, to children and grandchildren. In the past, the custom was to cut off the hair. Later on the custom spread to wearing a sheitel. Wearing a sheitel is especially appropriate now, when one can obtain a shetel in various shades, which looks even nicer than one’s own hari. Let the woman ponder this matter. It doesn’t take and an hour or even a half-hour of contemplation. Why doesn’t she really want to wear a sheitel but only a kerchief? Because she knows that a sheitel cannot be taken off when she is walking in the street or at a gathering, while a kerchief can be moved all the way up and sometimes taken off entirely, as known from practice. It is possible that she will say that she will wear a kerchief properly. If she does so, then surely it is well. But experience has shown that this is not the case. “
Please stop bashing women who wear wigs over tichels in public. I stopped wearing hats and tichels long time ago becuase my hair would constantly come out. No disrespect to Rav Yosef, who is gadol, but I follow the ruling of the Rebbe on this issue, and you must respect others who follow advice from their own rabbis.
BTW, where does it say that a woman must cover her with a tichel so she should look unattractive? The only reason why a woman’s hair is covered is because after she is married it becomes ervah. Correct me if am wrong, but nowhere does it say that a woman has to look ugly to be modest. How a woman covers her hair is her and her husband’s business.