Israel – Director for Religious Institutions at the Ministry of Education Amos Tzayada sent a letter to deans and administrators of state-funded yeshivot on Sunday forbidding their students from political campaigning during study hours.
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“Studies must continue as usual during the election period and students must be present at the institute [of study] for all hours,” Tzayada said.
In recent weeks, several senior haredi rabbis have called on full-time yeshiva students to campaign for the haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism.
In a recent speech, Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef called on yeshiva students to leave their studies and knock on doors for the party’s electoral campaign.
“I call on all married students to go out and strengthen the [Shas] movement,” Yosef said.
“Get up from Torah study and go out to influence [events]; everyone needs to vote and campaign for Shas… Go from house to house to garner support for those who preserve the Torah, so that, God willing, we will have many [Knesset] seats.”
Full-time yeshiva students receive government grants of NIS 828 a month, as well as other government subsidies and benefits, but are obliged to be present at their yeshivot during study hours and are prohibited from working during that time as well.
On Friday, Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, spiritual leader of the Ashkenazi haredi world, also issued a call to deans of yeshivot instructing them to tell their students that “everyone was obligated to vote and work for United Torah Judaism.”
Hiddush, a lobbying group, sent a letter to Tzayada last week, calling on him to prevent yeshiva students from engaging in political campaigning during study hours, since such activity constitutes an infringement of the terms of their agreements with the state in return for state grants and exemption from military service.
Hiddush director and Reform Rabbi Uri Regev welcomed Tzayada’s letter but said that the real test was in enforcement of the instructions. Regev called on the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Finance to increase inspection of yeshivot during the run-up to the election, as well as to perform surprise inspections, in order to prevent “the mass enlistment of yeshiva students to the election campaign.”
According to Hiddush, a married full-time yeshiva student aged 28 with 3-4 children receives NIS 4,800 a month in state benefits if his wife does not work, and NIS 4,100 if she does.
Up to NIS 1,700 of this sum comes in the form of subsidized housing, which in practice is available only for members of the haredi community living in haredi cities such as Betar Illit, the organization says.
Other discounts, such as for municipal taxes, are granted to full-time yeshiva students automatically, whereas other citizens have to prove they are working, looking for work or unable to work in order to get such benefits.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Government is totally right on this one
This is one of those rare cases where the yeshiva bochurim should simply ignore Rav Shteinman and continue with their studies. Otherwise, they are violating the laws requiring subsidized students to be in school. The rabbonim, including Shteinman, should not be telling the students to take actions that would jeopardize their legal status for needed grants. Its also a terrible idea from a public policy perspective to have rabbonim like Yosef and Shteinman inserting themselves into the election debate.
The satmar rav has argued 50 years ago that by taking government subsidies, yeshivas will allow the government to meddle and dictate what should or shouldn’t be done.
Ironically, the had they listen to the satmar rav they would’ve been able to campaign and possibly achieve more seats.
Interesting development. The Israeli government has to remind the Roshei Yeshivos about ביטול תורה.
Unless it’s not ביטול תורה in which case its hypocritical because it seems they can’t take off for the army but they can take off for politics.
Unless you claim it’s דעת תורה so it does have to make sense.
Why do the Charedi leaders allow Yeshiva students to campaign but oppose military service?
You guys got it wrong…this is all polital posturing on the left to demonize the Charedim..Since the founding of the state the bochrim and kollel yugerleit would work prior to the elections…the terms of subsidies were given with full fore knowledge that prior to the elections that the study halls will be empty! Just simply posturing..and not in vioation of Shulchan Aruch CM or Israeli Law – n spite of the positiopn of I sraeli Law. Let this go to a Court of impartial judges and let see how it will be judged nt on the ministrel level and surely by johny come latelys (reform jewish) on the israeli political scene
as the old saying goes – “de fish shtinkt fim kop”. hamayvin yavin.
100% correct – no excuse for this – stay away from politics and stay in the Beis Medrash
WHOA Soo much hatred against the haredis!
Don’t they have a right to vote? don’t they have a right to get their people to vote? The suggestion is not that they should deduct the hrs they campaign, the issue is the hilonim are out to silence the haredis and all you are helping them! “they can’t serve in the army, but can take off time to campaign!” that’s as ridiculous as it gets! at stake is the following. Will they vote and get their fair representation in the knesset, and be able to stay and study, or is it no representation (or close to it), and be forced by this farshtunkene reform/zionist movement to drop their religion!
The israeli govt in conjunction with the reform movement are banding together and feeding all of us propaganda against the haredis! They have human rights / equal rights to vote and to encourage to vote! Some peoples hate doesn’t diminish their rights!
Oh, I get it. So, leaving the yeshiva to earn a living, contribute to society, or serve in the military is prohibited, but participating in the political campaign process is permitted? Of course it is, because that is how they will ensure they continue to receive their stipends and military exemptions. Hypocrites.
i understadn where the gov. is coming here, but i don’t know the whole story (and neither do any of you)
certainally we have to dan lkaf zchus the gedolei hador
We often hear that the Yeshiva Bochurim should not enter the army as their learning protects the country.
Using the same logic, why do they have to take time off from learning to campaign? First of all by stopping their learning, they are putting everyone in danger. Secondly, why do they need to campaign? They should just learn; Hashem will act on their behalf, and the appropriate candidates will be elected.