JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman searched for creative ways to improve the budgetary situation while at the same time targeting the chareidi community. Two new decrees which will go into effect next month are set to cause significant hardship to chareidi families.
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The first new budgetary amendment concerns child care subsidies which until now were given to families of Avreichim studying Torah. Lieberman plans to cut the subsidies and provide them to those who are “maximizing earning potential”. Although students studying for degrees are eligible for such subsidies, Avreichim studying in kollel will not receive subsidies even if their wives are working full-time. For many low-income families this is a serious additional expense.
The second amendment concerns disposable plastic, which is heavily used by large chareidi families as well as by yeshivas. Lieberman presents himself as a defender of the environment , although he has not placed new taxes on high-emission vehicles and factories. Lieberman deliberately chose to tax disposable items knowing that this would harm the chareidi public.
The new tax of 11 NIS for every kilo of disposable items will double the current price and many yeshivos and private individuals have been stocking up on disposable items before the tax takes effect on November 1st.
Journalist Yisrael Cohen explained that “yeshivos and chasidic groups use large amounts of disposable items.” Liberman had suggested that they use dishwashers but Cohen said this was not viable on Shabbos and for large institutions and families. “Imagine a shabbos meal with 30 family members, the woman needs to wash all of the dishes afterwards. Disposables have become a routine part of the chareidi community’s lifestyle.”
Cohen was asked why chareidim are not sensitive towards global warming issues. In response, he quoted a Haaretz article which demonstrated that they are the most green-conscious community in Israel since most do not have private cars and do not use any form of transport on Shabbat.
Who needs Liberrman when we have an Abundance of such chareidi bashing on this site?
I really don’t understand the issue. In the long run disposables are more costly than using non disposables which then go in a dishwasher. Any family that has 30 people for a meal likely has a dishwasher, run it multiple times if necessary.
In my opinion any woman that alone has to wash dishes from 30 people has more issues than a plastic surcharge.
If a country has a law openly directed against Jews, dina dmalchusa dina does not apply and we don’t need to obey it.
So running the dishwashers to wash enormous amounts of dishes used in Yeshivos and by large families are environmentally sound.
maybe the men can help wash the dishes as well.
These Kollel wives are mostly working.
A chiloni family with a working mom and a stay at home dad will qualify for the stipend, while a chareidi family with a working mom and a father learning Torah will not?
That’s simply anti- Torah.
But not surprising coming from Lieberman.
I hear that there’s a special landfill in West Virginia named for the people of Boro Park who use more disposables per capita than any others. Israel seems to be heading that way. There are better ways to spend other than throw away dishes.
Imagine we managed for years with many children, using real dishes with no help other than a once a week cleaning woman if we could afford one.
He is 100% right – the child care subsidies should go to people who are working or those that are studying to” earn a living” and will become those that contribute to the tax base .Anything else is forced Kollel support. Why does a guy have to support kollel if he is not interested. It is a good thing but not forced, support kollel on your own will. What is the difference if a kollel collecting comes and points a gun at your head and dictates how much you have to give.
We need more Libermans to have a sane and monetary secure country. Start screaming guys.
This although coming from a questionable source is a good idea nevertheless which everyone would agree (not wasting). Sustainability, colloquially for the environment is really for us. We all need to pitch in to make “our community” more sustainable especially as it grows in size bezrat Hashem.
next government, the chardim will take off this tax and put a large tax on pork. Then listen to Liberman and his Russian supporters cry!
Using disposables are forbidden by Jewish Law. (Bal Taschis) Its ironic that anti-religion Lieberman is teaching them to observe Jewish Law.
The Yeshvos in Eretz Yisroel have plenty money. They should continue buying paper goods.