ISRAEL (VINnews) — In a rare confrontation Monday, Yoaz Handel, Israel’s Minister of Communications, met with Charedi leaders across a wide spectrum to discuss a hot-button issue.
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The meeting comes as tensions have flared, due to Handel’s recent attempts to interfere with the kashrus of cell phones. Specifically, he’s tried to limit the capabilities of cellular providers to place blocks on “kosher” phones, which has outraged the Charedi community.
According to Kan News, Handel told the Rabbonim: “What we do – no matter how the media depicts us – is not against Judaism and the Charedim, it’s for their benefit.”
He added, “Many Chareidim have non-kosher phones. Do you want to bury your head in the sand? I worry about every Israeli, whether from Eida Chareidis, votes Shas, UTJ, even if he has no political connection to me. Why? Because he is an Israeli citizen and my brother and I worry about him. The People of Israel are responsible for each other.
פגישה נדירה של אדמו"רים, ראשי ישיבות ורבנים בכירים מהמגזר החרדי עם שר התקשורת יועז הנדל במשרדו בירושלים בניסיון למנוע ממנו לאפשר ניוד מספרים כשרים והפיכתם ל"לא כשרים". השר: "זה לא נגד חרדים, זה בעדכם"https://t.co/POVdy2xnJR@AkivaWeisz pic.twitter.com/wsnKNilobG
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 29, 2021
“I respect you very much, but I feel comfortable sitting and telling you that I worry about my children just the same as you worry about your children – in exactly the same measure,” Hendel said. “We need to look at the details, and in the end, the real argument on the table is how we relate to the State of Israel, and if the State can regulate what happens within it.”
Participants in the meeting included the Vizhnitz Rebbe, Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, senior adviser to Shas, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, and Rabbi Moshe Tzedaka, head of Porat Yosef.
What is he saying? What does creating a cultural norm have to do with burying head in the sand?
Can someone explain what the issue is, as it is not clear who and what is being done.
Let me explain to the American Jews why is the minister trying to interfere with the Kosher Phones:
I am a chareidi Jew that lived in Israel for quite a few years and I had a kosher phone because I didn’t want any internet on my phone. There are enough Kosher filtered internet cafes in Israel, so I didn’t need a smart phone.
Every one that I know American and Israelis are very frustrated with the kosher phones. The kosher phones block a large range of telephone numbers that you can’t call, not immodest, just because they are hotlines, that means a line that gives over information.
The Charedi Jews in Israel that don’t have access to internet a whole time have a large range of hotlines from Bus info when they are coming to the bus stops till family simchas and news.
The kosher phone has a large dispute with the company that has the biggest infrastructure in Israel for hotlines, and most people use this company as it is the best and easiest platform for hotlines.
The kosher phone (Vaad Harabonim l’inyunei Tikshoret) blocks the kosher phones from calling these hotlines. Emergency government hotlines were also blocked, which the government sued the Kosher Phones in court and they had to open it back up for the kosher phones. As a result of this war the kosher phone has blocked a lot of innocent home phones and store phones.
The minister is calling for transparency when the Kosher phone blocks a number they should state why is it being blocked, because until now it didn’t have to be public knowledge, and they would just block a large range of numbers without checking what it is actually blocking.
Never knew there are politicians that care about others, besides themselves
He wants them to participate in the emergency alert system. ⚠️
I don’t understand why charedim who have non kosher phones should affect those that chose “kosher”? why can’t people have the freedom to chose from a secular stand point?
I’m not sure if I fully understand the issue at hand. But nevertheless, won’t the “block” be helpful for those who do not own a non-kosher phone? So why not keep it in place?
The rebbe is moshiach!
Even on non kosher phones….
The crux of the matter is if Rabanim should be given the power to create a police state (Charedistan ?) within a democratic state called Israel
every Cheredy has every right to restrict his actions and not go to any siteor call any hotline they deem incompatible with Chereidy beliefs and standards
The question is should Rabanim have the power to force, censor, block and control information, just like in Iran or China where the population is cut from information that the leadership does not want them to see.
Perhaps he can arrange kosher telegraph service for Haredim?
Very patronizing.
What is really the issue? Is it the ‘traife’ content on cell phones or is it the lust in peoples’ heads that seeks ‘traife’ content everywhere? Maybe the rabbonim need to work on that if its so prevalent in charedi society, and leave cell phones alone.