JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel has decided to effectively cancel the kosher phone segment and allow free movement of consumers from kosher numbers to use regular phones. Hendel announced the decision Wednesday and explained that the kosher phone market was a monopoly in the hands of the Rabbinical Communications Committee which unfairly blocked numerous business enterprises from reaching the chareidi community’s more than half million kosher phones.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Recently, gedolim from all communities published sharp letters opposing the interference in the kosher segment. Rabbi Chaim Kanievski wrote in his letter that “there is a danger that the evil people wish to make changes in thekosher phones and who knows what trouble could ensue from this G-d forbid. This must be fought with all force and we must try and obliterate this evil decree.”
Thousands of members of the chareidi public have signed a declaration that they will cancel their phone lines if the Communications Ministry continues to interfere in the kosher segment of phone numbers established 17 years ago by the gedolim.
Last June, LGBTQ organizations in conjunction with the Israeli Reform Movement petitioned the High Court to cancel the kosher segment which enables the Rabbinical Communications Committee to block calls from going through to LGBTQ hotlines from their kosher phones.
Senior rabbinical figures in the chareidi community were concerned that the court would force the ministry to cancel the kosher segment, which would leave the chareidim with no possibility of communicating in a kosher manner. However the ministry’s decision effectively cancelled the kosher segment by allowing free access to regular phones from kosher numbers, which means that people can have kosher numbers but can be contacted by and contact all previously blocked numbers.
The chareidi leaders have given the green light for a mass assembly which will continue the fight against the intervention of the court and the ministry in the kosher segment.
these reshaim are like the Soros liberals here intefering with peoples personal choices that they dont like.
pure hatred of religious…..
IIUIC, this has nothing to do with Internet or text access.
This is solely about prohibiting people from dialing particular telephone numbers?
Let’s not forget that the kosher phones also can’t dial the numbers to report child sex abuse to the authorities.
The hatred towards Chareidim just prove the seculars insecurity.