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Sep 5, 2016
what did Aryeh Deri do about the trains?
This mess with the train lines, Shabbos and the politicians involved is still difficult to make sense of. Who did what and who knew what, and which conflicting story to believe...
Another question that has come to mind is how this compares with any work done during the days a Haredi minister was in charge of signing off on similar work permits.
Recently Aryeh Deri was the minister in charge, for a period of time, of signing off on such permits. I have not heard anybody in the news, be it Haredi news media or secular news media, ask if Deri signed off on similar work permits in those days, nor does it seem anyone has looked into it to find out whether that happened or not. Officials in Rakevet Yisrael keep saying that the same type of work has been done on Shabbos for decades, always with permits. The Haredi politicians keep saying if that si true it was kept secret and nobody ever knew about it (though I am not sure how such a thing can be kept secret).
So, where are the people who should be looking into whether or not such work permits were issued during Deri's days as minister? Maybe he refused them, maybe he approved them, or maybe they did not exist. I think this would be a good barometer to determining what was known by whom and when.
And one more thought, Minister Yaakov Litzman has done a lot of great work in the Health Ministry, to the point where the Haredi parties have seen unprecedented popularity and favorable ratings among the general public. Even to the point that Litzman himself has been called the national sweetheart. That status is seriously at risk right now with the train fight raging. It shows how fickle the public really is - do something good for them, and they love you. Do something they don't like and they forget the rest very quickly.
Another question that has come to mind is how this compares with any work done during the days a Haredi minister was in charge of signing off on similar work permits.
Recently Aryeh Deri was the minister in charge, for a period of time, of signing off on such permits. I have not heard anybody in the news, be it Haredi news media or secular news media, ask if Deri signed off on similar work permits in those days, nor does it seem anyone has looked into it to find out whether that happened or not. Officials in Rakevet Yisrael keep saying that the same type of work has been done on Shabbos for decades, always with permits. The Haredi politicians keep saying if that si true it was kept secret and nobody ever knew about it (though I am not sure how such a thing can be kept secret).
So, where are the people who should be looking into whether or not such work permits were issued during Deri's days as minister? Maybe he refused them, maybe he approved them, or maybe they did not exist. I think this would be a good barometer to determining what was known by whom and when.
And one more thought, Minister Yaakov Litzman has done a lot of great work in the Health Ministry, to the point where the Haredi parties have seen unprecedented popularity and favorable ratings among the general public. Even to the point that Litzman himself has been called the national sweetheart. That status is seriously at risk right now with the train fight raging. It shows how fickle the public really is - do something good for them, and they love you. Do something they don't like and they forget the rest very quickly.
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The main culprits to the recent events seem to be internal Likud politics that are seemingly riding on the Shabbat/Haredi issue. BUT the Haredim, like with the Reform Kotel area, were happy to approve with their silence, but the Haredi street demanded that they react as the Haredi MKs have taught the street to react for the past tens of years. The 'Haredi street' did not get the memo that now is the time to shut up, take the money and run and is instead still demanding the Haredi MKs stand up for those ideals. What goes around, comes around.
ReplyDeleteAnd, certainly, I've heard a few times that this government is the best ever friendly ones to the Haredim and the MKs are enjoying the ride and influence, so who wants to let Shabbat and the Kotel get in the way.
ReplyDeleteMinister of Religious Affairs MK Azulai (Shas) recently bought a bought a home down the street from me. He still hasn't moved in yet and is currently under renovations. Israeli Law requires a security guard to be stationed at the house. Guarding an empty house is a really boring and really useless job. The security guard would often be seen playing on his cell phone, including on Shabbat. As far as I know it never became a scandal. Although I did notice that they solved the problem this week by adding tinted windows to the guard booth.
ReplyDeleteI can think of no other explanation to this train crisis other than political manoeuvring. Israrail testified that they have 600 employees work every Shabbat. I am just as confused as everyone else as to underlining issues motivating the political manoeuvring.
The Haredi politicians do thrive on the us against the world mentality. In reality people wouldn't care what the Haredim do, until they start trying to impose it on anyone everyone else. Stopping the work this Shabbat did lead to more mihcalel shabbat, as people worked to find solutions to the chaos it created. The analysis may be correct that this fight could lead to the general public caring less about what the haredi think and pushing back on Shabbat observance. If that happens it would just reinforce the world is out to destroy haredim outlook.
I am at a loss as to why the Haredim would choose now as the time to start this fight. It could be they are just trying to gain some more leverage in budget negotiations or other behind the scenes wheeling and dealing. I just hope they find a way to put an end to this nonsense.
please read my comment. they were pulled into the issue and frankly, it's the social left that should be the ones at the vanguard of Shabbat. Anyone who has gone overseas, especially Europe, will be 'lucky' to see any public works on Sunday. Even retail works half a day. But in Israel, we want to me more goyish than the goyim, so the left is demanding we return to the absurd status quo of working seven days a week.
DeleteThe left simply puts much more weight on being anti-religious than the social impact of demanding there is no work on Shabbat