RELATED:Who Pays for Yeshiva Students?Yishai supports stipends for students with one child10,000 protest in Jerusalem against yeshiva bill“There is an openness in the haredi sector [to joining the work force] even when it isn’t publicized,” he said, stressing that the process must be advanced in moderation, that the shift should “seep” into reality, and not be imposed.In some parts of the haredi world, he said, there is a silent acquiescence to men seeking employment, and in others a more direct openness, but the haredi world won’t “raise the banner” of employment.Margi addressed some of the reasons more haredim have in recent years opted to seek jobs rather than remain in yeshivot.“Most of the budget of the Torah world is from overseas Jewish philanthropy, and that [has greatly diminished] as a result of the financial crisis,” Margi said.In addition, “the reductions in the allotments and the payments” provided by the state have led many people who didn’t want to live in poverty to enter the workforce.The minister, who turns 50 next week, praised the success of IDF programs such as Shahar Kahol and Halamish in drawing haredim to its ranks, and provided an explanation of why so many ultra-Orthodox men still do not serve in the military.“Whoever thinks that haredim learn in yeshivot to avoid military service is wrong; the reason for the mass movement toward Torah-centered institutions is the lack of Jewish values in the [secular] public educational system,” he said.Margi called for more understanding between haredi and secular Israelis, as did Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar (Likud) earlier in the day.“We are in a process of conciliation and mediation, but if we don’t recognize the needs of the secular and haredi sectors, we will get nowhere and continue to destroy each other from within,” he said.Margi may gave been thinking of the remarks by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz’s senior adviser Dr. Avi Simhon, who said on Tuesday that public leaders should call on haredim and Arabs to lower their birthrates.“You should tell them it’s irresponsible, you are harming your children, your society,” Simhon said in an address at the conference. “A regular person works out how many children he can support, and [then] his taxes are allocated to those who have eight children, without the means to support them.”In response to Simhon, Margi called on the secular population to quit complaining about the haredim and instead “have as many children as possible; as a haredi, I am fearful [hared in Hebrew] for the fate of the Jewish people.”Also at Tuesday’s conference, Steinitz reiterated his stance regarding the urgent need for haredim to join the workforce. Without them, he said, “our economic growth won’t continue.”The finance minister maintained that the IDF, unlike the economy, would be able to survive without ultra-Orthodox Jews. He did, however, say that founding prime minister David Ben-Gurion made a historic mistake when he exempted haredim from mandatory military service.Steinitz’s address was disrupted by students from Sapir Academic College and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who raised their voices in protest over the bill to fund kollel students in what they say is an unfair manner.“Now I feel like Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu,” Steinitz said with a smile, referring to the heckling the premier was subjected to in his address to the General Assembly of the North American Jewish Federations in New Orleans this week.
Margi: Shas encourages followers to earn degrees
Minister calls on secular Israelis to stop complaining and start having children; says there is openness in haredi sector to joining work force.
RELATED:Who Pays for Yeshiva Students?Yishai supports stipends for students with one child10,000 protest in Jerusalem against yeshiva bill“There is an openness in the haredi sector [to joining the work force] even when it isn’t publicized,” he said, stressing that the process must be advanced in moderation, that the shift should “seep” into reality, and not be imposed.In some parts of the haredi world, he said, there is a silent acquiescence to men seeking employment, and in others a more direct openness, but the haredi world won’t “raise the banner” of employment.Margi addressed some of the reasons more haredim have in recent years opted to seek jobs rather than remain in yeshivot.“Most of the budget of the Torah world is from overseas Jewish philanthropy, and that [has greatly diminished] as a result of the financial crisis,” Margi said.In addition, “the reductions in the allotments and the payments” provided by the state have led many people who didn’t want to live in poverty to enter the workforce.The minister, who turns 50 next week, praised the success of IDF programs such as Shahar Kahol and Halamish in drawing haredim to its ranks, and provided an explanation of why so many ultra-Orthodox men still do not serve in the military.“Whoever thinks that haredim learn in yeshivot to avoid military service is wrong; the reason for the mass movement toward Torah-centered institutions is the lack of Jewish values in the [secular] public educational system,” he said.Margi called for more understanding between haredi and secular Israelis, as did Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar (Likud) earlier in the day.“We are in a process of conciliation and mediation, but if we don’t recognize the needs of the secular and haredi sectors, we will get nowhere and continue to destroy each other from within,” he said.Margi may gave been thinking of the remarks by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz’s senior adviser Dr. Avi Simhon, who said on Tuesday that public leaders should call on haredim and Arabs to lower their birthrates.“You should tell them it’s irresponsible, you are harming your children, your society,” Simhon said in an address at the conference. “A regular person works out how many children he can support, and [then] his taxes are allocated to those who have eight children, without the means to support them.”In response to Simhon, Margi called on the secular population to quit complaining about the haredim and instead “have as many children as possible; as a haredi, I am fearful [hared in Hebrew] for the fate of the Jewish people.”Also at Tuesday’s conference, Steinitz reiterated his stance regarding the urgent need for haredim to join the workforce. Without them, he said, “our economic growth won’t continue.”The finance minister maintained that the IDF, unlike the economy, would be able to survive without ultra-Orthodox Jews. He did, however, say that founding prime minister David Ben-Gurion made a historic mistake when he exempted haredim from mandatory military service.Steinitz’s address was disrupted by students from Sapir Academic College and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who raised their voices in protest over the bill to fund kollel students in what they say is an unfair manner.“Now I feel like Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu,” Steinitz said with a smile, referring to the heckling the premier was subjected to in his address to the General Assembly of the North American Jewish Federations in New Orleans this week.