A Public Apology for Slandering Charedi Institutions
They did not steal one billion shekels.
A week ago, I wrote a post titled “The Billion Shekel Theft,” in which I accused charedi institutions of stealing a billion shekels from the rest of Israel. I wrote about how there were national funds which were designated for schools that teach the core curriculum of math and other limited general studies (which help raise children to become economically self-sufficient), and they were illegally taken (i.e., stolen) by charedi schools which do not actually do that (and instead raise children for a future of poverty and economic dependence, ).
However, upon seeing the videos and news of the hearing in the High Court today, I realize that I was wrong.
Charedi institutions did not steal a billion shekels from the rest of Israel.
The government stole the money, and gave it to charedi institutions in order to receive continued political support.
Incredibly, Hanoch Milwidsky, the Likud MK who chairs the Knesset Finance Committee, publicly admitted that the funds were “very problematically” transferred without the required oversight and approval of the Finance Committee, but claims that it was all for the best, since “most” (sic) of the funds went to recipients who were legally entitled to them! (Note: This also happens to be false; most of the funds went to recipients who were not legally entitled to them.) And Milwidsky denounced those who called attention to the illegal transfer as being “wicked.”
As more and more reports reveal, the Likud - a party that I used to vote for - is the party of corruption. Stealing one billion shekels from the rest of Israel is simply the latest in a long line of similar crimes.
(None of this lets the charedi institutions completely off the hook; accepting funds for which one had promised to abide by certain conditions and failed to do so is also a form of theft, not to mention contravening both Chazal’s directives about educating children and basic national suvival needs, along with being incredible cruelty to the children in their communities that are raised for lives of poverty. But the actual act of theft was done by the Likud.)
“very problematically” transferred is beautiful. I am waiting to hear that in court. "I didn't steal the money; I just problematically transferred it to my account."
I would not have minded all that much if your post would have included "Exactly as d g wrote in his comment to my post" somewhere. But your apology is appreciated.
I still disagree that "accepting funds for which one had promised to abide by certain conditions and failed to do so is also a form of theft," since they pretty much happens to some degree in every political handout. As a lawyer, for example, it's my job to convince the court my client deserves something, even if he might not. It's the court's job to make sure he only gets it if he deserves it. That's not remotely close to a form of theft.
I agree with the rest:
"...not to mention contravening both Chazal’s directives about educating children and basic national suvival needs, along with being incredible cruelty to the children in their communities that are raised for lives of poverty" as major failure.