Mayor of Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut and chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, Haim Bibas, was interviewed this past Tuesday on Anat Davidov’s program on 103FM radio. During the interview, Bibas explained why he opposes the controversial new ‘Rabbis Law’.
“Currently, an authority that wants to appoint a rabbi requires the city council and community representatives, and elects a rabbi. The rabbinical law will deprive the choice of the rabbi from the hands of the local authority so that those who appoint him will actually be the minister of religion. Such a council of rabbis has nothing to do with the city and the residents. Where there is no rabbi, a rabbi should be appointed, that’s fine, but the authorities have to choose. Someone who is detached and lives in Jerusalem will not choose a rabbi who lives in Bnei Brak. The rabbi would receive a salary from the residents of the cities in the north and south when he is not relevant there at all.”
The problematic nature of the representation proposed by the law
Bibas expanded, “In terms of composition, the law today states that 40% of the electorate is women, and they want to reduce that to 33%. In any reformed country, they would even raise it to 50%. This is the true ratio of women in the authorities. The fact that the electorate is 50% of the city council and another 50% of public representatives, makes it clear to everyone that if they let the Ministry of Religious Services make the decision then there will obviously be discrimination.”
Bibas then expressed his opinion on the advance of the elections and the political reasons why the law is currently being promoted, “It may be that we have reached a stage where all sectors and small parties are pulling down the haredi draft law and the ‘Rabbis Law’. We need to go back to the people, get their trust back, and finally establish a large national emergency unity government. In the last year and a half, this government has not been carrying out its true mission – to take care of economic and social distress. I wish they were determined to complete the task in the north as well.”
“I think that now that we are at war, it would be advisable to throw the law off the discussion table. As for the authorities that do not have a rabbi, I think that there is a place for it. A religious population deserves to have a person of Halacha who will rule for them, but the distance between this and making it above jobs and business is too great. Most members of the Knesset are completely opposed to this.”
“Ultimately, if there is not a strong, large, and significant army here, there will be no State of Israel. If anyone thinks that the state can exist only through prayers and without an army, he is making a bitter mistake. The members of the Hesder yeshiva both study and serve, and there is no reason why in the world everyone who reaches the age of 18 will not enlist and take part of the burden – if you want equality from us, equality is two-sided.”
This follows the demand of the Religious Services Ministry from Metula and Kiryat Shmona to pay approximately NIS 1.5 million for “the government’s participation in the expenses of the religious council’s budget”, as announced on Channel 12.
“I would like to inform you that the amount of the government’s participation in the expenses of the Metula Religious Council’s budget for 2024 will amount to NIS 876,839, which is a rate of 63.9%, and the amount of the Metula Authority’s participation in the expenses of the Metula Religious Council’s budget will amount to NIS 495,366,” city members wrote in a letter to the head of the Metula Council, David Azoulai.
A letter was also sent to the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, Avichai Stern stating, “I would like to inform you that the amount of the government’s participation in the budget expenses of the Kiryat Shmona Religious Council for the year 2024 will amount to NIS 2,697,380, which is a rate of 62.2% and the amount of the participation of the Kiryat Shmona Authority in the budget expenses of the Kiryat Shmona Religious Council Eight will amount to a total of NIS 1,641,696, which is a rate of 37.8%.”
They also emphasized in the letter that “The meaning of the matter is that if the appeal is accepted, and the religious council’s budget is reduced, then the amount of the ministry’s participation will also be reduced in accordance with the determined participation percentages. If the ministers approve the request to reduce the participation amount as submitted or with the changes they deem appropriate, a notice of the reduced monthly participation amount will be published in the records. Until then, the Authority is obligated to continue to transfer the original monthly participation amount that was determined for it.”
In response to the report, the Religious Services Ministry stated, “The budget is determined by law for the whole country at once. We understand the complexity of this specific case and are trying to find a solution.”
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