Ashdod City Hall Accused of Caving to Shas Over Haredi School

Over 250 Haredi students in Ashdod are without a school at the start of the academic year, protesting outside City Hall. Parents allege that the municipality is refusing to provide adequate facilities for the state-Haredi educational framework, which combines religious studies with core curriculum subjects, due to pressure from Haredi parties, particularly Shas, who oppose such institutions. The affected schools are the Vizhnitz State-Haredi Talmud Torah for boys and a girls' school.

Parents claim that political figures in Ashdod, led by a Shas representative, are actively hindering the establishment of these schools, creating endless obstacles and leaving parents without solutions. They report that initial attempts to discuss the issue were met with denial of knowledge of the schools, followed by a stalemate once facts were presented. Parents feel unrepresented and frustrated, accusing City Hall of succumbing to Shas's threats instead of ensuring proper educational spaces.

MK Moshe Torfman of Yesh Atid joined the protest, relaying a Haredi resident's shame that an elected representative was absent. Torfman emphasized the importance of quality education for all and pledged that a state-Haredi option would be prioritized if his party returns to power.

Ashdod Municipality responded by stating they have been working to find a solution and have allocated land for a permanent building, awaiting Ministry of Education approval. For the interim, they have requested mobile classrooms from the Ministry. The municipality claims the institution was established without their knowledge or approval, and a prior owner's statement that no municipal buildings were needed proved inaccurate. Despite this, the city is making efforts to find a solution but currently has no available buildings, noting that the institution is reportedly renting its current facilities.