A Channel 12 investigation aired on June 19 says Dudi Azriel, a longtime Shas-connected producer, won millions of shekels in tenders under the Ministry of Religious Services while maintaining close ties to ministry director general Yehuda Avidan. The report says the two spent the Shavuot holiday together at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem, based on invoices, a joint reservation and documents obtained after the channel requested a response.
According to the investigation, Azriel began his career producing posters and ads for Aryeh Deri during his political battles with Eli Yishai, later produced Shas publications and employed Tehila Karmon, Deri’s daughter. In recent years, his company, Azrieli Productions, has grown into a business with hundreds of millions of shekels in revenue, much of it from public money through government and Shas-run local tenders. Four months ago, the Chief Auditor of the World Zionist Organization found a possible conflict of interest after a department headed by Yanki Deri, the Shas chairman’s son, contracted Azrieli Productions for an event abroad.
Avidan became director general of the Religious Services Ministry in January 2023. The report notes he was previously convicted of breach of trust for favoring associates at the Interior Ministry and was questioned by Lahav 433 about another suspected fraud and breach of trust case about a week and a half ago. One month after he took office, the ministry issued tenders for the Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes pilgrimage in Tiberias and the Baba Sali pilgrimage in Netivot, and Azriel won both, each valued at about 10 million shekels. Signed contracts and later tender committee minutes, chaired by Avidan, show the company’s engagement was extended for additional years.
The report says Azriel’s company also won work on the Or HaChaim pilgrimage at Mount of Olives and the Samuel the Prophet pilgrimage. It adds that during Shavuot, Azriel arranged a six-room reservation at the David Citadel Hotel for his own family and Avidan’s family. The total cost of the Avidan family’s stay alone was said to exceed 50,000 shekels. Channel 12 says it has footage of the two checking out together on May 23, and that after its inquiry Avidan provided documents showing transfers from him and his children to the travel agency about two and a half weeks after the vacation, one day after his Lahav 433 questioning in the separate case.
Azriel denied paying for Avidan or taking him on a shared vacation, saying there were 300 guests at the hotel. Avidan said he only knew Azriel after taking office, that the tenders were approved legally, and that he and his family paid for their own hotel stay. Azriel’s response said Azrieli Productions has no special ties to Shas or Aryeh Deri, won public tenders lawfully, and was not involved in funding or arranging Avidan’s stay.
