Shas Party's Future Knesset Member Under Scrutiny for Misappropriated Funds

A new investigative report has raised serious questions about Dror Amos, a reserve major and future Knesset member for the Shas party, and the alleged misuse of millions of shekels intended for bereaved families. Amos, who heads the religious council in Haifa, was recently placed sixth on Shas's Knesset list, a move seen as an effort to appeal to traditional voters amidst the ongoing debate over drafting ultra-Orthodox men.

The investigation reveals that the "Chesed Chaim V'Emet" (Kindness, Life, and Truth) charity, founded by Amos, received millions of shekels from public bodies under the Ministry of Religious Services, which is controlled by Shas. These funds were ostensibly for supporting families of war casualties. However, the report found little evidence that the charity actually provided the promised services, such as establishing information centers or holding memorial events. Many bereaved families and communities contacted by the investigation stated they had never heard of the organization.

Instead, a significant portion of the funds, over 2.5 million shekels, was reportedly allocated for scholarships for yeshiva students (avrechim). While the charity's representatives described this as studying in memory of the deceased and learning laws of mourning, investigators found no organized study center, with students learning independently across the country. This pattern of prioritizing scholarships for religious study over direct support for bereaved families has been a consistent feature of the charity's spending in previous years as well.

Further complicating matters, the charity allegedly received double funding for some of its activities, once from the Ministry of Religious Services and again from various local religious councils and authorities, many of which are linked to Shas. The report also highlights potential conflicts of interest regarding Amos's appointment as head of the Haifa religious council, a position he took despite living hundreds of kilometers away in Yerucham. His brother, Osher Amos, has since taken over leadership of the charity, and the investigation found that the charity's listed office address is actually a private villa belonging to the Amos family.

Shas has dismissed the report as a "false investigation" aimed at harming the party. The Ministry of Religious Services stated that Amos's predecessors also lived far from Haifa and that his conflict of interest arrangements were approved. The Negev Development Authority clarified that a contract with the charity was canceled before any work began, with only 450,000 shekels paid as part of a settlement. Other entities involved provided explanations for their dealings with the charity, citing legitimate reasons for the contracts.