Shas Pledges Bar Mitzvah Kits for All 13-Year-Old Boys
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri announced a new "Tefillin for Every Child" program, pledging that if his party joins the next government, every Israeli boy turning 13 will receive a Bar Mitzvah kit with tefillin and a tallit from the education system. The initiative also aims to establish prayer spaces in schools. Deri stated the program is intended to strengthen Jewish tradition and counter what he sees as attempts to diminish Jewish identity in Israel.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri announced a plan to provide Bar Mitzvah kits to all 13-year-old boys.
- The proposed "Tefillin for Every Child" program includes tefillin and a tallit from the education system.
- Shas also pledges to create dedicated prayer spaces within schools for students.
- Deri stated the initiative aims to strengthen Jewish tradition and identity in Israel.
- The announcement is framed as a response to perceived threats against Israel's Jewish character.
Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas party, has announced a new initiative called "Tefillin for Every Child" that the party intends to advance if it joins the next government. Under this plan, every Israeli boy reaching the age of 13 will receive a Bar Mitzvah kit from the education system, including tefillin and a tallit.
The program also commits to establishing prayer spaces within schools for students who wish to don tefillin and pray during school hours. Deri presented this initiative as a central plank of Shas's election platform, emphasizing its role in strengthening the connection to Jewish tradition.
According to Deri, the education system would be responsible for distributing the Bar Mitzvah kits, which would include a pair of tefillin and a tallit, regardless of the family's ability to purchase them. The party also aims to mandate that schools allocate dedicated areas for prayer for students.
Deri linked the announcement to public debates about the place of religion in public life, framing it as a response to what he described as efforts to diminish Jewish identity in Israel. "Lately, we are hearing harsh statements that threaten the Jewish identity of the State of Israel," Deri stated, adding, "They want to turn it into a nation like all the nations. It will not happen." He also presented the commitment as a political response to those he claims seek to "erase religion from the public sphere."
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