Kikar HaShabbatPolitics10:41

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri Pledges Tefillin for Every Bar Mitzvah Boy

By כיכר השבת, יוני גבאי

Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba

ReligiousNeutral tone

Hebrew · 11 newsrooms covering

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri launched a new program, 'Tefillin for Every Child,' which will provide Bar Mitzvah kits with tefillin and a tallit to 13-year-old boys. The initiative also aims to secure prayer spaces within the education system for students. Deri presented the plan as a response to perceived threats against Israel's Jewish identity and public religious observance.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri announced a new 'Tefillin for Every Child' program.
The program will gift tefillin and a tallit to boys celebrating their Bar Mitzvah.
Shas will push for designated prayer spaces in schools for students.
Deri stated the initiative counters perceived threats to Israel's Jewish identity.
The plan targets boys reaching the age of 13.

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri Pledges Tefillin for Every Bar Mitzvah Boy — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri announced a new initiative on Thursday called 'Tefillin for Every Child,' aimed at strengthening Jewish identity in Israel. Under this program, every boy reaching the age of 13 will receive a Bar Mitzvah kit, including a pair of tefillin and a tallit, as a gift from the education system. Additionally, Shas will advocate for the education system to designate prayer spaces for boys who wish to don tefillin and pray during school hours.

Deri stated that the program is a direct response to recent "harsh statements" he believes threaten Israel's Jewish identity and aim to secularize the country, referencing remarks by Democrats Chairman Yair Golan and a Tel Aviv council member. "Tefillin are a symbol of the Jewish people throughout the generations. The program will express our deep connection," Deri emphasized, presenting the initiative as a counter to those seeking to remove religion from public spaces.

The plan also includes pushing the education system to provide dedicated prayer areas for students wishing to observe religious commandments during the school day. This move is seen as a continuation of Shas's approach to ensuring basic needs for various populations, similar to past initiatives involving food vouchers funded through coalition agreements.