MK Yosef Tayeb Hosts Special Public Reception for French-Speaking Community in Bnei Brak
The Shas party continues to advance public service accessibility in Bnei Brak, focusing recently on the needs of the French-speaking community. Last week, a unique public reception day was held at the Bnei Brak municipality building, attracting hundreds of French-speaking immigrant families living in the city known for its Torah and Hasidic population. This initiative was launched to address language barriers and bureaucratic challenges that often prevent many in the French community from fully exercising their rights. It reflects the local Shas representatives' commitment to listening and responding to all residents' difficulties.
The event was led by MK Yosef Tayeb, chairman of the Knesset Education Committee, recognized nationally for his dedication to the welfare and integration of French-speaking immigrants in Israel. Alongside him were all Shas representatives in Bnei Brak's municipality, including Deputy Mayors Shlomo Elharar and Eliyahu Shoshan, Deputy Mayor Yosef Turgeman, and French community representative Shmuel Levi. The reception aimed to provide professional, swift, and effective assistance.
A key component of the day was the collaboration with the organization KaLita and its employment branch, which partnered with local Shas to offer comprehensive support services under one roof. KaLita set up specialized stations providing immediate assistance and close guidance through complex procedures faced by new immigrants. Services included translation, diploma and professional certificate recognition, employment guidance, subsidized vocational course vouchers, and on-site legal advice from a rights expert lawyer.
Hundreds of French-speaking residents attended, presenting a wide range of issues such as school registration and pedagogical accommodations, property tax rights and discounts, public transportation card issuance, welfare assistance, and personal legal consultations. The combination of MK Tayeb’s parliamentary tools, KaLita’s expertise, and Shas’s deep municipal knowledge enabled many immediate solutions, while more complex cases were recorded for ongoing follow-up.
Deputy Mayors Elharar and Shoshan emphasized that Shas’s policy in Bnei Brak, inspired by the city’s Torah sages, is to break down bureaucratic barriers and remain accessible to every individual. They described the reception as part of a series of initiatives to strengthen ties with diverse communities and ensure no resident feels invisible or powerless. MK Tayeb praised the local Shas team’s continuous public service efforts and reaffirmed his commitment to close cooperation with local representatives and KaLita to provide accessible, quality, and efficient support to all residents, especially the French-speaking community, both in the Knesset and through direct fieldwork.
