Shas Party Candidate Under Scrutiny Over Missing Charity Funds

Shas party's new Knesset candidate, Major (Res.) Dror Amos, who was placed sixth on the party's list for the upcoming elections, is facing serious questions regarding the financial management of a charity he founded. A new investigation by Channel 12 News raises concerns about how funds intended to aid families of war victims were allegedly used.

The Ministry of Religious Services announced a joint project with Amos's "Chesed Chaim V'Emet" (Kindness, Life, and Truth) charity after October 7th, with a budget of approximately two million shekels. The stated goal was to support bereaved families, particularly those displaced from their homes in the Gaza border communities due to the war.

However, representatives from communities such as Nir Oz, Kerem Shalom, and Kibbutz Nova reported they had never heard of the charity or its activities in their areas. The investigation suggests that over 2.5 million shekels out of the roughly 4.8 million received by the charity in 2024 were allegedly allocated to scholarships for independent scholars studying mourning laws, rather than direct aid to victims' families.

Further discrepancies were revealed concerning financial reports between Amos's charity and another donor charity, "Achim Le'Oref" (Brothers to the Rear), with an alleged gap of 1.3 million shekels. The report also questions Amos's appointment as chairman of the Haifa Religious Council, noting it proceeded despite legal counsel warnings about potential political ties to Shas and conflicts of interest, as well as his residence in the distant city of Yeruham.

Following demands from legal counsel, Amos resigned from managing the charity, with his brother and neighbor taking over his role. The placement of Amos, seen as an attempt by Shas to appeal to its traditional voter base, is now overshadowed by these financial and appointment controversies.