Shas Leader Aryeh Deri Defies Directives With Political Sukkah Gathering

Shas leader and Knesset member Aryeh Deri invited several religious council heads to a political gathering in his sukkah, despite legal prohibitions against public servants engaging in political activity. The gathering took place despite a recent explicit directive issued by Ministry for Religious Services Director-General Yehuda Avidan.

Only men were invited to the gathering. Female heads of religious councils in various cities reported that they were entirely unaware of the event's existence.

Earlier this month, Avidan issued a directive to religious councils stating that public servants are bound by restrictions on political activity. These include a ban on serving on active party boards, organizing public political assemblies, sitting at the presidency table of such assemblies, or speaking at them.

Avidan also wrote that religious council employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in political activity during work hours and in the workplace. Furthermore, officials are barred from attempting to exert political influence over subordinates or individuals they encounter in the course of their work.

According to the directive, using religious council employees for political purposes is strictly forbidden. Senior officials, particularly elected leadership, must refrain from asking subordinates to volunteer for political activities, even outside working hours.

The directive emphasized that election equality and public trust require religious councils to remain entirely detached from electoral campaigns. Utilizing council resources for election purposes constitutes a criminal offense under the Election Propaganda Law.

Religious council heads are divided into two groups: those elected by local authorities and those appointed by the minister. However, Avidan's directive establishes no distinction between them regarding the ban on political participation.

Shas declined to comment on the matter.