A forum of the wives of married students learning in religious Zionist yeshivas held a protest today (Monday) in front of the home of coalition chairwoman MK Idit Silman (Yamina). Similar protests have been held in front of the Prime Minister's residence and the home of MK Nir Orbach. The protestors set up an impromptu daycare as part of their protest, claiming that they can no longer afford to pay for one.
During the protest, the forum members called on Yamina MKs, in particular Idit Silman and Nir Orbach, to return the issue of daycare subsidies to the coalition's agenda after the Ministry of Finance elected to end the subsidies for families with a parent learning in Yeshiva.
"Idit, you claim to understand our great contribution to the State of Israel. There is no reason for Minister Lieberman to run over us in this way. We expect to see that an attack on Torah study means dismantling the government as well. We will stay here for a year if that is what it takes to see justice done," the forum members announced.
Rabbi Itamar Ben Yaakov, rabbi of the Ramat Eshkol congregation in Lod, spoke at the demonstration and said, "I have come to encourage you to continue your fully justified struggle - not just to have daycare subsidies returned, but to say that Torah lives and breathes in all of you. You are a link in the chain of righteous Jewish women who have fought for the Torah, and the decision-makers must make sure that this decision is reversed."