MK Meir Porush issued a sharp warning to decision-makers and leaders of Israeli industry during the “Tevuna for the Economy" conference, attended by senior figures from the business sector.
In his remarks, he addressed the economic measures and the suspension of funding for educational institutions and Torah scholars against the backdrop of demands for military enlistment, describing the measures as a deliberate campaign by the judicial system.
The Knesset member cited data from the “Tevuna Index" and the Midgam Institute, according to which 41% of Haredi households were forced this year to cut back on basic food consumption or rely on food vouchers-a figure that rises to 51% among young couples and kollel students.
In his speech, Porush attacked the policy, saying: “The Haredi public is currently under an unprecedented attack, including an economic attack. The judicial establishment seeks to threaten our very existence and our right to live in the Land of Israel according to our faith."
He continued, addressing the funding cuts: “The suspension of funding for Torah scholars, educational institutions, kindergarten teachers-everything connected to the Haredi public-and the economic decrees and denial of the basic rights of Torah scholars: all of this is not a question of money. It is a brutal and transparent attempt to harm the Torah and those who study it, in a desperate attempt to force us to change our way of life."
Porush then intensified his criticism, charging: “The meaning is clear, and what we have been saying over the past year has now been substantiated by the data-the judicial system has made a decision to starve Haredi children in Israel. As far as they are concerned, a child whose father studies Torah should go to bed hungry."
In conclusion, he issued an economic ultimatum, invoking the Haredi community’s purchasing power as a weapon in the struggle.
“They chose to wage an economic war against us, and therefore, from this distinguished platform, I will not hesitate to answer them in their own language. I want to send a clear message to decision-makers and leaders of the economy: As was revealed here, the Haredi public spends more than 51 billion shekels a year."
“These figures prove that we are an enormous economic force. If anyone thinks they can continue to persecute us economically, they should know that we will not hesitate to use this tremendous consumer power. When the moment of truth comes, if the great Torah sages give the order, we will know how to use our economic power to achieve our most basic demand: to live here as Haredi Jews without compromise, and to reduce their ability to harm us," Porush concluded.