The Cabinet, in its weekly meeting today, approved the establishment of a ministerial committee for religious services, to be headed by Minister Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party). The committee is to oversee and monitor the issuance of religious services in their new format. The services, which were under the auspices of the Religious Affairs Ministry since the establishment of the State, were disseminated as of Jan. 1, 2004 among various government ministries. The rabbinical courts are now in the Justice Ministry, the Chief Rabbinate and religious services went to the Prime Minister's Office, the yeshivot and religious schools are now part of the Education Ministry, and construction of religious structures is in the authority of the Housing Ministry.
Orlev said that the establishment of the new committee is "an important achievement for the NRP." Orlev has been on the defensive amongst his electorate of late, required to explain why he has not resigned from the government in light of its evacuation/expulsion plans.
Minister Orlev said that he would work to ensure that all religious council workers are paid - many of them have not received salaries for up to a year - and to ensure the uninterrupted provision of religious services.