Published: 18 September 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
THE RESIGNATION OF Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman on Sunday in protest over what he described in his letter to the prime minister as the government’s policy that “will prevent hundreds of thousands of Jews, from all populations and sectors, from praying in synagogues” on Rosh Hashanah, would seem like a major blow to the Netanyahu coalition. It isn’t.
For a start, no one is going to prevent Israelis from praying any way they like during the upcoming High Holy Days, whether on balconies or in backyards, community centres or yes, even synagogues.
The other Knesset members from his party, United Torah Judaism, were conspicuous in their lack of support for Litzman. Even Netanyahu was faint in his expression of regret. They all know. Litzman is finished and has left the stage before being pushed off it.
Why has he lost favour? The introverted Ger rebbe Alter won’t tell anyone, so we can just speculate that Litzman wasn’t delivering the goods any more. As health minister when the pandemic broke, he attracted too much public criticism for his hapless handing of the crisis.
He’s also likely to soon face charges for bribery and fraud, having allegedly abused his power as minister to try and shield Malka Leifer, the ultra-Orthodox school principle accused of sexually assaulting dozens of her students in Melbourne, Australia, from deportation and for interceding on behalf of a restaurant near his home in Jerusalem which faced closure due to health reasons.
Litzman at 72 (he is currently the oldest lawmaker) is losing his standing as Ger’s senior political representative.
FULL STORY Ultra-Orthodox minister didn't resign over Israel's holiday lockdown, but left before being pushed out (Haaretz)
Photo: Yaakov Litzman (Oliver Fitoussi)
