... but why is it that Israel can fund large apartments for Neturei Karta and Satmer Jews who contribute nothing and live off the state, but cannot find a way to provide a roof over the head of a man with obvious physical and psychiatric limitations who did his best to contribute and simply ran afoul of the law? The Neturei Karta and the Satmer do not even recognize the State of Israel (which is rather odd, don't you think, considering the millions that they accept from the State's Treasury). My solution? Turn the Neturei Karta and the Satmer out of their homes, and give those homes to needy genuine Israelis who do not have homes. Let the Neturei Karta and the Satmer wander off to a country that they do recognize and whose legitimacy they do not question. I've had quite enough of those violent freeloaders; I think most Israelis have, too.

I understand the man's problems, but this is not a solution. I, too, was beset with many problems, but instead of killing myself as I once pondered, I got out and worked hard even though I never believed that I would meet with much success. To commit suicide is foolish, solves nothing and only shows the person who is unwilling to deal with a harsh reality.

Now you know why its called the promised land. By the way things work out for most of us in the end, thanks mainly to the kind people who helped along the way.

Prices have shot up in the last half year. Netanyhou wants to raise the retirement age. Have any of you ever had to deal with Bituach Leumi and an elderly parent. A friend of mine received a refusal letter from them for providing funds for a metapelot saying her mother was too healthy for that, a week after her mother died. In order to be hired by a government agency, I think they check to see if men have an extra Y chromosome and if women have a tendency towards violence.

This article reminds me sadly of TIME Magazine's article on suicide in the US military. Wherever they turn for help soldiers are pushed aside and not taken seriously. Even when they commit suicide some are denied military funerals.

My husband and I made aliyah 7 years ago with teens; one of them is special needs. We've had nothing but support and help from the schools, from social services, from Israelis and other olim....We are employed, working and we're managing....believe me, society here cares for its people way more than anyone cares in the US. Fall down in the street in the US, you're lucky if someone calls 911 after stepping over you....

This case reminds me of the fruit vendor who burned himself in Tunisia due to the injustice there. For a lousy $3800 debt the state throws a man out of his apartment, while big crooks like Olmert are sitting pretty. Where is the justice and compassion?

the solution may be to place ceilings on debt collections, as the US has. No debt collector should be able to take your residence, for example, if the law allows for bankruptcy reorganization of all debts. In some US states, catastrophic debt laws shield spouses from losing everything in cases of major crisis's of their partner, such as major illness. The authorities should never be allowed to take a persons only dwelling and especially for a mere $3800.

The greed of Israelis has no bounds and as an Oleh who has been around many cultures I've never seen the kind of greed where people here are willing to fight tooth and nail for 51% instead of settling for an easy 50/50. You can say its the "frayer" syndrome but end of the day greed is greed

Something is very wrong here in Da Holy Land . While killing oneself is very often a permanent solution to a temporary problem something is very wrong here in order for such a horrible tragedy to occur. I suggest we all urgently need to recalibrate our values in life : " A man should have money in his pocket and G-d in his heart .When he has G-d in his pocket and money in his heart IT'S NO GOOD ."

.... is very definitely not Keren's. It would appear that there are no depths too low for the troll(s) to sink.

The post at No. 31 is mine. Thank you.

You don't comprehend what you read very well, do you? I wrote that Mr. Silman's financial difficulties were "APPARENTLY" of his own doing. I wrote that "...it would be wise to hold off blaming the government for Mr. Silman's problems UNTIL WE KNOW MORE." Settle down, SF Stoner.

Such a tragic social structure. A small nation with a relatively small population controlled by a handful of wealthy families and corrupt politicians. Why???

Exactly. He failed as a businessman. While I empathize with his predicament, his failure should not be a burden on the rest of Israel's working class. He owed a tax debt. Guess what - if I owed a tax debt, my butt would be grilled too. Mas Hachnasah is not a heartless institution. You can negotiate payment deals with them and bow out of failed businesses gracefully. People do it all the time. I agree that navigating govt agencies is difficult, but that's indicative of the Middle East culture and a convoluted system of govt built on Ottoman, British, and Israeli laws. It is not the fault of Bibi. It's been around for decades.

and I negotiated hard, which is what one must do. The idea of being handed anything on a silver platter so you don't have to work hard is passe. It's a liberal fantasy and does not exist in reality. Even in the West, if one gets in trouble with the tax man, they will be in real trouble, and no one will be there to help them.

is because you forgo the fee paid to banks for the use of credit cards.

While the Left tries to vie for power over Bibi's govt, they cynically use social issues - which they've ignored themselves for years while in power. Those running the Histradrut, who claim to fight for the rights of the working man (and woman), are themselves very, very well-off. Although, that being said, I've never heard of a 5mm NIS luxury apartment for anyone in politics. Maybe the Ofer brothers or the Arison family.

the average Joe Citizen who PAYS his taxes and follows the laws. The govt ensures that all are dealt with equally - if you break the law, you are arrested. Granted, there are many populations in which that is NOT the case - Arqabs, haradim, liberals who act treasonist. However, I follow the law - and to give benefits to someone who breaks the law, especially when his own family didn't help him in his time of need - is AGAINST me. I agree there is a better way to deal with services distribution and welfare in the State, but taxing the crap out of rich people because "poor" people are jealous and want a free ride is WRONG. A nice house in Tel Aviv that is affordable? Free child care until age 5? Greatly subsidized food prices? Cheap gas? All bullshit, and really none of the govt's making. It's a free economy result and in that, the population has the right to boycott businesses to get what they want, not blame a politician - which is the lazy person's activity.

Checks are considered IOUs and can be sold from person to person, who can collect the money (in full) with fees, and use the police to break in a person's door. I disagree with this approach completely. A reduction in debt or scheduled payments, and NO use of law enforcement for personal debt collections. In this case, $3800 of items could easily have been taken instead of the who apartment.

Seriously, you bring your own perspective and agenda to a different country, a different culture, then have the temerity to criticize everyone? Ho one needs your "liberal" viewpoints here, especially when the basis of the liberal perspective is "rights for all to express one's self and honoring a culture" when all you do is berate those not like you. This is not just an Israeli culture - it's a Middle Eastern culture, but somehow when a Bedouin cheats you in a business deal, it's ok - it's part of their culture and "how quaint". Seriously. take your self-serving, myopic ways and get lost.