Ceremony honors haredi civil service volunteers
Prime minister sends message to haredi volunteers, says recipients of honorary plaques successfully integrate belief, 'contribution to society'
Nearly 1,000 people attended a Jerusalem ceremony on Wednesday honoring haredi civil service volunteers. During the ceremony, five volunteers were awarded with honorary plaques for their outstanding service.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a recorded message to the volunteers: "You are the best proof that the Israeli society has a common denominator. You managed to find the middle ground between your lifestyle and belief on the one hand, and your contribution to society on the other hand.
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"Thanks to your service, your communities are undergoing a profound social change. Instead of separatism and alienation, we see a desire to connect and become an integral part of Israeli society."
Head of Civil Service Administration, Minister Uri Orbach, gave a speech at the ceremony, but was interrupted by a group of volunteers, who were protesting the draft-law and budget cuts to yeshivot, insisting that Habayit Hayehudi party was to blame for both.
Orbach nontheless thanked the volunteers for their service, adding: "My role as the minister in charge of the civil service will not be influenced by a few jeers. We appreciate and encourage the service of haredi citizens and thank them for their contribution to society."
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