Chairman of the Education Committee MK Ram Shefa believes that the government must give significant assistance to the cultural people • Claims there is concern about the existence of sports games and expresses support for demonstrations

• MK plenty

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  Saria Diamant - Archive

In an interview with MK Ram Shefa (35) of White Brush, I got the impression that if the decision on what topics we were talking about was in his hands, he would be happy to dedicate the entire interview to education, culture and sports. He is not keen on political issues. Of politicians.He does not incite or defame his political rivals.He speaks mainly of action and a desire to advance plans and ideas, and not of political intrigue and tactics. 

The man who is "to blame" for Shefa serving as MK is Culture and Sports Minister Hili Troper. "I knew Hili when I was chairman of the student union," says Shefa. "Trooper, who in my eyes is a rare and special man, told me that he is involved in founding a new party led by Bnei Gantz. After some in-depth talks I also met with Gantz, and they thought it was a good idea to add me to the Knesset list.

Were you surprised when Gantz and Ashkenazi decided to disband the party and join the Netanyahu government? 

"The one who decided to dismantle Blue and White was not Gantz but Lapid. Until Lapid came out of our group WhatsApp, I did not believe we were heading for a split. I'm sorry Lapid acted irresponsibly. I remember in the days before the split, we were all faced with deciding whether to take a risk. .

"We prevented great chaos" 

Are you aware that your credibility has been damaged because Ganz and Ashkenazi joined the government, even though they announced that they would not sit in the government with Netanyahu?

"In times of emergency we have to make difficult decisions. If we did not join, we would go into chaos ten times greater. I can say with all my heart that we felt that even though we paid personal prices as elected officials, we must take the necessary action and join the government. "The rule of law, and that our worldview is different from that of the right-wing governments that have been here for the last decade." 

Does not the deep dispute between the Likud and Blue and White, which erupted last week in the Knesset with a vote on the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the judges, indicate that the government's days are short?

"Unfortunately, instead of dealing with a million unemployed, there are those who are investigating judges. Israeli citizens expect us to work for their health and livelihoods. For me, these are the things that are at stake, and not politics and games that will lead us to elections." 

On Saturday, you issued a statement in support of a demonstration that took place in Rabin Square against the government. Did you forget for a moment that you are part of the coalition?

Gone are the days when those in the coalition must salute every action the government takes, and those in the opposition should shout at the coalition. It should be matter-of-fact. Regarding the demonstration on Saturday, the government should make greater efforts to improve the situation by formulating long-term plans quickly. I refer to the right to demonstrate with reverence, so I told the demonstrators that I identify with them. " 

"Not sensitive to the public" 

How do you respond to public criticism that this government is opaque, inflated and alienated from the public, groaning under the difficulties of the economic crisis?

"This government needs to be more attentive to the public and needs to significantly improve the speed of response in providing assistance to the affected citizens. I can understand the criticism leveled against it. In blue and white are very attentive to the plight of citizens. We are the only party whose members contribute a significant part of their salaries. "On the other hand, Likud representatives, perhaps because they have been in power for many years, are not always sensitive to the plight of the general public."          

Are you satisfied with the treatment of the corona crisis? There is sharp public criticism of serious deficiencies in the conduct of the campaign.

"I think that Gantz's demand, and earlier Naftali Bennett's, to transfer the management of the fight against the virus to the Ministry of Defense is just and correct."

Why does Gantz not insist that this be done? This was not done for political reasons?

"There is no cabinet meeting that Gantz does not demand. I hope the considerations that guide the decision not to transfer the management of the struggle to the Ministry of Defense are matters."

Theaters, actors and directors are collapsing economically due to downtime. Some came to turnips. What are you doing, as chair of the Education and Culture Committee, to help them? 

"It hurts to see them. I know their problems closely, because my wife is also a director and screenwriter. I met with them and had a committee discussion on this issue. The state must give them more significant budgets to ease them. I am making efforts to persuade the Ministry of Finance to increase budgets "They will be transferred to them, there is talk of a budget of NIS 200 million, but that is not enough."

By virtue of your position you are also responsible for the issue of sports in the country. Will the football and basketball teams last if the games are held without an audience next season as well?

"If the Ministry of Finance does not provide a significant safety net for leagues in the football and basketball industries, we may find ourselves in a huge threat to the very existence of league games next year. The problem is not only of these industries, but also gymnastics, judo and other industries."   

Is the education system already preparing for the start of the school year on September 1?

"Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education does not have an orderly plan for the next school year, and I hope that they are already starting to work on it. There will no doubt be a huge challenge for the education system to get organized. We in the committee will soon start discussions for the next school year." 

Are you in touch with the teachers and parents?

"Absolutely. Last week, in a rather precedent-setting manner in the Knesset, I addressed the public through social networks and called on anyone who wants to bring up a topic for discussion in the Education Committee to do so. We received 1,500 responses. Themselves much more to the public. " 

What are your political aspirations?

"I want to continue to engage in education. This is in the eyes of the Holy of Holies of society. This is the issue I have been dealing with for the last decade. This is my home. I want educators to feel that the Education Committee is their home."

From an Olympic pool - to the political pool  

Ram Shefa was born in Kibbutz Givat Haim Ihud to a family of Olympic swimmers. His father, Gershon Shefa, an Olympic swimmer, represented Israel at three Olympics (Rome, Tokyo and Mexico), and holds three medals from the Asian Games and a European age champion in competitive swimming. Dudu Reuven Shefa was the Israeli champion in swimming in the 1950s, the fifth champion and champion of the fifth Maccabiah in swimming, and played in the Israeli water polo team. His cousin Doron Shefa was an outstanding basketball player.

Ram is not attracted to swimming, but the sporty bacterium is very strong in him. To this day, he plays football in a regional league in the "Hapoel Gali Givat Haim" team, which bears the name of his brother Gali, who died of cancer. "It is impossible to belong to the Shefa family and not to love sports," he says, "everyone is red and a fan of the Hapoel Jerusalem and Tel Aviv teams." 

In the IDF, he served as a combat supporter in the "Sheldag" unit. For about six months at the "World in Justice" organization, a Jewish organization founded by Micha Bodenheimer and dealing with global poverty, social disparities and environmental destruction.  

Shefa notes that "it was a fascinating experience. We lived in a village that we had to walk 3 km to reach. There I made the decision to study and engage in education. When you produce giving in a foreign country, you return to the country and become a much more involved citizen. " 

On his return to Israel, he began working for the "Achrei" organization and was awarded an outstanding volunteer award. In 2016, he was elected chairman of the Student Union, and at the beginning of 2019, he resigned from his position when he joined the Resilience Party for Israel, headed by Bnei Gantz.