Suspicion of corruption: The commissioner of the religious council in Jerusalem will end his position after 14 years
The decision to terminate Yehoshua Yishai's term was made by Minister Kahana, on the recommendation of a committee that examined the former's suitability for the position, and spoke out strongly against him. His role next month
Yael Friedson
07/12/2021
Tuesday, 07 December 2021, 18:05 Updated: 18:06
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Minister Matan Kahana announced today (Tuesday) to the Commissioner of the Jerusalem Religious Council, Yehoshua Yishai, that his work will end on January 19, 2022. This is due to serious allegations made against Yishai about the way the council is run and even suspicions of corruption. Yishai is considered close to Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, and former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaakov Avitan, who refused to sign his removal.
With the inauguration of Minister Kahana, he began to work for changes and reforms in the religious councils, which include, among other things, the replacement of 90 unelected superiors who serve in the position. He also appointed the first woman to head a religious council.
Although the Religious Council in Jerusalem is a very important public organization, it is run by only three people.
Due to political disagreements and the opposition of the ultra-Orthodox council members to the appointment of women to the council, the religious council is governed by a three-member committee, in a format similar to a committee called the local authorities, headed by Yishai.
The position was supposed to be temporary, but the temporary became permanent, since Yishai's tenure as councilor was not allotted in time, and he has been in office for about 14 years.
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Will end his term after 14 years.
Yishai (Photo: Yoav Dodkevich)
Over the years, serious allegations have been made against Yishai's conduct, and he was even arrested on suspicion of fraud and breach of trust - a case that was eventually closed for lack of evidence. For example, the State Comptroller's report from 2017 details how the religious council signed an agreement with Med Park, to provide a system for controlling entry to mikvahs, without a lawful tender. It was further alleged that Friday and another employee traveled abroad at the company's expense, Of the Council for Private Works, and the employees of the Council enjoyed guest rooms in hotels in violation of the rules of proper administration.
In 2016, investigators from the Jerusalem Police Fraud Division raided the council's offices, arresting Yishai and five employees, on suspicion of fraud and deception and breach of trust. The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office closed the case due to lack of evidence and recommended that the case be referred to the Civil Service Commission. But because Friday is considered the commissioner of the religious council and does not work full-time, he cannot be prosecuted.
Things peaked in 2018, when one of the three members of the Finance Committee was absent from the meetings for many months, and Vichy did not even report it to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, so one of the largest religious councils in the country was run by only two people for a long time.
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The Religious Council in Jerusalem (Photo: Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel)
After the complaints accumulated against Yishai, the committee convened last year to examine the suitability and suitability of the candidates for the office of commissioner of a religious council to recommend to the minister of religious services his dismissal.
The committee members spoke out strongly against Yishai: "The committee members identify an unacceptable pattern of conduct of independent work without the participation or existence of appropriate control and supervision mechanisms over the decisions of the chairman of the committee in charge.
These are not new claims by the way.
The audit reports also point out that Mr. Yehoshua Yishai is the only one and there is no exception. "
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Joshua Yishai
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