It sometimes seems that once every few weeks, organizations and commercial companies check the vigilance of the secular public in Israel.
For once, the shipments of the Shufersal chain are cheaper in ultra-Orthodox distribution areas.
Another time it is the gas infrastructure companies that price their services according to the nature of the neighborhood in Jerusalem.
This time it is the Maccabi Health Fund that decided without prior notice to block its customers from Givatayim and Kiryat Ono (for example) from receiving health services at Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer, while Bnei Brak residents were miraculously excluded and can continue to enjoy all the hospital's services as usual.
The official excuse of "Maccabi" is that Bnei Brak was excluded because of the geographical proximity to the hospital.
For the sake of appearance only and after public pressure, it was decided that Ramat Gan - which the hospital is right on its territory - would also be excluded along with it.
The geographical excuse, of course, is not factually correct and the embarrassing part of this excuse is that it can be refuted in an instant.
After all, Givatayim and certainly Kiryat Ono (as well as other secular cities) are also closer to Sheba Hospital than Bnei Brak.
The question arises: why does Maccabi prefer the ultra-Orthodox public over the residents of the secular cities?
The answer is a bit complex, but to sum them up in one word: money.
The ultra-Orthodox men and women also consume more medical services that are put into the HMO, and they are also a smart and cohesive consumer force, which is difficult to work on.
One can only imagine the reaction of the ultra-Orthodox leadership if secular cities were favorably excluded and Bnei Brak were left out.
Not in this case did not happen.
My eyes are not narrow on the residents of Bnei Brak, and I hope that all the residents of the country will receive the best medical care they need: Jewish and Arab, secular and ultra-Orthodox.
But when one population is discriminated against time and time again in relation to another population, the secular public must ask itself what it is doing wrong.
There are a variety of answers that can be answered to this question, but it seems that the secular public must internalize that it has a common interest, both in front of state mechanisms (check how much a secular student gets compared to a religious student in the education system) but also, as in the present case.
I am a resident of Givatayim, and less than a year ago I moved to the Maccabi HMO.
By and large, I'm pretty happy.
My wonderful family doctor is within walking distance.
The specialist doctors are available, professional and pleasant.
The pharmacy and the dentist at affordable prices for every pocket.
But transparent "Maccabi" patients, as well as "Shufersal", MDA and other service providers, must understand that secularism is not a synonym for a sucker.
Therefore, this kind of decision must provoke a reaction from the secular public and its leaders.
Otherwise, they will just continue to discriminate against us.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
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