Posted on 09/04/18
Jerusalem, Israel - Sept. 4, 2018 - President Reuven Rivlin, at Beti Hanasi in Jerusalem, Israel, hosted the award presentation of משפיעים - "Influencers" at Beit Hanasi on Tuesday afternoon. Graduates of the first course of Haredi men trained to particulate in government civil service were honored. The course of women chosen to participate in the next training program were also present, along with Minister of Labor and Welfare Haim Katz, Acting Civil Service Commissioner Ehud Prawer, Interior Ministry Head Mordechai Cohen, CEO of the Ministry of Social Affairs Dr. Avigdor Kaplan, CEO of Kemach Rabbi Mordechai Feldstein, program director Ronen Kotin, participants and the family members.
The program celebrated at the event is a joint venture of the Foundation Kemach, the Civil Service Commission , the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Ministry of Interior. The aim of the program is to build a cadre of Haredim, men and women, as peers and colleagues, with significant roles in the civil service and local government, part of the flagship program of the President to establish partnership between the four sectors of Israeli society: secular, religious, ultra-Orthodox and Arab.
In his remarks the President noted the changing Israeli reality, in which sectors are nearer to each other in size, but growing and moving apart in almost every other aspect. The president said, "This reality requires us to change the thinking and practical difference. We at the President's call this change Tikva Israel and which is working to create a common infrastructure between groups in education, academia, and employment."
The President emphasized, "The numbers speak, without the ultra-Orthodox society involved, a significant part in decision-making, the labor market, shared responsibility, it will be difficult for all of us to continue to flourish here." The President concluded, wishing success to the graduates setting out in their new roles, assigned to various central and local government institutions and to those starting in the second cycle., and to everyone, שנה טובה וכתיבה וחתימה טובה.
The nineteen men will fill government roles including the fields of economy, science, education and law.
After presenting the graduates with certificates and posing for photos, Rabbi Nechemia Steinberger explained to BJL the significance of the event.
