""Is this how you flatter a politician?": Choir children sang a song of admiration for Deri

March 12, 2025   

""Rabbi Aryeh works for the people of Israel, even better, and even better": The children's choir of the Bnei Yosef educational network in Safed dedicated a special song to Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri yesterday (Tuesday) on the occasion of his 66th birthday, during a professional tour of the city of the Kabbalists together with the party's ministers and MKs. But while a Shas spokeswoman reported that "Aryeh Deri was moved by the children's choir of the network singing a song in his honor" - the recording caused a stir. Political commentator Shari Roth criticized the sycophantic class, tweeting on Twitter: "I don't want to hear my child sing songs of praise to Gafni or any other politician. I would be happy for them to sing to the great men of Israel!" Journalist Yaki Adamker also harshly criticized the singing of the children of the Torah Talmud in Safed in honor of Deri, who "works for the people of Israel": "Idol worship? This is how you flatter a politician? An ultra-Orthodox person is supposed to admire Torah scholars and great men of Israel!" Shas spokesman Asher Medina responded in an interview on Kol Berama about the children's song that caused a stir: "Safed Mayor Yossi Kakun wanted to celebrate Deri's birthday. I told him: 'That's not appropriate.' Then I came up with the idea that what would make Deri happy was a children's choir singing for him. I can understand the interpretation, it may not be so acceptable, but there's no problem with congratulating him.".