Minister of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, Meir Porush, spoke today (Wednesday) as the government's representative at the special session of the Knesset plenum to mark 'Jerusalem Day' and in memory of the Ethiopian Jews who perished on their way to Israel.
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In his opening remarks, he said about the 600th anniversary of the war: "In the days when we commemorate and remember the miracles that were performed for us in the Six-Day War, which ended in a complete victory over our enemies and in the restoration of the Jewish people's access to the remnant of our Temple, the Western Wall, we pray to God even more fervently and with greater strength that the current war will also soon end miraculously, with the safe return of our brothers and sisters who were taken captive by Hamas to their homes in peace, and with the complete victory of the security forces, with divine help, over Israel's enemies - on all fronts.".
The Jerusalem Minister addressed the challenge of negative immigration from the capital and the question of the Jewish majority in the city: "When talking about the challenges of the city of Jerusalem, it is impossible not to mention the biggest challenge in my opinion. Negative immigration. Or to put it in a less politically correct way - will the city of Jerusalem remain with a Jewish majority over time? At the current rate, the answer is no.".
""58 years ago, in 1967, 1967 to be exact, when we regained control of East Jerusalem. The ratio was 72 percent Jews in all parts of Jerusalem, and 28 percent non-Jews.".
""This ratio has changed over the years. It has deteriorated. In 2022, the percentage of Jews was 60 percent. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics published last week, this figure is already 57 percent and also includes those whose identity is not defined. In other words, the number of Jews in the capital of Israel is not much more than half. This figure should keep us all awake at night.
""When I was a council member in the Jerusalem municipality, I was told that there was negative migration from the city, because secular young people do not have enough entertainment venues in Jerusalem on Shabbat. This is not the case today. Unfortunately, there are those who even boast, mercifully, that on the holy Shabbat, the entertainment venues in Jerusalem are open.
""Not to mention what happens in the middle of the week. So, even if things may not be to my personal liking, my office is also a partner in leisure activities in Jerusalem during the week - out of the vision I set when I took office, to work for all residents and visitors to the city of Jerusalem. Although the road to equality is still long. However, and despite this, the negative immigration balance is still deteriorating to our detriment.
""The question is, what do we do? How do we turn the wheel around? I think there is a solution, which some of you may not like to hear, but it is definitely better than the current situation, and in my opinion it is also an excellent solution.".
""The data speaks for itself. The ultra-Orthodox and religious families in Jerusalem are blessed with children by a significant margin compared to families in the general sector. The more families there are who welcome children in Jerusalem, the better we will cope with the immigration balance, and perhaps even overcome it.".
""And here the question is asked that was asked decades ago in the opposite direction. Maybe there aren't enough decent places in Jerusalem where the ultra-Orthodox and religious people are used to being there? Maybe they don't give the ultra-Orthodox and religious sector, which is much more than the majority among Jews, the funding and the possibilities for a moment of peace before the place, blessed be He? Maybe there aren't enough playgrounds for children in the neighborhoods where the ultra-Orthodox and religious people live? Maybe too many children study in unregulated buildings?
""The things I am raising here now do not fit in with the festive atmosphere of Jerusalem Day. However, these things need to be heard and such things need to be warned about.".
He concluded his remarks with the testimony of Geto, the father of the girl Adisa, who died in Ethiopia on the way to Jerusalem.
He added: "Many Jews have died over the years on their way to the Holy Land. Today we commemorate the thousands of members of the Beta Israel community who died on the difficult path. We will remember them forever, praying that we will soon be able to witness your return to Zion with mercy, with true and complete redemption.".
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