For $25,000 health and medicine companies and organizations can get a private meeting with him at a conference organized by Hamodia, which will also publish a public relations fluff piece in the paper – described in Hamodia’s publicity for the conference as “a newspaper article or image-page interview in the newspaper Hamodia after the event and PR coverage in the newspaper after the event” – for companies who pay the fee. Litzman will also give those companies who pay the $25,000 a certificate of appreciation.
Above: Rabbi Yaakov Litzman
New Haredi Deputy Health Minister Allegedly Caught Selling Access For Large Fees In Conjunction With Hasidic Newspaper
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Israel’s haredi Deputy Health Minister, Rabbi Yaakov Litzman of the Ashkenazi haredi Untied Torah Judaism Party has partnered with the hasidic Hamodia newspaper to sell access for large amounts of money.
Litzman is a Gur (Gerrer) hasid and Hamodia is Gur-controlled and owned. The story was first reported last night by Israel’s Channel 2 News, JP Updates reported.
There is no actual Minister of Health. Instead, in a legal fiction condemned by the High Court of Justice as illegal, the minister’s spot is left vacant and the deputy minister runs the ministry. This legal fiction is in place to allow Ashkeanzi haredi politicians to hold top roles in the government without having to take the responsibility of voting in the cabinet on security issues. Top Ashkenazi haredi rabbis have forbidden haredi politicians from voting on those issues or holding ministerial positions.
So Litzman is in everything but name the Minister of Health, and for $25,000 health and medicine companies and organizations can get a private meeting with him at a conference organized by Hamodia, which will also publish a public relations fluff piece in the paper – described in Hamodia’s publicity for the conference as “a newspaper article or image-page interview in the newspaper Hamodia after the event and PR coverage in the newspaper after the event” – for companies who pay the fee.
Litzman will also give those companies who pay the $25,000 a certificate of appreciation.
In almost any Western democracy this would be illegal or would at least be cause for dismissal, and Litzman’s office denied Litzman had knowledge of the pay-to-play fee.
“This is a regular conference given by the newspaper, which Litzman usually participates in along with many important figures in the field. Among other things, he will participate in a panel on health. The deputy minister is not involved in the content and is unaware of any commercial aspect of the participants,” Lizman’s office reportedly said.
For its part, Hamodia told Channel 2 News it had done nothing wrong.
“The leadership forum of the newspaper is a professional conference which has been held regularly throughout the years, leading the marketing agenda in the haredi public. As is the norm, participation by commercial companies, agencies, institutions and organizations – who want to come can be introduced to decision makers and opinion leaders in the haredi community. There is no commercial aspect (i.e. special payment) for a meeting with one public figure or another. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is an honored guest at the event, along with other officials, ministers, Knesset members and public representatives.
“There are very extensive advertising options, packages or sponsorship,” the paper’s statement continued, “which include participation in discussions, panels, seats, booths, distribution of marketing materials, magazine advertising and other content. It should be noted, that all conference activities are overseen by a lawyer and managed according to existing law and procedure.”