Shas chairman Aryeh Deri announced Thursday a new election initiative that would provide every Jewish boy in Israel with a free pair of tefillin upon reaching Bar Mitzvah age, as part of a broader effort to strengthen Jewish identity throughout the country.

Under the proposed program, called “Tefillin for Every Child,” every boy turning 13 would receive a Bar Mitzvah package from the Israeli education system containing a pair of tefillin and a tallis.

Shas also intends to introduce legislation requiring educational institutions to provide designated areas where students who wish to put on tefillin and daven can do so.

The announcement comes just days before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections and follows controversial statements by Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan and a Tel Aviv municipal councilwoman concerning religion in public spaces.

Deri strongly condemned those statements, warning that Israel’s Jewish identity was increasingly coming under attack.

“Recently, we have been hearing disturbing statements threatening the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” Deri said. “They want to turn it into a country like all other nations. That will never happen!”

Deri said the proposed initiative would serve as Shas’ response to Golan, whom he accused of seeking to remove religion from public life.

“These are shocking statements. Therefore, Shas is committed to passing a new program in the next government: ‘Tefillin for Every Child.’ This is Shas’ response to Yair Golan, who wants to erase religion from the public sphere,” he declared.

The Shas chairman emphasized the importance of tefillin as a symbol of the Jewish people’s connection to Torah and Yiddishkeit throughout the generations.

“Tefillin are a symbol of the Jewish people throughout the generations,” Deri said, adding that the initiative would strengthen the connection between young Jews and their heritage.

Quoting the posuk, “And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you, and they shall fear you,” Deri noted that Chazal explain the reference as referring to the tefillin worn on the head.

“Tefillin are our spiritual strength to defeat all our enemies,” he declared.

Deri concluded by presenting the initiative as a choice over the country’s future Jewish character.

“The choice is clear: Either we strengthen the Jewish state, or we deteriorate into a country like all other nations, chas v’shalom. Chazak, chazak, v’nischazek.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)