The winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Prof. Dan Shechtman, took part today (Saturday) at the ‘Cultural Saturday’ event in Be’er Sheva, sharply among the ultra-orthodox public.
According to a report in ‘Maariv’, moderator Lior Kinan asked the professor what the country’s biggest challenge is these days – and he replied: “The biggest challenge is demography. The State of Israel is going in a bad direction and for that matter I want to compare the State of Israel to the dark country Iran. Iran is going in the right direction. The rule of the Ayatollahs, this murderous rule, will pass from the world. Then Iran will be free, democratic I hope, and prosperous – and I will tell you why.
“Because of the demography, Israel is going in a bad direction. We are a democracy. The human stream that is multiplying rapidly, blessed with children with God’s help, keeps multiplying. And these are people who are against education, against education, against work – and they sit on the udders and milk the State of Israel”
Kenan asked, in response to his words, does he not generalize an entire public?
Prof. Stechman: “I don’t know of another religion that forbids education. Open the Bible, in the beginning of chapter 2, the fruit of the tree of knowledge, good or bad, must not be eaten. This education is forbidden from Daoriyata, not in Deuteronomy chapter 19 – in Genesis chapter 2. The sages of Israel, in Jerusalem and other cities, what do they say to young people? You will learn Gemara, Mishniyot, Holy Scriptures. What do the ayatollahs say to Iranians? They are not told to study Koran, they are told to study engineering.
“What does this cause? Do you know how many engineers graduate in Israel every year? Less than 7,000 in all universities and colleges. How many engineers graduate in Iran every year? Close to a quarter of a million. Are there also women engineers in Iran? 70% of engineers in Iran are female engineers who graduate every year. Who is progressing in the world?”
According to the report in ‘Maariv’, the professor later explained that the Prime Minister was wrong in his promise to provide a full budget for the ultra-orthodox sector – without a commitment to core studies. “This is an obvious mistake. I explained from the beginning – our demography is going in the wrong and bad direction, and we as a democracy will go and deteriorate. In the future it will be impossible to form a coalition without ultra-Orthodox. Now it can still be fixed, I hope that the wise politicians who sit in Jerusalem, with the help of God, blessed be His name, will be able to overcome this problem. Maybe someone with sense will be there.
“Am I underestimating the Haredim? I’m afraid of them,” said Shechtman. “If I was disdainful I wouldn’t talk about them. I’m scared to death of the ultra-Orthodox. They are taking our country, they are anti-Zionist.”