Shas Places Former Haifa Religious Council Chair Dror Amos on Electoral List
Shas placed reserve major Dror Amos sixth on its electoral list. Amos, former Haifa Religious Council chair, faced scrutiny over a tender exemption and financial ties between his association and the ministry.
The inclusion of Dror Amos in the sixth spot on the Shas party's electoral list for the upcoming Knesset elections generated significant public interest. Amos is a reserve major with an extensive background in the IDF Logistics Corps. Following his military service, he founded the "Chesed Chaim VeEmet" association, which provides support to bereaved families, and was appointed as chairman of the Haifa Religious Council approximately a year and a half ago. Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri praised the appointment, stating that Amos's experience in the IDF, public service, and religious administration represents a valuable asset to the party.
While largely unknown to the general public, Amos is well-known within the upper echelons of Shas. The Ministry of Religious Services, controlled by Shas until recently, actively pushed for his appointment in Haifa despite strong objections from the ministry's then-legal adviser, Adv. Galia Klein.
The Appointment Controversy and Legal Hurdles
For an extended period, the Ministry of Religious Services and the Haifa Municipality struggled to agree on a mutually acceptable chairman for the local religious council. Due to procedural gridlock and disagreements between municipal and ministerial representatives, the selection authority was transferred to a committee dominated by ministry officials. Such appointments of state-backed religious council heads are a recognized practice in Israel, intended to place professional, non-political figures at the helm.
Heading the appointment committee was the Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services, Yehuda Avidan, who was appointed by the Shas minister at the time, Michael Malkieli. Avidan determined that Dror Amos was the ideal candidate for the position, notwithstanding the fact that Amos resides in Yeruham—located some 230 kilometers away from Haifa.
According to minutes from the appointment committee meeting obtained by Israel Hayom, Avidan strongly defended the selection, dismissing concerns regarding Amos's place of residence and potential political affiliations. Avidan asserted that Amos had no prior political ties to Aryeh Deri, attributing his lack of political background to his long career in the military, which prohibits active political involvement.
Conflict of Interest Concerns
Legal Adviser Klein raised serious objections during the proceedings. While she noted that the geographical distance was problematic, her primary concern centered on financial ties between Amos's association and the Ministry of Religious Services, which she argued constituted a clear conflict of interest.
In June 2024, the ministry contracted with Amos's association for a two million shekel bereavement project aimed at supporting families of the deceased and fallen during mourning, conducted through a tender exemption. Klein argued that this financial relationship created a conflict of interest and insisted that Amos resign from his position within the association to eliminate any business ties.
Following intervention by the Ministry of Justice, which upheld Klein's position, Amos resigned from the association, paving the way for one of his brothers to take over leadership. His appointment as chairman of the Haifa Religious Council was subsequently approved in May 2025 after meeting all legal requirements.
However, just months later, the association renewed its financial relationship with the Ministry of Religious Services. In August 2025, the ministry announced a new two million shekel contract with the "Chesed Chaim VeEmet" association, once again granted through a tender exemption.
Responses from Involved Parties
In response, Dror Amos stated: "Your attempts to portray good as bad and create a misleading and deceptive picture are nothing short of amusing and perplexing. The 'Chesed Chaim VeEmet' association, which I had the privilege of establishing over 15 years ago with the backing of my commanders and brothers-in-arms, has done tremendous work accompanying and supporting bereaved families in the civilian sector, and even more so since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war.
« My appointment as chairman of the Haifa Religious Council was accepted with broad consensus. Furthermore, I resigned from all positions in the association to eliminate any remote fear of a conflict of interest, and to dedicate myself to the new role and bring about a revolution in religious services in Haifa, with God's help. Meanwhile, the association, led by my brother, continues to do great work and assist significantly in civilian bereavement, and I hope it will continue to do so. »
The Ministry of Religious Services stated: "The matters presented in the article are distorted and untrue. Mr. Dror Amos was chosen for his position based on his qualifications and experience, not through grace or political connections. The issue of conflict of interest was duly examined and approved by the authorized authorities, and the ministry acts in accordance with the established guidelines.
« Regarding his place of residence, this was a remark raised by the former legal adviser and firmly rejected. It is difficult to accept the claim that a person's distance of residence disqualifies them from serving the public. When Mr. Amos lived in Yeruham and served the State of Israel on the Lebanese border, no one suggested that his place of residence prevented him from fulfilling his mission. Regarding the association, Mr. Amos is no longer connected to its activities, in accordance with legal counsel guidelines. »
The Shas party could not be reached for comment.
