New Haredi Parties Challenge Establishment in Israeli Elections
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Two new Haredi parties, the Haredi Public Party and Tzeva Shachor, are challenging established factions like Shas and United Torah Judaism in the upcoming Israeli elections. These parties protest the lack of a conscription exemption law and perceived neglect of certain Haredi groups. Established parties and their rabbis are urging voters to remain loyal, while new factions aim to capture undecided votes and influence the Haredi political discourse.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- New Haredi parties are challenging established factions over conscription exemptions and representation.
- The Haredi Public Party advocates for secular education, military service, and employment integration.
- Tzeva Shachor protests the failure to pass a conscription exemption law and accuses parties of compromise.
- Established Haredi leaders are urging voters to remain loyal to Shas and United Torah Judaism.
- New parties aim to capture undecided votes and influence the Haredi political discourse.
- Otzma Yehudit is also targeting disillusioned Haredi voters ahead of the elections.
Two new parties, the Haredi Public Party and Tzeva Shachor (Black Color), are emerging as potential disruptors in the upcoming Israeli elections, challenging the established Haredi parties like Shas and United Torah Judaism. These new factions aim to protest the lack of a law regulating exemptions for yeshiva students and the perceived indifference of the older parties to the needs of certain segments within the Haredi community. The Haredi Public Party, led by Moti Leitner, focuses on integrating Haredim into secular education, promoting military service, and employment, advocating for a broader representation beyond traditional yeshiva students. Leitner has rejected offers to withdraw from the race, emphasizing his role as a representative for "transparent Haredim without a voice."
Tzeva Shachor, on the other hand, was formed in protest of the failure to pass a conscription exemption law and accuses the established parties of compromising on religious principles. The party uses social media to highlight the potential arrest of yeshiva students and criticizes politicians for broken promises. They are actively trying to mobilize voters who are disillusioned with the current Haredi leadership, aiming to capture between 4 to 6 Knesset seats that polls suggest are undecided.
Despite the public silence from Shas and United Torah Judaism regarding these new parties, their leaders and rabbis are addressing the underlying discontent. Lithuanian leader Rabbi Dov Lando and Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch of United Torah Judaism have urged their constituents to vote for the established parties, framing it as a matter of religious identity and the preservation of Torah study. They warn against voting for parties that do not align with the traditional rabbinic leadership.
Shas's spiritual leader, Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, is also campaigning to retain voters, acknowledging criticism but urging loyalty to the party, highlighting its achievements in securing budgets for religious institutions. He warns that a weakened Shas would be a disgrace to Torah and Sephardic Jews. Meanwhile, the Otzma Yehudit party is also targeting disillusioned Haredi voters, further complicating the electoral landscape for the established Haredi factions.
Mentioned
