Top Rabbi Issues Urgent Plea to Haredi Public to Vote
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, a senior Haredi leader, issued an urgent call for the Haredi public to vote, warning of a "danger to Judaism" due to low turnout in their sector compared to high turnout among Arab and left-wing voters. The appeal comes as national voter turnout reached a record 55.7% by 4 PM, potentially impacting Haredi parties. The Shas party is mobilizing activists to increase participation, fearing negative consequences for Torah institutions after the elections.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Reuven Elbaz warned of a "danger to Judaism" due to low Haredi voter turnout.
- He urged the Haredi public to vote, citing high turnout among Arab and left-wing sectors.
- National voter turnout reached a record 55.7% by 4 PM, potentially affecting Haredi parties.
- The Shas party is mobilizing activists to increase voter participation.
- Leaders fear negative consequences for Torah institutions if turnout remains low.
Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, a prominent member of the Council of Torah Sages and head of the 'Or HaChaim' yeshiva, issued an urgent appeal on Tuesday to the Haredi and traditional public to immediately go to the polls. He warned of high voter turnout among the Arab sector and left-wing strongholds, contrasting it with apathy in the Haredi community. "Voter turnout among the Haredi is very low, while the left and Arabs are coming out to vote in droves. There is a danger to Judaism here!" Rabbi Elbaz cautioned in sharp remarks.
He urged the public to rise and leave their homes to vote, emphasizing that the Shas party has established and will continue to establish Torah institutions. His dramatic call comes amid record-high national voter turnout, which, as of 4:00 PM, stood at 55.7%. This high turnout significantly raises the electoral threshold, potentially endangering the strength of Haredi parties.
The Shas party headquarters is calling on activists and community leaders to mobilize, going door-to-door and heeding Rabbi Elbaz's call. The party fears a severe blow to Torah institutions and spiritual strongholds in the post-election period. This appeal joins broader efforts within the Haredi sector in recent hours to increase voter participation, especially given recent internal tensions over the conscription law.
Rabbi Elbaz's remarks follow his participation last week in a historic emergency gathering in Jerusalem. There, members of the Council of Torah Sages convened with approximately 200 yeshiva deans, community rabbis, and institutional leaders to urge every Torah scholar to join the campaign and work for Shas's success. Rabbi Elbaz, considered a leading figure in the Haredi-Sephardi public, is seen as reflecting the sector's leadership's deep concern over the potential consequences of voter apathy.
