Top Rabbi Urges Haredim to Vote, Citing 'War of Religion'
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
With polls closing soon for Israel's 26th Knesset elections, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch issued an urgent plea for Haredim to vote, warning of a "war of religion" and "desecration of God's name" if they do not. This call comes as voter turnout data shows higher participation in liberal and Arab sectors compared to the Haredi community. Senior figures, including MK Yaakov Asher and Dudi Zaltz, have also made emergency appeals, while some voters have reportedly changed their intended votes after consulting with rabbis.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch urged Haredim to vote, warning of a "war of religion" with two hours until polls close.
- He expressed concern over "desecration of God's name" if the Haredi community does not support "our parties."
- Voter turnout data showed higher participation in liberal and Arab communities than in the Haredi sector.
- MK Yaakov Asher declared an "unequivocal true alarm" and called for immediate voting.
- Dudi Zaltz urgently returned to Beitar Illit to mobilize voters due to concerning turnout figures.
- Some voters reportedly changed their intended votes after consulting with senior rabbis.
With two hours remaining until polls close for the 26th Knesset elections, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a prominent Rosh Yeshiva, issued an urgent plea for the Haredi public to vote, warning that the "left and Arabs have already voted in large numbers." He expressed concern over the "desecration of God's name" if the Haredi community does not support "our parties," emphasizing there is "no time for complacency."
Rabbi Hirsch's dramatic call comes amid complex voting data showing significant turnout in the morning hours in liberal and Arab communities, while Haredi voter turnout remained lower. This situation has prompted similar emergency appeals from other senior figures in the Haredi world.
Member of Knesset Yaakov Asher, chairman of Yahadut HaTorah, declared it an "unequivocal true alarm" and urged everyone to vote, stating that "whoever sits at home is violating 'You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.'" He noted that while enthusiasm is high, it is not translating sufficiently into votes at the ballot box.
Dudi Zaltz, director of the Information Headquarters for Yahadut HaTorah, urgently returned to Beitar Illit after receiving concerning turnout data for the city. He joined Mayor Meir Rubinstein in a last-minute effort to mobilize voters, stating, "There is no choice, we must awaken the field." Rubinstein expressed astonishment at the low turnout, likening it to elections decades ago and calling it "the work of Satan."
The article also highlights instances of voters changing their allegiance after receiving guidance from senior rabbis. One Haredi voter switched his intended vote from Professor Yaron Zelekha's economic party to Degel HaTorah after consulting Rabbi Hirsch. Another young man planning to vote for Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party changed his vote to Yahadut HaTorah after receiving a personal blessing from Rabbi Hirsch for his requests.
A senior Yahadut HaTorah official emphasized the importance of every single vote, noting the immense effort Rabbi Hirsch is personally undertaking. The article concludes by noting that while liberal strongholds saw high morning turnout, a slowdown has occurred, whereas Haredi polling stations maintain stable, though not yet high, participation rates. As of 6:00 PM, national turnout reached 66.7%, compared to 57.7% at the same time in the previous election.
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