Inside the Week in Haredi Politics, Weddings, and Celebrity Sightings

This week’s "Zupnik in Kikar" roundup highlights a packed mix of religious, political, and social scenes across Israel and abroad, with the dominant backdrop being the protest of vehicle convoys over the arrests of yeshiva students who were draft evaders. The column also says it is tracking an alleged failed subscription drive at a newly appointed newspaper chief, who reportedly has no relevant background and may soon be replaced.

Among the standout moments, Rabbi Shalom Ber Sorotzkin of Ateret Shlomo sang to a groom while seated on the floor at the wedding hall, accompanied by musicians Shmuel Birnhack and Moishe Sherman. Another notable scene showed Yisrael Cohen helping paste protest signs onto cars, while MK Yitzhak Goldknopf, Housing Minister? no, just a participant in the protest, tried to convince police he was only a passerby. The roundup also notes that MK Moshe Gafni entered the Prime Minister’s Office for a tense meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, and later spoke with Rebekah Paluch. Amir Ohana tried to court the ultra-Orthodox factions during a Knesset award ceremony.

Religious leaders and communal figures were widely featured. Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman blessed outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea, Rabbi Yigal Cohen recited Psalms before a medical test, and Rabbi David Yosef gave a personalized copy of his book to journalist Yeshai Cohen. Rabbi Meir Purush was seen leaving quickly to lead the protest convoy, while Rabbi Neriya Barbi ruled that yeshiva students from Mizrahi backgrounds released from military prison should say Hanein? He said they should recite Birkat HaGomel. At the tomb of Rabbi Yossi HaGelili near the Lebanese border, an anthology trip for tour guides was accompanied by the Lelov Rebbe despite the military barriers still in place.

The social and musical circuit was equally active. Yair Elitzur has left producer Aviel Halevi after five years and moved under Yonatan Yechiel, while Shmuel Sukkot filmed a new clip with Ahar’le Nakhshoni and the Neshamah choir. Moshe David Wייסמנדל’s brit celebration drew major figures from the chassidic music industry, and singers Moti Wizel, Mendel Brandwein, and others performed at a wedding in honor of Rav Shmuel Rabinovitch’s son. Elsewhere, Baruch Freund turned 34 at a surprise birthday party, Elon Elgali and his wife donated a Torah scroll to an IDF base in the north, and soccer coach Barak Bachar was spotted buying Shabbat food in Bnei Brak.