Haredi Authority Faces Backlash Over Paid Influencer Campaign for Tisha B'Av Recipes

The Haredi Authority within the Israeli Prime Minister's Office has sparked controversy after it funded a social media campaign featuring influencers who posted videos with recipes and tips ahead of the Tisha B'Av fast. The uproar began when influencer Elisheva Rozenblum shared a salmon recipe video labeled as produced "in cooperation with the Haredi Authority in the Prime Minister's Office." Reports indicate that the authority paid thousands of shekels to several influencers, including blogger Katrin Nimni, who posted content titled "Spiritual and Physical Preparation for the Tisha B'Av Fast." Journalist Merav Sever criticized the campaign, arguing that the authority should focus on providing real education and academic access for Haredi men and women instead of spending tens of thousands of shekels on influencers producing videos about spiritual and mental preparation for the fast.