The long time secretary of the Shas party Rabbi Refael Pinchasi has broken away from the party to join Eli Yishai and his Yachad party.
After the petira of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, Pinchasi resigned his post, which still remains vacant.
Rav Pinchasi was very close to Maran and at one time, served as a MK in Knesset as well. His decision is yet another blow to Shas, at the very least, tarnishing Shas’ image among veteran Shas supporters.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Shas has been slipping, and if they fall below the threshold it could tilt the election towards Labor depending on how their seats get distributed.
Yachad is a mixed party of Sephardic Chareidim and Ashkenazic Daati Leumi.
ujm – Did you consider that might be the case becasue Sefardic Chareidim have more in common with Ashkenazic Dati Le’umi Torani than with Ashkenazic Chareidim? Sefardic Chareidim tend to not be anti-Zionist and tend to work, rather than sitting in Kolel – which is not the in accordance with the classic Ashkenazi Chareidi worldview.
an Israeli Yid
No, Israeli #3, you’re incorrect. Sephardic Chareidim have far more in common with Ashkenazic Chareidim than with dl anything. Among Chareidim there is little divergence on any of the critical points between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. There is great divergence between them and the dl worldview.
You are both wrong.
Ujm
Got many Ashkenazi Charedi (probably Lite), Charedi Olim, hardalim, French & South African Charedim who are part of Yachad supporters!!!😊
#4 ujm – Consider the following:
1. Shas joined the World Zionist Organization. No Ashkenazi Chareidi party would consider doing so.
2. Shas has joined many governments, and has taken ministerial posts. Ashkenazi Chareidi parties will not accept Minister-level posts as they don’t want to formally take part in government decisions (they’ll take a ministry, but insist on being “deputy ministers”, with no cabinet vote, so as to avoid being “metamei” themselves).
3. Most Shas MKs and voters served in the IDF. Not so the Ashkenazi Chareidi parties.
4. Zionism was never the type of hot-button issue among Sefardi Gedolim of previous generations that is was among Ashkenazi Gedolim. As such, the knee-jerk anti-Zionist attitude prevalent in Ashkenazi Chareidi society is just not there in most Sefardic society.
I’m not saying that Ashkenazi Dati Le’umi Torani and Sefardi Chareidi are the same – there are, in fact, clear differences. There are, though, more similarities than there are between Ashkenazi Chareidi and Dati Le’umi Torani, or, in all liklihood, between Ashkenazi Chareidi and SEfardi Chareidi.
And to #5 Sefardi Tahor – I’m not sure if you understood my original point. I hope my explanation above helps.
an Israeli Yid
#7 anIsraeliYid – Consider the following:
1. Shas only joined very recently and only for the benefits it obtains by membership. It does not subscribe to its ideology, which is why it was never a member for all these decades.
2. This too is tactical. They obtain greater benefits with Minister-level positions.
3. Shas opposed drafting Kollel men.
4. You are simply defining rhetorical differences in expression.
5. The Shas party has been formed by Ashkenazi Chareidi Godol HaDor HaRav Menachem Man Shas zt’l. Shas has always pledged fidelity to the Ashkenazi Chareidi gedolim like Rav Shach and Rav Eliashev. When Deri did something that in retrospect he felt Rav Shach opposed he posthumously begged mechila from Rav Shach and vowed not to repeat his error.
Shas has aligned on over 90% of the issues with the Ashkenazic Chareidi gedolim. At the same time Shas has disassociated, disagreed and often quarreled with the Religious Zionist party.