Yahadut Hatorah officials attended an election rally in Beit Chelkiyeh and Rav Yisrael Eichler used the forum to express his concerns. For Eichler, the issue of the imminent drafting of avreichim into the IDF represents an “existential threat” and he is calling on the chareidim to come out and vote on 11 Shevat 5773. Eichler warns that if Yahadut Hatorah fails in its effort to earn at least seven seats, it may not be strong enough to have the influence required to reverse the harsh decree.
Eichler praised the chareidi education system and its successes, the “warmth and attention” given to the talmidim, rejecting the mounting criticism from the secular camp, with the latter continuing efforts to compel chareidi mosdos to add secular subjects to the classrooms in the chareidi sector.
“If the secular regime succeeds in starving the parents and teachers, the veil of protection of chareidi students will be impacted and this is exactly what they are trying to do. This is the goal of the enemies of Israel. They are trying to remove the spiritual immunization of the chareidim and expose it to the technological experiments and pritzus that exists in the streets. This is also a struggle to draft chareidi bnei yeshivos. This is an existential threat over the existence of Yahadut as was the case in the days of the Hashmonaim” stated Eichler.
Deputy Health Minister Rav Yaakov Litzman stated he does not fear a forced draft, stating “they wouldn’t dare.” He feels efforts will be concentrated on cutting budgets to yeshivos and talmidei Torah to “break us”.
“We can earn seven seats – it’s entirely up to us” he concluded.
Rav Meir Porush spoke of the need to bring the party to seven seats, disagreeing with Litzman regarding the draft. Porush stated they may not try to pull talmidim from Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, but they will not hesitate trying to draft chareidim from smaller weaker areas where the number of chareidim is less significant.
MK Uri Maklev spoke of the dangers of a totally secular coalition government, citing the need for chareidim to vote.
Other Yahadut Hatorah officials spoke as well.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
If the “establishment” frum parties fail, the Hareidi will move to extremes since no one will listen to political leaders whose concern for patronage blinded them to things that really matter. On the one hand, the zionist ones will move into the Israeli mainstream, but will be very far to the right of existing parties (similar to the old Kach). The non-zionist ones will end up adopting positions which Neturei Karta has loudly advocated for generations, but will now be saying “I told you so” – and instead of a having dozens of members will now have thousands.