On Tuesday afternoon, Charedi journalist Yair Sharki publicized a dramatic turn of events in the Chareidi Litvish world. According to Sharki, a new Chareidi newspaper is set to be published by the name HaDegel. The paper will be published under the auspices of Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and will take the place of Yated Ne’eman. The first edition is set to be released around Shavuos.

Sharki took to Twitter to explain just how groundbreaking such a move is. “In order to explain just how dramatic opening a new newspaper is in the Charedi community: When Rav Shach separated from Agudas Yisroel and built Degel Hatorah, the first thing he did was open the newspaper Yated Neeman.  When Rav Shmuel Auerbach left Degel Hatorah and opened up the Peleg Yerushalmi the first thing he did was open the newspaper Hapeles. This is the first condition of political independence.”

Sharki then answered a question that was asked on the above hypothesis. “This time, Rav Kanievsky isn’t leaving anything and is pretty much the mainstream. However, the decision to open a new newspaper instead of attempting to reign in Yated Neeman (as Maran Hagaon HaRav Shteinman did in his day) points to the internal power struggles and the internal opposition present, which is very strong, and left him with no other choice.”

Over the past few years, letters have been sent back and forth between the main power of ownership of Yated Neeman, U.S. businessman Shimon Glick and HaRav Kanievsky, each one pointing towards the difference of opinions between the two with regards to how the paper should be run. In light of that, and Yated Ne’eman perhaps losing their religious supervision, the new newspaper was born. The birth pangs of the new paper is a reflection of the infighting between the media moguls of Yated Ne’eman and the leaders of the Degel Hatorah movement. With this new beginning, a strong statement of disavowment is being made by Rav Kanievsky and his leadership towards Yated Ne’eman.

כדי להסביר עד כמה הקמת עיתון חדש היא דרמה בעולם החרדי:
כשהרב שך פרש מאגודת ישראל והקים את דגל התורה הדבר הראשון שהוא עשה היה לפתוח עיתון – יתד נאמן.
כשהרב אוירבך פרש מדגל התורה והקים את הפלג הירושלמי הדבר הראשון שהוא עשה היה להקים עיתון – הפלס.
זה התנאי הראשון לעצמאות פוליטית

— יאיר שרקי (@yaircherki) May 21, 2019

בעל השליטה בעיתון הוא איש העסקים החרדי אמריקאי שמעון גליק, שלא מיישר קו עם בית הרב קנייבסקי כבר תקופה. לאחרונה הוא סידר לעצמו גיבוי בשער של העיתון מהרב אדלשטיין (בתמונה) אבל נראה שהוא הולך לאבד את תמיכתו והרב אדלשטיין צפוי להיות שותף בעיתון החדש pic.twitter.com/0VvIgPpQZ7

— יאיר שרקי (@yaircherki) May 21, 2019

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)