New haredi party launches, aiming to secure spot in Knesset ahead of elections

A new ultra-Orthodox political force, the 'Haredi Public' party, has officially launched, aiming to secure a Knesset seat in the upcoming elections. Led by Moti Leitner, deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, the party seeks to bridge a perceived gap between the Haredi population and their current political leadership.

The party's primary demand is for representation on the electoral lists of the two established Haredi parties: United Torah Judaism and Shas. This demand stems from a growing concern that the challenges facing the Haredi sector pose a genuine threat to its future. Leitner has reportedly been engaged in negotiations with senior officials from these parties regarding this representation.

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a growing understanding that the challenges facing the haredi sector have become a genuine threat to the future of the haredi public in Israel.

To support its campaign, the Haredi Public party has initiated a large-scale advertising campaign in major Haredi cities, including Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, and Elad. Over NIS 2 million has been invested in this campaign so far. The party's platform addresses critical issues such as the arrests of Haredi draft evaders who are studying in yeshivas, deep poverty within Haredi society, and high dropout rates among Haredi youth.

Leitner expressed concern that the "Torah world is under an unprecedented attack, and tens of thousands of yeshiva students and kolel scholars have become targets." The party warns that if its demand for representation is not met, the campaign will intensify, and fundraising efforts will expand. This move comes amid ongoing debates about Haredi enlistment in the IDF, with existing Haredi parties advocating for legislation that critics argue encourages draft evasion, despite the army's reported manpower shortage.

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the Torah world is under an unprecedented attack, and tens of thousands of yeshiva students and kolel scholars have become targets.