Yeshiva World News

Rabbi Shay Piron, a senior personality in the Tzohar Rabbonim organization and the Petach Tikvah Hesder Yeshiva has accepted the second position on the Yesh Atid Party list headed by Yair Lapid. Piron, 47, is reportedly a close friend of Lapid and heads the Movement for the Advancement for Education in Israel.

Lapid offering him the second slot came as a surprise to many, who view Lapid as being a staunch secularist but it appears the friendship between the two will bring some religious voters to support the party as well.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

** MK (Ichud Leumi) Dr. Michael Ben-Ari has been ousted from the party and will be running under and independent ticket with Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Givir, all followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane HY”D. Their first election poster shows the three of them under the caption “The only ones who understand Arabic”. Polls show that Ben-Ari’s popularity will bring them two seats.

** Channel 2 Poll: Likud/Beitenu (42), Labor (23), Shas (13), Yesh Atid (9), Meretz (6), HaYehudi/Ichud Leumi (5), Yahadut HaTorah (5), Kadima (2). The poll gives the right-wing 65 as opposed to the left-wing 55.

** Channel 10 Poll: Likud/Beitenu (35), Labor (23), Shas (14), Yesh Atid (13), Bayit HaYehudi/Ichud Leumi (9-10), Yahadut HaTorah (6), Kadima (5), Meretz (4). The poll gives the right-wing 64 as opposed to the left-wing 56.

** Maariv Poll: Likud/Beitenu (43), Labor (20), Yesh Atid (15), Shas (10), Bayit HaYehudi/Ichud Leumi (8), Yahadut HaTorah (6), Kadima (4), Meretz (3). The poll gives the right-wing 64 as opposed to the left-wing 56. DM Ehud Barak’s party does not get into Knesset. The poll gives the right-wing 67 as opposed to the left-wing 53.

** Kadima MK Yulia Shamalov Berkovich has left the party and is vying for a slot on the Likud list.

** Likud primaries to be held on Nov. 25th. List is closed and there are 118 candidates competing for slots on the list, which will number up to 120 but according to the polls, any name after 25 will most likely not enter Knesset since Yisrael Beitenu MKs are also going to be inserted if the agreement between the parties is approved.

** Shas plans to launch its election campaign this coming motzei shabbos in a grand event attended by Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita to be held in Binyanei Ha’uma, the Jerusalem Convention Center.

** Former Shinui Party MK Meli Polishook-Bloch, a deputy mayor in Ra’anana is vying for a spot on the Labor ticket.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

MK Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, who broke away from Shas to launch his party continues to bash Shas, with his latest comments coming during an interview with Channel 2 News.

Amsellem called Shas “the outstretched arm of the Ashkenazi world, primarily the litvish faction… as soon as I decided to begin speaking the emmes I realized I was marked for elimination…once I became a significant person, I became a threat. One leaves Shas in one of two ways, either to prison or to one’s own party.”

Shas officials refuse to comment.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The announced election agreement between Likud and Yisrael Beitenu last week appears to have sent a ‘wake up’ call to chareidi politicians, so much so that they appear to have reached agreement to unite all the parties, Agudas Yisrael and Shas.

Chadrei Chareidim reports that ‘those in the know’ add that despite the worrisome union between Likud and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s party, the prime minister stipulated that the election campaign cannot be anti-chareidi, signaling the prime minister wishes to leave a door open to bringing chareidim into the coalition.

Lieberman announced at the press conference following the signing of the agreement “Certainly we will have to make concessions and we cannot separate between religion and the State of Israel. We are the Jewish People and there is an absolute identification between nationality and religion. We must however separate religion from askonus. I oppose the frum askanim and their business dealings with kashrus and religious councils. I support our tradition and heritage and a separation of religion and askonus.”

It appears the leaders of the frum parties have agreed that they will stand together in coalition negotiations so one party will not close a deal independent of the others. Such a move is beneficial to Agudas Yisrael, which will now benefit from the negotiating position of Shas, which the polls show will be larger. It also gives Degel HaTorah additional leverage against the split-off HaPeles faction, for a united Yahadut HaTorah and Shas basically leaves HaPeles out in the cold.

According to the agreement, six representatives of the Yahadut HaTorah list, which represents Agudas Yisrael and Degel HaTorah, will be placed in the first 20 slots of Shas’ list. As a result, Deri will become the leader of the chareidi bloc in Knesset in the hope of the joint list earning at least 20 seats. This will also alleviate concerns surrounding rotation agreements in Agudas Yisrael vis-à-vis Gur, since the united list increases the chances of the sixth person on the Yahadut HaTorah list entering Knesset, eliminating the need to rotate the slot as was the case in the past. On the other hand, it will somewhat reduce the power of Yahadut HaTorah, which may now be subjected the more moderate and left-wing political hashkafa of Aryeh Deri.

That said, Yahadut HaTorah officials realize this may be met with opposition in Shas between the Deri and Yishai factions. Also reported in the news is that Likud is far from pleased with the announced union with Yisrael Beitenu and the party leaders may not ratify the agreement.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

** Kadima MK Nachman Shai quits Kadima to join the Labor Party.

** Economist Shlomo Maoz joins Likud.

** Despite being on recess until after elections on 11 Shevat 5773, the Knesset will convene on Monday 13 Cheshvan to discuss a number of issues, including daylight savings time.

** PM Netanyahu faces strong opposition from within his party to the unity agreement signed with Yisrael Beitenu. On Sunday he summoned Likud mayors to begin persuading them to support the agreement.

** Rabbi Shay Piron, number two on the Yesh Atid list was asked if he supports continued negotiations between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority). He stated no one running for Knesset living in the real world may oppose the talks for the pressure from the United States and the international community compels this reality.

** A former media advisor to PM Netanyahu when he was in opposition, Yossi Levy, is being brought in by Shas’ Aryeh Deri as a media advisor during the election campaign.

** Explaining the agreement signed with Yisrael Beitenu to faction members, PM Netanyahu stated Avigdor Lieberman would have the right to select the defense minister portfolio. That said, Walla News reports it has learned Lieberman and Netanyahu have agreed if the deal works and election is successful, Lieberman will remain foreign minister.

** Yair Lapid envisions receiving the justice ministry portfolio [as did his father Tommy], and Rabbi Yishay Piron the education portfolio and 3rd slot on the party list, Herzliya Mayor (Meretz) Yael German the environmental affairs portfolio.

** Yitzchak Shamir, 67, son of the late prime minister, is number two on the Yisrael Beitenu list and 5th on joint Likud/Yisrael Beitenu list.

** Beit Shemesh resident Rabbi Dov Lipman, a former American, refuses to confirm or deny rumors that he will be running on Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid list. He heads the Yesh Atid Beit Shemesh branch.

** Likud Minister Michael Eitan vehemently opposes unity with Yisrael Beitenu, warning Liberman will take over the party and pull it “too far to the right-wing”. He adds the deal will boomerang against the Likud. Eitan is demanding a secret ballot to make it easier for Likud leaders to vote against it without fearing retaliation from the prime minister.

** Likud Minister Binyamin Begin praises the agreement with Yisrael Beitenu and suggests the left-wing learn from the unity example exhibited by the right-wing.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

While Netzach leaders are feeling the swell of their recent success, leading the new litvish faction, they are aware that according to many in the know, while they feel there is a great deal of backing they will not see the inside of the Knesset since they will not earn sufficient votes to pass the minimum threshold. With this realization in mind, some of the leaders feel that must run nonetheless, explaining the votes will not be wasted since by the fact they are running independently will show the Degel faction of Rav Gafne they represent many avreichim who are disenfranchised with the current realities in the veteran party.

The leaders of the party are meeting almost daily as they strategize their next move, now concerning themselves with expanding their voter base. Interestingly, Kikar Shabbat adds that Netzach leaders have received inquiries from a number of small chassidic courts, “those unsatisfied with their representation in Agudas Yisrael”, seeking to work together to assist one another both in the upcoming national election and in the local elections on the municipal level next year.

Netzach leaders are optimistic that with a few chassidim on board along with litvish chareidi Sephardim, they may find themselves in Knesset after all. They feel the latter will be accomplished by placing Rav Shai Gedasi at the helm of the list, since he enjoys widespread support in the litvish Ashkenazi and Sephardi camps.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The announced agreement between Likud and Yisrael Beitenu is bad for Torah Jewry in Eretz Yisrael. The agreement gives a major boost to the parties involved and ensures Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman a senior post in the next government. The announced agreement, which must still be ratified by the respective parties, sends a clear message to the chareidim, that you will have less to say about policy in the next administration.

While Lieberman is perceived as right-wing he is a major force behind efforts to minimize Torah’s influence in Eretz Yisrael. His nationalistic hashkofa is foreign to Halacha and he is adamant in his efforts to permit non-Halachic marriage and implement other changes in line with those seeking a secular lifestyle.

One of the prominent voices against the agreement is veteran Likud member, Minister Michael Eitan, who announced that he will do everything he can to ensure the deal is not ratified.

According to a poll commissioned by the MAKO Channel 2 News website following the announced agreement, the two parties will earn 42 seats (Likud 27/ Yisrael Beitenu 15). Yair Lapid’s party is predicted to earn 18 seats, and he has already announced he is not ruling out teaming up with Likud and Yisrael Beitenu, which would then have 60 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Hence, the need for additional coalition members is all but non-existent and the negotiating strength of the chareidim to enter the coalition has vanished.

It is another sign that Likud today is a far cry from its traditional roots and while the Likud historically found the frum parties natural coalition parties, this is no longer the case. Just this week Minister Dr. Binyamin Begin stated that “Likud is national, not nationalistic” and in his Israel Radio interview he highlighted the party’s commitment to equal rights for all and liberalism, values that are a far cry from the party under the leadership of his late father Prime Minister Menachem Begin, values more in line with traditional Judaism.

What is no less worrisome, at a time when achdus is critical, the Ashkenazi chareidi parties are breaking apart and if they run independent of one another they will most likely earn less seats as has been proven historically. Such a situation would further diminish the chareidi community’s influence in Knesset at a time when critical issues weigh in the balance, issues including the military draft and housing.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Life for chareidi lawmakers is difficult enough when things are good. They are subjected to harsh criticism from their colleagues, voters, and of course, the secular parties who accuse them from being “parasites” and blame everything that’s wrong with the world on their lifestyle.

Making things significantly worse is the lack of achdus, now seen in both Agudas Yisrael but more visibly in the litvish faction of Yahadut HaTorah, Degel HaTorah.

Let’s begin with Netzach, known more commonly in Israel as the “Yerushalmi branch” of Degel. In actuality, some of the members of this faction perceive themselves as being in a faction under the Degel umbrella and they do not see themselves as having broken away, perhaps analogous to the Moshe Feiglin’s Manhigut Yehudit faction which is officially part of the Likud. The leaders of Netzach however appear to be leaning to breaking away entirely, running under a different ticket in the elections but this is yet to be decided and we have to hear what the gedolim have to say on the subject.

What is known is that the Netzach leaders have submitted the paperwork to the Central Election Committee so the separate party option is a viable one. For now, despite a number of “urgent meetings” and the major motzei shabbos kenos in Bnei Brak, Netzach appears to be taking the cautious route and it has not broken away from Degel officials.

What About Belz, Vishnitz and the Others?

Once upon a time, Belz was part of Degel back in the early days. The chassidus also split from the Eida, and today, remains independent, voting ‘Gimmel’, the Yahadut HaTorah ticket which to date included Agudas Yisrael and Degel HaTorah. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. There are matters to work out here too regarding the placement of Rav Yisrael Eichler, the Belzer Rebbe’s Shlita representative in umbrella party. This is not as simple as it may appear, for there must also be a slot for Vishnitz, Gur, and Meir Porush. That is only the Agudas Yisrael side of the equation. The headaches facing the litvish faction are described above.

Vishnitz is sitting quietly for the time being, but has already flexed its political muscle, citing it is larger than Belz and therefore, must receive first pick regarding placement and rotation. Vishnitz points out there has not been a census of members since the election of 5749 so it is difficult to know the actual numbers pertaining to the factions involved in Agudah, including Shlomei Emunim and the central faction. If they decide to begin crunching the numbers, it could get very interesting for some chassidic courts have grown while others have become less influential. What will be the status of many of the chassidic courts? Once the box has been opened, it is difficult to know how it will end.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

A scratchy-voiced President Barack Obama powered through a marathon drive to get his supporters to vote Thursday and planned to set an example by becoming the first president to cast his own ballot ahead of time. Republican Mitt Romney spent one of the precious 12 days before Election Day entirely focused on the Rust Belt battleground of Ohio.

With a new Associated Press-GfK poll showing Romney has erased Obama’s 16-point advantage among women, the president tried to keep a GOP abortion controversy alive. Obama repeatedly made a veiled reference to Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock’s comment that pregnancies resulting from rape are “something God intended.”

“We’ve seen again this week, I don’t think any male politicians should be making health care decisions for women,” Obama said. His campaign also has been intensifying its criticism of Romney for refusing to pull his support for Mourdock, even though the Republican presidential nominee said he disagrees with Mourdock’s comment.

Romney tried to avoid the subject. While picking up breakfast at a downtown Cincinnati diner on Thursday, Romney refused to answer repeated questions from reporters standing nearby about Mourdock’s comment and whether he would call for Mourdock to take down a TV ad Romney filmed for him earlier this week.

At a rally later at the Jet Machine manufacturing company, Romney didn’t mention anything about abortion but spoke repeatedly about the choices facing American families. He said seniors on Medicare would struggle to find doctors if Obama is re-elected, daughters would face crushing college loan debt and parents would lose choices about where to educate their children.

“This election is not about me. It’s not about the Republican Party,” Romney told a crowd estimated at 3,000. “It’s about America. And it’s about your family.”

Romney’s campaign reached out to women by sending Ann Romney on daytime’s “Rachael Ray” show, where she prepared her meatloaf cakes recipe and took cameras along on a trip to Costco to shop in bulk for family gatherings. Mrs. Romney said that, with 30 mouths to feed, her family always eats buffet-style and that “Mitt is often at the front of the line.”

Romney was on a daylong swing through three Ohio towns, sharpening his focus on a state critical to his hopes of winning the White House. The Republican’s advisers say their internal data has him tied to win the state’s 18 Electoral College votes, but public polling has shown Obama with a slim lead.

Obama, in the midst of a four-state blitz on Thursday, also was scheduled to finish his day in Ohio. Shortly after Romney concludes his evening remarks in Defiance, the president was set to appear 150 miles to the east in Cleveland.

Virginia also got attention from both campaigns on an unseasonably warm October day, with Obama drawing a massive crowd estimated at 15,000 to Richmond’s Byrd Park while GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan spoke before a smaller group at the opposite end of the state in Appalachian coal country. Ryan told the audience of about 1,500 that winning a close race won’t be enough for the GOP ticket.

“The worst thing that could happen is President Obama gets re-elected and we have more of the same with a debt crisis,” Ryan said. “The second worst thing that could happen is we get elected by default, without a mandate.”

The AP-GfK poll released Thursday shows the presidential race still a virtual dead heat nationally, with Romney favored by 47 percent of likely voters and Obama by 45 percent. That result is within the poll’s 4.2-point margin of error.

Although national polls show the race is close, Romney is struggling to overtake Obama in the state-by-state march to racking up the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory. Romney has far fewer paths to reaching that threshold than Obama, who starts with more states — and more Electoral College votes — in his win column. The race is centered on just nine states, where polls show competitive races: Ohio, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Nevada and Wisconsin.

The president’s morning rally kicked off the second day of his 40-hour battleground state blitz. Shortly after 7 a.m. and less than five hours after ending his day in Las Vegas, Obama was at a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop near downtown Tampa, and minutes later delivered the still warm doughnuts to a nearby firehouse. He said he wanted to come by early — noting he is not often out this early — to thank them for all they do.

Obama then spoke to about 8,500 people at a morning rally in Tampa, a swing area of battleground state Florida. With a full day of campaigning still ahead of him, Obama’s voice was already hoarse. But he told the enthusiastic crowd he was “just going to keep on keeping on until every single person out there who needs to vote is going to go vote.”

He noted to cheers that he was going to Chicago later Thursday to participate in early voting and that first lady Michelle Obama already mailed in her ballot. Obama campaign spokesman Jennifer Psaki said they hoped his example would send a message to others in early voting states that they should do so as well.

About 7.2 million people have already cast early ballots, either by mail or in person, according to the United States Elections Project at George Mason University. In all, about 35 percent of the electorate is expected to vote before Election Day, a small increase over 2008.

Obama’s campaign also announced joint rallies Monday with Bill Clinton in Orlando, Fla., Youngstown, Ohio, and Prince William County, Va. The president also picked up an endorsement from former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican who supported Obama in 2008. Powell praised Obama’s handling of the economic recovery, telling “CBS This Morning:” ”I think we’ve begun to come out of the dive and we’re gaining altitude.” Obama told his Virginia audience that he was “proud and humbled” to get Powell’s support.

(AP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he was merging his Likud party with that of his ultra nationalist coalition ally Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in a hard-right tack ahead of Israel’s Jan. 22 election.

Though the conservative Likud already led opinion polls, its joint list with Lieberman’s Israel Beiteinu (“Israel is Our Home”) could win over wavering voters for a ballot sweep that Netanyahu saw empowering him to push through major policies.

Resuming stalled U.S.- and European-sponsored peace talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is unlikely to be a high priority, however, given the disdain for his authority voiced by Lieberman, a settler in the occupied West Bank.

“In Israel, the prime minister needs a big, cohesive force behind him,” Netanyahu said at a news conference, citing a need to tackle security concerns like Iran’s nuclear programme as well as economic and social problems in Israel.

Running with Lieberman, Netanyahu predicted, would yield “a clear mandate that will allow me to focus on the main issues, rather than trifles”.

Battered by partisan sniping during his first term as premier in the late 1990s, when Lieberman served as his chief of staff, Netanyahu has since sought broad-based and ideologically binding political alliances.

Lieberman has also called for an overhaul to the fractious political system, where a low threshold of minimum votes allows for a multitude of small special-interest parties in parliament.

“Real reform of governance begins, effectively, today,” the Moldovan-born foreign minister said alongside Netanyahu.

PRIORITIES

A TV poll aired on Monday saw the Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu taking, respectively, 27 and 12 of parliament’s 120 seats, and an eventual new Netanyahu-led coalition commanding 65 seats.

The Likud denied an Israeli media report that Netanyahu and Lieberman planned to rotate the premiership between them in the next government, as the Likud’s Yitzhak Shamir and the dovish Shimon Peres did during their coalition in the 1980s.

Opposition parties decried the alliance, with Zehava Gal-On of the liberal Meretz saying it invited international isolation.

“The prime minister is essentially signalling that he has chosen the extremist, pro-settlement right, that he has chosen to walk in place, not to make progress in the diplomatic process (with the Palestinians),” she told Israel’s Army Radio.

That was echoed by veteran Palestinian negotiator Hanan Ashrawi, who accused Netanyahu of scrapping any prospect for peace in return for a firmer hold on Israel’s national helm.

“Such a dramatic shift to the right will be very costly for both sides, and it will again destroy chances of peace and will further separate issues of justice and Palestinian rights from Israeli politics,” Ashrawi told Reuters.

Netanyahu says he is committed to achieving an accord with the Palestinians, though he disputes their claim on the West Bank and East Jerusalem and has made clear that curbing Iran, as well as Abbas’s armed rival Islamists, is Israel’s core worry.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak last year quit his centre-left Labour party, dumping it from the coalition, to form a more conservative party that dovetailed with Netanyahu’s policies.

Netanyahu further widened the coalition this year by joining forces with the centrist Kadima party, though that partnership soon broke up over the government’s failure to push through a reform of military conscription laws granting exemptions en masse to ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students.

Netanyahu might try to address the draft issue again with the help of the secularist Lieberman, given what appears to have been their decision not to inform Shas, the powerful religious party in the coalition, about their merger in advance.

“I was absolutely surprised by this,” the Shas leader Interior Minister Eli Yishai said, anticipating the move could prompt left-leaning and Orthodox parties to form their own blocs.

(Reuters)

In light of the split in Degel HaTorah, MKs Moshe Gafne and Uri Maklev on Tuesday, visited the home of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita in the Shaare Chessed neighborhood of the capital.

Reports indicate that the MKs briefed the rav on the current situation in Degel HaTorah today as well on his activities as a MK on behalf of the chareidi tzibur.

Earlier in the week, at a Hadera chasenah, Gafne approached Rav Auerbach for a bracha for success in the upcoming election on behalf of the frum tzibur. “There are harsh gezeiros and many seeking to target avreichim and bnei yeshivos and we require the rosh yeshiva’s bracha” he is quoted as saying.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

In the report submitted to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Monday 6 Cheshvan 5773, State Comptroller Yosef Shapira addresses political party funding and spending in the past year. The comptroller reports that a number of the political parties exceeded maximum spending regulations, including Likud.

The report addresses a dinner attended by 120 people, costing over 50,000 NIS, hosted in the Prime Minister’s Residence, amounting to 418 NIS per person. Shapira called this “An abnormal and unusual expenditure at the public’s expense.”

Likud officials responded to the state comptroller’s criticism saying the event was a “significant legitimate event that was essential towards coalition stability.”

Likud was also cited for spending 32,000 NIS a month for consultants without providing paperwork to the state comptroller detailing who and what.

Agudas Yisrael is also mentioned in the report for reimbursing for travel expenses to the tune of 37,550 NIS. What makes the expenditure problematic is the fact the person who was reimbursed is not a member of the faction and is not on the party payroll. Agudah was also cited for using branch offices to assist avreichim with matters pertaining to avoiding military service, providing an attorney who addressed their paperwork.

Labor Party: 90,000 NIS for travel and advisors for two MKs, without explaining the reason and detailing the trips.

NRP (Mafdal): Failed to file the party’s actual expenditures.

Balad: Failed to adequately document expenditures surrounding elections.

Eretz Yisrael Shelanu: Incomplete paperwork and expenditure documentation.

As such, party funds were cut as a fine. NRP and Balad lost 80,000 NIS each and Eretz Yisrael Shelanu 40,000 NIS.

Ta’al: Travel abroad was authorized, trips to arrange studies abroad for students attending university in Jordan.

Yisrael Beitenu: 19,000 NIS to fly a representative to Italy to sign an agreement.

Shapira explains “a good portion of state funding intended for ongoing party operations and towards maintaining contact with the public, which are basic principles of democracy, were in fact used to cover party election deficits”.

Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz was cited for accepting two donations “amounting to thousands of NIS” in his personal bank account during his party leadership bid. He is cited for accepting illegal donation, forbidding cash donations. Mofaz was fined 28,000 NIS.

Mofaz responded with the following statement. “In fact, the donator is a well-known person who identified himself to bank officials prior to making the deposit so it was not a violation.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Shas officials are looking to veteran political strategist Yisrael Behar to come on board to direct their election campaign, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reported. According to correspondent Yair Sriki, the deal with Behar has not been closed but it is imminent. Behar has served as a polling strategist for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the past and is a well-respected political consultant/strategist.

Behar, who wears a kippa, appears to be entering the Shas team but he will be working with a team, perhaps a reality that will complicate his efforts as Aryeh Deri is heading the party’s election campaign, Eli Yishai is overseeing the election on Election Day and Ariel Atias is serving as head of publicity, so it may present Behar with a new challenge.

While Yishai and Deri continue to present a picture of harmonious achdus to the public after years of animosity, analysts are not convinced, as is the case with many voters, as the two leaders are far apart in their politics and hashkafa.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Shas officials announced on Monday 6 Cheshvan 5773 that Asher Gold has been tapped to serve as the party spokesperson, at least during the election period. Gold is not a novice, having served in the past as the chareidi correspondent for Walla News, publishing under the name Moti Levy.

He also hosted the program “Friday Night Actuality”, a program in Bayit Vegan Yerushalayim in which public personalities were hosted along with hundreds of yeshiva students. He has also worked as a spokesman for an organization representing rabbonim in Europe.

According to Kikar Shabbat, Yaakov Betzalel, who is the media advisor of Eli Yishai, will remain in his post.

In a related matter, during a meeting on Monday of the three Shas leaders, Yishai, Deri and Ariel Atias, it was decided Atias would head the party’s public relations during the election campaign.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The dancing Breslov faction known as the “Nach Nachim” in Eretz Yisrael is planning to launch a political party, Ladaat.info reports. These are the chassidim who wear the ‘Na Na Nachman M’Uman’ large knitted yarmulkes and dance in the streets.

The report states the Nach Nachim accuse Shas and Yahadut HaTorah of only worrying about themselves while ignoring the baal tshuva community in particular. As such, they do not receive their fair share, not regarding funding, mosdos or other areas of entitlement , adding they are confident they speak for thousands of baalei tshuva who will vote for them.

Realizing the reality of the Israeli political scene, others are likely to announce their intention to run in the election. In the past, dozens of parties have appeared on ballots on Election Day, most failing to pass the minimum threshold to enter Knesset.

What is significant is the fact the many parties who clearly do not have a chance of a seat take votes from others parties that may lose a seat or more as a result.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

PARTY NEWS

Yesh Atid:

The newest recruits to Yair Lapid’s party are Herzliya Mayor Yael German, 65, a former Meretz member and school principal.

In addition, Dimona Mayor Meir Cohen, 57, was previously a member of the Yisrael Beitenu party and also a school principal.

HaBayit HaYehudi

Party leader Minister Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz has agreed to step down and endorse the leadership bid of Zevulun Orlev.

Shas

Media spokesman for Minister Arial Atias, 26-year-old Asher Gold will be the party’s spokesman during the election campaign.

Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reports that Yisrael Behar, who advised PM Netanyahu on elections polls will be a senior election strategist for Shas. The appointment has not yet been finalized.

Kadima

After almost 10 years in Knesset, Kadima MK Ruchama Avraham announces she is leaving politics. She served in Likud prior to Kadima as well as serving as a cabinet minister and deputy cabinet minister.

NEWS FROM THE CANDIDATES

Ehud Olmert:

According to a Haaretz report, the former prime minister is unlikely to report to the political arena.

Tzipi Livni:

Aides to the former Kadima Party leader signal she will announce her decision regarding the upcoming election in the coming days. Mrs. Livni this morning met with President Peres, presumably to consult with him regarding her impending decision.

Aryeh Bibi:

Announcing he is breaking away from Kadima to move to Likud.

Tamar Zandberg:

The Meretz Tel Aviv Councilwoman is seeking a slot on the party’s Knesset lineup.

Amnon Mitzne:

Former Haifa mayor and head of the Labor Party announces he is considering running on the Labor Party ticket in the election.

Binyamin Begin:

Likud Minister-without-Portfolio Dr. Binyamin Begin announces he is not stepping down and plans to run on party ticket in upcoming election despite speculation to the contrary. He stressed “Likud is a national liberal party, not nationalistic, and respects the rights of all people”.

Uri Saguy:

The retired IDF major-general and chief of military intelligence is running for a slot on the Labor Party ticket.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

When interviewed a number of years ago, Aryeh Deri stated he feels it is time to rid the political community of chareidi parties, supporting those who felt chareidi politicians would be more effective running for slots on the lists of the larger secular parties. Today however, following his return to Shas, it appears the want-to-be minister has changed his view.

Today, there are more than a few people among the chareidi tzibur who feel this would be the most effective route to achieve the goals of the growing chareidi community. Proponents of eliminating chareidi parties explain that large parties such as Likud would have to make offers to attract the chareidi MKs, and this would place chareidi issues on the agenda of the larger political parties instead of permitting them to remain ‘chareidi issues’ addressed uniquely by the chareidi parties.

They explain the deal-making would take place prior to the election and the issues that are important to the chareidim would be included in agreements ahead of the election, and not left to coalition negotiations which follow the election.

The advocates of eliminating the chareidi parties also feel the disdain for chareidim would drop significantly, for the chareidi politicians would be viewed as an integral part of the mainstream political community and not just representatives who are concerned with their own issues. At present, in the eyes of many Israelis, the Arab and chareidi politicians are viewed as representatives of sector interest lobbies, not politicians who are seeking to improve the country for all. While it is true there are politicians in the large party who earned their seats by representing a specific area or group, this affiliation however is overshadowed by being part of the large party, and this would be the case if chareidim joined as well.

Proponents feel more can and would be accomplished by permitting chareidim to operate in the framework of the larger parties, and the current reality is actually detrimental to the chareidi tzibur, at least if one considers the longer-term future.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The cost of the upcoming general elections on 11 Shevat 5773 is being placed at approximately 247 million NIS ($65 million), about 40 million NIS more than the elections in 2009. This includes paying 62,000 people who will be working on Election Day, many as poll watchers.

Election Committee official convened earlier in the week and the 246.78 million NIS was approved. This includes 11 million NIS for the committee’s operation. What this figure does not include is party funding, which adds an additional 180 million NIS.

The increase in the cost is attributed primarily to the increase in eligible voters, a larger election committee, and the addition of 1,500 polling stations on Election Day than in the 2009 election.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)