Shas party leader Aryeh Deri has launched a new newspaper, calling it ‘HaDerech’. Deri was quick in launching the newspaper as the former party-affiliated newspaper Yom L’Yom was acquired by Naama Idan, becoming the first chareidi woman in Israel to run her own weekly newspaper.

Shas officials are working hard to get subscribers, telling party loyalists the chareidi media does not give the Sephardim proper attention and this newspaper is here to correct this.

Shas spokesman Asher Medina explained that with the exception of the newspaper’s employees, anyone who does not take a subscription is viewed as being “outside the camp”.

The mystery remains as to who is undertaking the funding for the newspaper. When asked, Deri explained loyal backers have taken loans to fund the start of the newspaper, which he is confident will once again “take control” of Shas’ tzibur.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)