Rabbis urge Orthodox to vote for "their own": "If the left wins, woe to us"

Eight days before the elections, rabbis of the Lithuanian stream and Hassidic courts urged ultra-Orthodox to vote for Yahadut HaTorah, calling voting for other parties "blasphemy." Former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef warned of "disaster" if the left wins. The "HaTzibur HaHaredi" party claimed growing support and proximity to the electoral threshold.

Eight days before the 2026 elections, rabbis of the Lithuanian stream and Hassidic courts called on ultra-Orthodox voters to vote for the Yahadut HaTorah party. The spiritual leader of the Lithuanian community, Rabbi Lando, stated that voting for other parties "throws the vote in the trash" and distances the next generation from the heritage of the ancestors. Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Yitzhak Yosef urged support for Shas, warning that a left-wing victory would lead to a "terrible disaster" — the introduction of civil marriages and public transportation on Saturdays. Meanwhile, the new party "HaTzibur HaHaredi," which advocates for drafting ultra-Orthodox into the army and reforms, held a conference with over 1,000 participants. Its chairman, Moti Leitner, claimed the party would cross the electoral threshold and called voting for Yahadut HaTorah and Shas support for "corrupt figures" and stagnation. The article captures the pre-election struggle within the ultra-Orthodox sector, where traditional parties face a new reformist force.