UTJ Opens Campaign HQs Nationwide, Eyes 70K Votes in Jerusalem

Opening of the Jerusalem headquarters (Photo: Avi Rein)

With less than two weeks until election day, United Torah Judaism has opened campaign headquarters across the country in recent days, establishing dozens of centers nationwide.

The main Jerusalem headquarters opened Sunday with participation from Rav Webber of the Neveh Yaakov rabbanim, UTJ chairman MK Yaakov Asher, Jerusalem city council members Uri Maklev and Yitzchak Pindrus, incoming council members Yehuda Weisfish and Dudi Zaltz, deputy mayor and acting mayor Eliezer Rauchberger, Jerusalem campaign manager Yossi Graz, and dozens of community coordinators.

Rav Weig, rav of the Bnei HaTorah kehillos in Beit Vegan, declared at the event: "If chas v'shalom there will be decrees that harm all the avreichim in Eretz Yisrael, Hashem should protect us. When we stand on these three things: kavod Shamayim, kavod haTorah, and kavod lomdei Torah, this is the great and mighty battle!"

Rav Weig added sharply: "When I hear from people a kind of complacency, with some kind of definition where everyone does personal calculations and speaks all kinds of idle talk, I am so surprised by this! A person who has a bit of yiras Shamayim, a person who cares about kavod Hashem, a person who knows there is now a fire raging, how does he insert the personal calculations he has?"

UTJ chairman Yaakov Asher presented in his remarks a graph showing voting numbers from previous elections in Jerusalem as well as municipal elections, and set a target of 70,000 votes in Jerusalem. MK Maklev then spoke, emphasizing that voting in Jerusalem is completely different.

According to MK Maklev, beyond the routine municipal work and its impact, the elections here are a test of deep belonging that places Yiddishkeit and the values of Degel HaTorah at the top of the public priority list above everything else.

MK Yitzchak Pindrus addressed at length the assault on chareidi public rights. According to him, today there exist defined and organized lists of all the achievements and rights accumulated over 38 years of Degel HaTorah activity, which serve as targets for attack by various elements in the political system. "If you think the decrees that were in the recent period are their maximum, if I compress it in economic value, it's maybe 10 percent of what they will plan," Pindrus said, adding a warning: "From their perspective, they are prepared to erase, to destroy, to kill or to lose."

Opening of the Haifa headquarters (Photo: Avi Rein)

Headquarters openings in Belz and Vizhnitz

At the Belz headquarters, Machzikei HaDat movement chairman Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler and Knesset candidate Elyakim Shtark, together with the chassidus leadership, held a headquarters launch event for the Belz kehilla with participation from hundreds of Belz activists. The election launch event emphasized the importance of full mobilization ahead of election day.

In Vizhnitz, following the call of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe to work for the United Torah Judaism list, a special preparedness gathering was held headed by MK Yaakov Tessler and with participation from city council members, community activists and Vizhnitz chassidus representatives from across the country.

MK Tessler, who opened the gathering, elaborated in his remarks on the developments the chareidi public has undergone in the recent term, on the assault on its rights and on the challenges ahead. According to him, the reality requires significant strengthening of chareidi representation power in order to stand up for the rights of the Torah world and the education system. The degree of success depends on increasing United Torah Judaism's power and turning it into a significant political force.

Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Yehoshua Mandel presented the electoral situation and noted that the potential support for United Torah Judaism stands at more than nine mandates. He emphasized that the result depends on the degree of realization of chareidi power and maximizing chareidi votes. A practical discussion and preparation for the elections followed, formulating action plans for the coming period and the work required on election day itself.

Northern headquarters opening tour (Photo: Avi Rein)

On Monday, UTJ chairman Yaakov Asher held headquarters openings in the north of the country together with MKs who participated in some of the gatherings. Among others, headquarters were opened in Tzfat, Karmiel, Afula, Tiberias, Haifa, Kiryat Ata and Rakhsim.

At the Haifa event, Degel HaTorah deputy mayor Miki Alper addressed the coordinators: "This partnership is not just to go vote, but to bring more and more voters, and to cause people who are sensitive to this matter to be alert to this reality. In a very easy moment, in an easy moment to miss a vote. We all need to mobilize and help, each one with his ability."

At the Kiryat Ata headquarters opening, Yaakov Asher said the current elections are the most fateful for the Torah world and its institutions, which are under unprecedented legal and public attack. According to him, the elders of the generation and the public leadership, at their advanced age, instead of enjoying personal learning time, courageously carry on their shoulders the burden of the klal and conduct a heroic struggle to preserve the mesorah of Yisrael.

MK Asher called on the public to mobilize in unity and with fire in their eyes, to go out and vote en masse and prove that the chareidi public will prevail over all attempts at coercion and harm to lomdei Torah.

During the event, the mayor of Kiryat Ata spoke, emphasizing that the campaign is meant to defend Yerushalayim and Jewish identity against the left. In addition, the mayor called on the public to fight tooth and nail and mobilize with complete faith to support the right-wing bloc and representatives in the Knesset. Alongside this, he reviewed the communal and educational work in Kiryat Ata, in cooperation with the Degel HaTorah representative, Elkana Weisenshtren, developing Talmud Torah institutions and kindergartens for the city's chareidi residents.