Inside the Covert Campaign Rocking the Haredi World

A recent investigation by Kikar Hashabbat has revealed a hidden campaign by the Conservative movement to challenge the Haredi group Eretz Hakodesh within the World Zionist Organization.

Leaked WhatsApp messages show Yizhar Hess, a senior Conservative leader, and his aide Eyal Ostrinsky organizing a targeted effort to influence Haredi communities with posters, flyers, and social media, all while keeping their involvement under wraps.

What Happened: A Quiet Plan to Sway Haredi Opinion

The Kikar Hashabbat report details how Hess, deputy chairman of the World Zionist Organization for the Conservative movement, and Ostrinsky, a former Labor Party member, ran a carefully planned campaign to weaken Eretz Hakodesh. This U.S. based Haredi group has grown influential in the World Zionist Organization, securing 25,000 votes in the 2020 Zionist Congress elections and aiming to expand its reach in 2025. Eretz Hakodesh pushes for Haredi interests while participating in Zionist institutions, a stance that has put it at odds with some groups.

The Conservative campaign, funded by the “World Center” organization, included several methods:

Hess’s public actions added to the controversy. While privately attacking Eretz Hakodesh, he tweeted positive comments about its members, like calling Eliyahu Gafni “pleasant,” to avoid suspicion. Invoices issued under “World Center” for “advertising and graphic services” confirmed the Conservative movement’s role.

Why It’s a Big Deal: Trust, Deception, and Division

This story has upset many in the Jewish world for several reasons, shaking confidence in communal leadership:

Why It Matters: A Blow to Jewish Cooperation

This campaign isn’t just about politics; it’s about trust. For Haredi communities, it confirms fears of outsiders trying to control their narrative. For Jews everywhere, it shows how far some groups will go to gain power in Zionist institutions, even if it means dividing the community. Hess argues the campaign was needed to reveal Eretz Hakodesh’s contradictions, like opposing military service in the Knesset while joining Zionist programs. But his secretive and divisive approach has drawn sharp criticism, with Eretz Hakodesh saying it strays from Jewish values.

The rise of Eretz Hakodesh, which claims successes like securing IDF exemptions and supporting right wing policies, has challenged progressive control over World Zionist Organization budgets and decisions, reportedly worth $2 billion. The Conservative movement’s response suggests they’re worried about losing ground, but their tactics might backfire, energizing Haredi voters and exposing their own weaknesses.

As this story develops, Jewish communities are left wondering: Can the World Zionist Organization still unite different groups? Will this push Haredi groups to engage more in Zionist politics or pull back? And how will Jewish communities move past a campaign that turned potential partners into opponents?