Eisenkot Prime Minister Endorsement by Religious Leader

In a rare public political endorsement, Rabbi Yehoshua Friedman Ben Shalom, a reserve colonel and religious-Zionist leader, has thrown his support behind former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

The rabbi, who heads the Pashkan Hasidic community and serves as director of the Beit Yisrael co-ed pre-military academy in Jerusalem, delivered his remarks at a conference held at the World Center for North African Jewish Heritage in Jerusalem.

He said: "I can testify about him – a brave, honest and wise man. With G-d's help, Gadi will be prime minister."

He emphasized the depth of his relationship with Eisenkot, spanning nearly five decades of military service. "I have known Gadi very closely for 46 years," he told the audience. The rabbi recounted their shared experiences in combat and command, noting they served together "under fire, when I commanded a reserve brigade and also in my role as chief reserve officer when he commanded the army." Friedman Ben Shalom held the position of Chief Reserve Officer during Eisenkot's tenure as IDF Chief of Staff, giving him direct insight into Eisenkot's leadership during critical periods.

While the rabbi was careful to note he wasn't instructing anyone how to vote, his character assessment left little ambiguity. "I'm not telling you what to vote for, G-d forbid," he said. "But I can and must give a character testimony: this is a brave, honest and wise man. More than that – he is wise and also brilliant, which is a rare combination." Friedman Ben Shalom added a personal observation about Eisenkot's demeanor: "Of course he would never testify about himself that he's brilliant, because he is an exceptionally humble person."

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The rabbi framed his endorsement within the context of Israel's broader crisis of public trust in political leadership. "My greatest hope is to purify the relationships between us, to purify politics," he said. "And I tell you with a full heart – this is the man. What we most lack today in leadership is primarily credibility."

However, he cautioned against viewing any leadership change as a panacea. "Even when, with G-d's help, Gadi becomes prime minister, the disease won't heal itself," he warned. "It requires conditions on the ground for healing. We, as citizens, need to create different relationships among ourselves, based on integrity and hope."

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Rabbi Ben Shalom concluded his speech with an unequivocal statement of support. "I want to give testimony about courage, integrity, credibility and fantastic execution ability," he said. "You can believe me or not – but I stand behind my words one hundred percent."

The endorsement represents an unusual public political stance from a Hasidic leader, particularly one with such extensive military credentials and long-standing personal knowledge of the candidate.