The unusual step of the new Haredi party: "The attempt to silence us will not succeed"
"History repeats itself": 50 years after the historic initiative of Rabbi Menachem Porush, the "HaKahal" party decided to recreate the success by scattering leaflets from a helicopter over Haredi centers across the country. In response to the decision by Haredi press outlets to block their advertisements, they stated: "No boycott or attempt to silence us will prevent our message from reaching the public."
Ahead of the primaries, a special helicopter belonging to the "HaKahal" party, which was launched about two weeks ago, scattered leaflets on Sunday over Haredi population centers across the country, marking 50 years since the primaries for the Haredi representation that served in the Knesset.
"No boycott or attempt to silence us will prevent our message from reaching the public," the party leaders declared. As part of their election campaign, "HaKahal" recreated the historic initiative of Rabbi Menachem Porush, launching a helicopter that hovered over Haredi centers and scattered hundreds of thousands of leaflets in the streets.
"HaKahal" is an initiative of Haredi activists—Hasidim, Sephardim, and Lithuanians—who launched the new party two weeks ago with the proposal that its Knesset representatives be elected in primaries by registered members, thereby remaining connected to the public's desires. The event was held to mark the jubilee of the 1976 primaries.
About 50 years ago, Rabbi Menachem Porush, who ran in the "Agudat Yisrael" primaries, was forced to take the unusual step of renting a helicopter to distribute his messages directly from the air, following a strict journalistic boycott imposed on him by the establishment Haredi press.
Now, due to an similar decision by Haredi press outlets to block the publication of "HaKahal" advertisements, party leaders decided to bring the bold demonstration back to life. The helicopter took off from a helipad in Rishon LeZion following a statement by party leaders Rabbi Shlomo Elboim, Rabbi Dov Baksht, and Yitzhak Challa.
Before takeoff, "HaKahal" chairman Rabbi Shlomo Elboim stated:
"History repeats itself. Fifty years after the primaries held by the instruction of the Torah giants for the Haredi representation, we are privileged to recreate the success. It is impossible to shut mouths and suppress the will of the Haredi public by force. As proven by Menachem Porush, father of current MK Meir Porush, reaching out to the public in this exact way is effective. We will prove that the Haredi public, which does not receive proper expression and representation, will make its voice heard boldly and without fear."
