The "Tzibur Haredi" faction demands that Aryeh Deri include their representative on the Shas list
The "Tzibur Haredi" faction is expanding its campaign for political representation, now demanding that the Shas party include Rabbi Eliyahu Khalifa in its Knesset list.
The struggle of the "Tzibur Haredi" faction for political representation is moving to a new stage today (Sunday) and is expanding into the Sephardic arena. After presenting a similar demand to United Torah Judaism, the faction led by Moti Leitner is now turning to the Shas party, demanding the inclusion of Rabbi Eliyahu Khalifa in its Knesset list. Rabbi Khalifa was one of the founders and heads of the Haredi Hesder Yeshiva "HaMetivta".
The new demand stems from a sense of disconnection and the understanding that hundreds of communities and thousands of Haredi families, particularly within the Sephardic public, are not receiving an adequate political response from the veteran leadership. The faction's chairman, Moti Leitner, noted that the inclusion of Rabbi Khalifa—an educator with proven experience in community work—will allow for responsible representation for all members of the Haredi public, Ashkenazim and Mizrahim alike.
"For the child without a classroom and the daughter waiting for a seminary."
Rabbi Eliyahu Khalifa, 43, married and a father of five, a resident of Givat Ze'ev, stated that the decision to take action was driven by the reality on the ground:
"I decided that we must take action. For the first-grade child standing in the month of Elul with a new schoolbag, for the daughter waiting for an answer from a seminary just because her last name doesn't sound 'right,' and for every boy and girl who need to know that there is someone who sees them, listens, and acts on their behalf. We have nothing more important in this world than our children and pure Jewish education."
