https://hiddush.org/subchannel-69-0-United_Torah_Judaism.aspx This is an RSS update from channel United Torah Judaism on Hiddush website Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:55:34 GMT He-il https://hiddush.org/article-23555-0-The_Weekly_Scandal_“Blow_up_the_Supreme_Court”.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23555-0-The_Weekly_Scandal_“Blow_up_the_Supreme_Court”.aspx Tue, 10 May 2022 19:00:00 GMT There is hardly a week that goes by without a scandal or a struggle over religion and state. The weekly scandal, which accompanied last week's Independence Day celebration, is the video clip in which MK Yitzhak Pindrus, chair of the UTJ (United Torah Judaism, the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox faction in the Knesset) is seen expressing his desire to blow up the Supreme Court: “You know what my dream is? To bring a D9 [bulldozer] and blow up the building.” https://hiddush.org/article-23539-0-Depicting_Israels_leadership_as_antisemitic_villains.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23539-0-Depicting_Israels_leadership_as_antisemitic_villains.aspx Tue, 15 Feb 2022 22:39:00 GMT The Haredi politicians and media are still focused on posturing as innocent victims that are picked upon by antisemitic Jewish politicians like Avigdor Liberman, crooks like PM Naftali Bennett, and heretics bent on destroying Judaism like the Reform Movement, which masterminds many recent moves aimed at bullying “Torah-true” Jews. https://hiddush.org/article-23517-0-The_Haredi_vitriol_An_ongoing_saga.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23517-0-The_Haredi_vitriol_An_ongoing_saga.aspx Thu, 14 Oct 2021 20:32:00 GMT In the last newsletter, we wrote about “the obsession that characterizes the attitude of the ultra-Orthodox parties towards the non-Orthodox denominations in particular, and to freedom of religion and Jewish pluralism in general.” https://hiddush.org/article-23500-0-The_UltraOrthodox_Reform_Paranoia.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23500-0-The_UltraOrthodox_Reform_Paranoia.aspx Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:54:00 GMT In recent months, the phenomenon of ultra-Orthodox attacks against Reform Judaism has escalated, especially due to the participation of Rabbi Gilad Kariv (the foremost Israeli Reform leader) in the new ruling coalition. https://hiddush.org/article-23499-0-MK_Rabbi_Kariv_and_Reform_Judaism_–_like_pigs.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23499-0-MK_Rabbi_Kariv_and_Reform_Judaism_–_like_pigs.aspx Thu, 01 Jul 2021 20:30:00 GMT The political discourse has descended to new lows this week. United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush likened Reform Jews and Labor MK Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi, to pigs. He spoke in reaction to the appointment of Kariv as chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. https://hiddush.org/article-23485-0-Israel_Independence_Day_according_to_Haredi_media.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23485-0-Israel_Independence_Day_according_to_Haredi_media.aspx Tue, 20 Apr 2021 22:10:00 GMT Two front page pictures, that of the front page of Yaded Ne’eman and of Yediot Aharonot, on Israel’s Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers, which is also the eve of Yom Ha’atzmaut, tell the whole story. A government that prides itself as being Zionistic, relies on ultra-Orthodox politicians that are cynical and anti-Zionistic, aiming to extort State funds, enforce religious coercion and undermine Zionism. https://hiddush.org/article-23461-0-Secular_Israelis_prefer_Arabs_over_Haredi_Jews.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23461-0-Secular_Israelis_prefer_Arabs_over_Haredi_Jews.aspx Thu, 24 Dec 2020 20:45:00 GMT Data from a new survey published in the media show that while only about half of secular Israelis (53%), were willing to live next door to ultra-Orthodox Israelis, 69% of them are willing to live next to Arabs! https://hiddush.org/article-23362-0-Haredi_politics_versus_the_State_of_Israel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23362-0-Haredi_politics_versus_the_State_of_Israel.aspx Wed, 27 Nov 2019 21:58:00 GMT A glimpse into the ultra-Orthodox parties' rhetoric describing the growing public criticism of religious coercion and the ultra-Orthodox insistence on exemption from the IDF draft. https://hiddush.org/article-23347-0-Not_antisemitism_rather_democracy_defending_itself.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23347-0-Not_antisemitism_rather_democracy_defending_itself.aspx Thu, 10 Oct 2019 21:00:00 GMT Reading through the ultra-Orthodox parties’ official media outlets in recent days brings up yet another crucial consideration, which justifies the demand that these parties be kept out or neutralized in the next government coalition, as the majority of the public clearly wishes. https://hiddush.org/article-23298-0-Money_laundering_and_white_collar_crimes_in_the_Haredi_community.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23298-0-Money_laundering_and_white_collar_crimes_in_the_Haredi_community.aspx Wed, 02 Jan 2019 20:50:00 GMT Both in Israel and in the USA, money laundering is a common phenomenon in the ultra-Orthodox community. https://hiddush.org/article-23285-0-Disturbing_news_on_the_ultraOrthodox_front.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23285-0-Disturbing_news_on_the_ultraOrthodox_front.aspx Tue, 09 Oct 2018 19:11:00 GMT Why did the leader of the Hasidic faction of the United Torah Judaism party (Deputy Minister of Health Rabbi Litzman) make two visits to the prison where one Elazar Vigdorovich is serving a four year prison term for crimes involving the Gur Chasidic dynasty? https://hiddush.org/article-23262-0-The_Vile_Bond_of_Religion__Politics.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23262-0-The_Vile_Bond_of_Religion__Politics.aspx Thu, 02 Aug 2018 07:51:00 GMT In a secret recording that was broadcast on Israeli television, MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni explains to the leadership of his party why they voted for the Nation-State Law and what his real opinion of the law is. https://hiddush.org/article-23229-0-Justice_Silberman_Abella_speaks_out_against_delegitimizing_Israels_Court.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23229-0-Justice_Silberman_Abella_speaks_out_against_delegitimizing_Israels_Court.aspx Sat, 28 Apr 2018 19:43:00 GMT Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella, the senior judge on the Supreme Court of Canada, delivered a lecture at a symposium with Justice Aharon Barak (former president of the Supreme Court of Israel) regarding the ongoing attempt among members of Israel's Coalition Government to delegitimize the reputation of the judiciary. https://hiddush.org/article-22154-0-71_of_Jewish_Israelis_favor_allowing_railway_maintenance_work_on_Shabbat.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-22154-0-71_of_Jewish_Israelis_favor_allowing_railway_maintenance_work_on_Shabbat.aspx Sun, 26 Nov 2017 13:53:00 GMT The public believes in the principle of 'live and let live,' and it wants to support freedom of religion and freedom from religion in Israel. https://hiddush.org/article-17119-0-MK_Gafnis_hatred_of_Reform_Jews_trumps_matters_of_life_and_death.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17119-0-MK_Gafnis_hatred_of_Reform_Jews_trumps_matters_of_life_and_death.aspx Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:12:00 GMT MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni's remarks about leaning politically to the left at this year's Haaretz's "Peace Conference" were subsequently covered widely in the media, and even caused some internal furor within UTJ. https://hiddush.org/article-17094-0-The_Calamity_of_Independence.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17094-0-The_Calamity_of_Independence.aspx Thu, 04 May 2017 23:05:00 GMT The quotes and caricature presented on this page are just samples of feature articles and editorials published in the mainstream ultra-Orthodox media this week. https://hiddush.org/article-17068-0-Growing_frictions_between_religion_and_state_in_Israel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17068-0-Growing_frictions_between_religion_and_state_in_Israel.aspx Wed, 05 Apr 2017 22:09:00 GMT Israel's Supreme Court has handed down two decisions that demonstrate the critical importance of an independent civil judiciary, but the Government Coalition continues to capitulate to the ultra-Orthodox political parties. https://hiddush.org/article-17050-0-Leading_Ashkenazi_Rabbi_rules_Women_should_not_be_allowed_to_drive.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17050-0-Leading_Ashkenazi_Rabbi_rules_Women_should_not_be_allowed_to_drive.aspx Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:57:00 GMT Often we are reminded of the outlook at the core of the ultra-Orthodox political parties' actions. While they may appear to share our respect for a democratic society oriented toward civil liberties, the truth is that their motivations are anything but. https://hiddush.org/article-17014-0-‘Tzviut’_–_not_‘tzniut’_(Hypocrisy_not_modesty).aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17014-0-‘Tzviut’_–_not_‘tzniut’_(Hypocrisy_not_modesty).aspx Tue, 29 Nov 2016 21:08:00 GMT The first business conference organized by the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia, Agudat Israel’s organ, took place last week. So who was not invited? Not a single woman – neither as a speaker nor as an attendee. https://hiddush.org/article-17012-0-The_‘Muezzin_Bill’_–_a_masquerade.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17012-0-The_‘Muezzin_Bill’_–_a_masquerade.aspx Tue, 22 Nov 2016 09:51:00 GMT It's the Litzmans and Deris of the religious Jewish leadership that have never hesitated to deny these very freedoms to fellow Jews and non-Jews whenever they have had the political ability to do so. https://hiddush.org/article-17011-0-How_low_can_Israeli_politicians_stoop.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17011-0-How_low_can_Israeli_politicians_stoop.aspx Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:00:00 GMT Regardless of one's political view point, it seems that many Americans are still trying to recover from the language that characterized much of the Presidential election campaign and manifested itself in some post election outbursts, including racial and anti-Semitic public displays. https://hiddush.org/article-17010-0-Israeli_religious_leaders_theological_responses_to_the_US_elections.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17010-0-Israeli_religious_leaders_theological_responses_to_the_US_elections.aspx Tue, 15 Nov 2016 10:02:00 GMT Some days out after the US elections, we can now take a look and share with you an angle that has not been covered by the US media, including the Jewish media. Namely, the Israeli religious "angle," both prior to and immediately after the elections. Needless to say, Hiddush, which focuses solely on issues of religion and state in Israel, is not taking a stand on the merits of the campaigns, the desirability of the candidates, the election results, nor the plethora of political post-election reactions in Israel, mostly from settlers and right-wing political party leaders. https://hiddush.org/article-16955-0-Jerusalem’s_destruction_–_past_events_and_current_concerns.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16955-0-Jerusalem’s_destruction_–_past_events_and_current_concerns.aspx Sun, 14 Aug 2016 08:50:00 GMT Only the deepest soul searching and bold action this Tisha b'Av will stave off today’s threat of growing erosion from within the Jewish people and Jewish, democratic State. https://hiddush.org/article-16916-0-62_support_right_of_nonOrthodox_converts_to_use_mikvaot.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16916-0-62_support_right_of_nonOrthodox_converts_to_use_mikvaot.aspx Tue, 28 Jun 2016 12:48:00 GMT 86% of Israel's secular Jewish population support this right, but 91% of the ultra-Orthodox population is opposed. Hiddush VP Shahar Ilan: "This Knesset vote was nothing less than spitting in the face of world Jewry. The best way to predict the Government Coalition's course of action on matters of religion and state is to poll the Israeli public and assume that the Coalition will do exactly the opposite." https://hiddush.org/article-16923-0-UltraOrthodox_newspaper_portrays_Reform_Jews_as_donkeys.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16923-0-UltraOrthodox_newspaper_portrays_Reform_Jews_as_donkeys.aspx Fri, 24 Jun 2016 09:40:00 GMT Yated Ne'eman is the newspaper of the Degel HaTorah party, which sits in PM Netanyahu's Coalition. They think of Reform Jews as donkeys, and of the Supreme Court as a dangerous political player, which equates "true" Judaism with donkeys posing as Jews. https://hiddush.org/article-16913-0-Israels_ritual_bath_controversy.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16913-0-Israels_ritual_bath_controversy.aspx Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:00:00 GMT Unsurprisingly, though extremely disappointingly, MK Gafni's partners in the Coalition Government have all bowed to his demands, and are supporting his legislative initiative to undo the landmark Supreme Court ruling on mikva'ot. https://hiddush.org/article-16893-0-Dishonoring_Holocaust_Remembrance_Day.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16893-0-Dishonoring_Holocaust_Remembrance_Day.aspx Fri, 06 May 2016 09:49:00 GMT Leading up to Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, which Israeli and Diaspora Jewish communities are marking today, the ultra-Orthodox Yated Ne'eman newspaper chose to highlight their theological linking between the State of Israel and worldwide growing anti-Semitism. https://hiddush.org/article-16851-0-Updates_the_Kotel_agreement__Supreme_Court_mikvaot_ruling.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16851-0-Updates_the_Kotel_agreement__Supreme_Court_mikvaot_ruling.aspx Mon, 21 Mar 2016 12:39:00 GMT In the last week, there have been a number of developments in the ultra-Orthodox political and rabbinical leadership's battle against the implementation of the Kotel agreement, as well as their battle against the Supreme Court's ruling to make Israel's public mikva'ot available for non-Orthodox conversion ceremonies. https://hiddush.org/article-16849-0-Israel_pushed_towards_theocracy.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16849-0-Israel_pushed_towards_theocracy.aspx Tue, 15 Mar 2016 19:36:00 GMT Minister Rabbi Litzman: "Netanyahu either loves the Reform Jews of the Diaspora, or the Haredim of Israel; it's either-or. There are no two ways about it... The Supreme Court is destroying everything good related to religion & state, and... the only way to stand against it is by passing legislation." https://hiddush.org/article-16844-0-Landmark_ruling_to_allow_nonOrthodox_converts_access_to_all_mikva’ot.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16844-0-Landmark_ruling_to_allow_nonOrthodox_converts_access_to_all_mikva’ot.aspx Tue, 23 Feb 2016 09:01:00 GMT A new front, far more vicious and perilous, has emerged. The Chief Rabbinate and ultra-Orthodox politicians are gearing up to prevent the implementation of this ruling to further undermine the Supreme Court and demonize the non-Orthodox movements. https://hiddush.org/article-12728-0-Selling_out_to_the_ultraOrthodox_parties__what_cost.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-12728-0-Selling_out_to_the_ultraOrthodox_parties__what_cost.aspx Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:52:00 GMT UTJ was one of the first parties to sign a coalition agreement with the Likud. What are the costs to the Israeli government and taxpayers associated with this agreement? https://hiddush.org/article-9703-0-UltraOrthodox_parties_history_of_voters_faith_manipulation.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-9703-0-UltraOrthodox_parties_history_of_voters_faith_manipulation.aspx Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:48:00 GMT Since 1988, the ultra-Orthodox parties have been promising rabbinic blessings, making threats and gifting "mystical" amulets to voters who commit to support them in the elections. The Knesset and the Supreme Court have set legal prohibitions against this, but the bribery and manipulation has continued. https://hiddush.org/article-6650-0-Haredi_MK_Yaakov_Litzman_bails_draft_evading_yeshiva_student_out_of_jail_.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-6650-0-Haredi_MK_Yaakov_Litzman_bails_draft_evading_yeshiva_student_out_of_jail_.aspx Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:17:00 GMT "Get out of jail free" is no longer a tactic limited to the Monopoly board, but now a method employed ultra-Orthodox rabbis and politicians to release yeshiva students arrested for draft evasion. https://hiddush.org/article-2527-0-For_MK_Rabbi_Moshe_Gafni_Hiddush_is_all_things_he_hates_freedom_pluralism_and_equality.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2527-0-For_MK_Rabbi_Moshe_Gafni_Hiddush_is_all_things_he_hates_freedom_pluralism_and_equality.aspx Sun, 01 Sep 2013 10:47:00 GMT Once again MK Moshe Gafni provides a clear indicator that even though he may not like it, Hiddush is making progress towards a pluralistic and civil society in Israel. https://hiddush.org/article-2447-0-Why_did_MK_Moshe_Gafni_single_out_Hiddush_in_the_Knesset.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2447-0-Why_did_MK_Moshe_Gafni_single_out_Hiddush_in_the_Knesset.aspx Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:23:00 GMT MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) is right about one thing: Hiddush works tirelessly to provide up-to-date facts and figures to policymakers on religion/state issues to advance the freedoms that were promised to Israelis in the Declaration of Independence. https://hiddush.org/article-2446-0-Hiddush_calls_on_government_coalition_to_cease_funding_of_ultraOrthodox_organizations_that_deny_the_legitimacy_of_the_State_of_Israel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2446-0-Hiddush_calls_on_government_coalition_to_cease_funding_of_ultraOrthodox_organizations_that_deny_the_legitimacy_of_the_State_of_Israel.aspx Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:44:00 GMT The request comes in light of the fiery attack by Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Halberstam, leader of the Tzanz Chasidic dynasty on the State of Israel and its national symbols. Hiddush CEO Rabbi Regev: these outbursts continue to reveal the prevalence and deep-seated rejection of the legitimacy of the State of Israel amongst ultra-Orthodox rabbis and community leaders. https://hiddush.org/article-2393-0-What_they_are_saying_about_nonOrthodox_Judaism_and_rabbis_A_Compilation_of_Quotes.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2393-0-What_they_are_saying_about_nonOrthodox_Judaism_and_rabbis_A_Compilation_of_Quotes.aspx Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:41:00 GMT Hiddush exposes the hate speech that continues to inform policy, leading to continued discrimination of non-Orthodox Jews. https://hiddush.org/article-2366-0-The_Rabbi_Miri_Gold_Case_Demystified_.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2366-0-The_Rabbi_Miri_Gold_Case_Demystified_.aspx Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:44:00 GMT In this major achievment of Israel's move toward recognition of non-Orthodox rabbis, we must be careful to address challenges posed, and the road ahead. https://hiddush.org/article-2365-0-What_some_MKs_are_actually_saying_about_Reform_rabbis.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2365-0-What_some_MKs_are_actually_saying_about_Reform_rabbis.aspx Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:53:00 GMT In the excitement of Israel's first step toward recognition of non-Orthodox rabbis, these appointments were met with disturbing reactions by both ultra-Orthodox and National Religious political leaders. https://hiddush.org/article-2346-0-MK_Eichler_Reform_Jews_worse_than_Arabs.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2346-0-MK_Eichler_Reform_Jews_worse_than_Arabs.aspx Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:19:00 GMT Hiddush CEO, Rabbi Uri Regev: Eichler’s behavior reveals the sad truth of the ultra-Orthodox parties in the Israeli Knesset is deep hatred of the other, simply because they are other. https://hiddush.org/article-2175-0-Yeshiva_Students_Cheat_Ministry.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2175-0-Yeshiva_Students_Cheat_Ministry.aspx Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:10:00 GMT 10,000 Yeshiva students have been playing hooky and bilking Israel’s Ministry of Education of NIS 4.5 million, according to a recent audit. https://hiddush.org/article-2115-0-The_MK_Who_Sees_Israel_As_An_Enemy.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2115-0-The_MK_Who_Sees_Israel_As_An_Enemy.aspx Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:52:00 GMT Israel Eichler, who is returning to the Knesset, sees in Israel an "enemy state", "historic national disaster", "evil regime" and "Hebrew ghetto". He frequently compares his opponents to "Nazis" and "beasts". https://hiddush.org/article-2113-0-Dont_Put_Secular_People_Off_Religion.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2113-0-Dont_Put_Secular_People_Off_Religion.aspx Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:54:00 GMT Shmuel Shetah, leader of the Ne'emanei Torah Ve-Avodah (Believers in Torah and Work) movement, calls on religious soldiers to respect their secular colleagues https://hiddush.org/article-2133-0-Thou_shalt_not_work.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2133-0-Thou_shalt_not_work.aspx Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:01:00 GMT The Haredi press is a barrier to the integration of the ultra-Orthodox into the job market.