SHAS

Shas: Political Platform Supports autonomy for Palestinians, but opposes both a Palestinian state and division of Jerusalem Supports army exemption for religious scholars Governmental policies should be based on Jewish Law Hasidic = pious

Orthodox Demographics 2008 Israel’s population: ~7.3M –Israel’s Orthodox population: ~850,000 Israel ultra-Orthodox families produce 5-10 children each Orthodox/ultra-orthodox consists of 10% of Israel's voting population David Lehmann and Batia Siebzehner’s book Remaking Israeli Judaism: the challenge of Shas

Why has Shas been able to maintain control over Israeli institutions despite its lack of popular support?

Shas: Emergence in Jerusalem 1993 Mayoral election –Former P.M. Ehud Olmert versus Teddy Kollek –Six Shas members were awarded Deputy Mayors of Jerusalem -Uri Lupoliansky 2003 Lupoliansky became Mayor of Jerusalem

Shas: Social Institutions % of Jewish residents within Jerusalem lived under the poverty line In % Shas’s educational services include : 100 day care centers 750 kindergarten centers 177 schools All provide aid to over 52,000 children 360 different locations throughout Israel 123 out of the 360 locations are within Jerusalem “For us, the party is a means toward fulfilling a bigger agenda. For other groups, the party is the goal...this is why Shas cannot be crushed” -Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Kakon

Shas: Political Dominance Co-leader of the Ministry of Education in Israel 2006 Shas leader Eli Yishai was made Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Labor Interior Minister Minister of Industry and Trade and Trade

Shas: Use of Propaganda Uses: pictures, videos, symbols, and other propaganda to reach out to younger voters, and people from a diversity of communities Uses: pictures, videos, symbols, and other propaganda to reach out to younger voters, and people from a diversity of communities “Shas will help bring families back to their individual and collective religious roots.” Israel’s National Anthem: “As long as deep in the heart, The soul of a Jew yearns, And forward to the East To Zion, an eye looks Our hope will not be lost, The hope of two thousand years, To be a free nation in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem”

Shas: Present day won 17 Knesset seats making it the third largest party, slightly more than Likud 2009 won 11 seats 2009-Shas agreed to join the Kadima-Labor ruling coalition with the stipulations: –Did not have to support a further withdrawal from the West Bank settlements –Would be granted: Finance Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Knesset, and head of the Knesset Interior Committee

PartySeats Kadima28 Likud27 Yisrael Beiteinu15 Labor13 Shas11 United Torah Judaism*5 National Union**4 Hadash4 United Arab List-Ta'al4 The Jewish Home3 New Movement-Meretz3 Balad3 Total120 United Torah Judaism is an alliance of Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah ** The National Union is an alliance of Eretz Yisrael Shelanu, Hatikva, Moledet and Tkuma.