New Haredi party in Israel proposes limiting draft deferments — Jerusalem Post
The new Israeli party Haredi Public, led by Beit Shemesh Deputy Mayor Moti Leitner, is seeking to enter the Knesset in the October 27 election. It is appealing to ultra-Orthodox voters who, in its assessment, no longer feel adequately represented by the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post.
The party proposes retaining military-service deferments for men who have genuinely devoted themselves to full-time Torah study. At the same time, Haredi Public wants to involve in military or other security service those who are formally enrolled in a yeshiva but do not study full time, while taking religious needs into account.
A new approach to deferments
Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, head of the party's rabbinical committee, believes that decisions on deferments should not be left entirely to religious institutions. He supports the creation of a special state body that would determine criteria and quotas for a transitional period.
In June 2024, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the government had no legal basis to continue longstanding mechanisms exempting students of Haredi yeshivas from conscription. In April 2026, the court ordered stricter measures against those evading service. In July, the Knesset approved a temporary law intended to halt some of those measures concerning yeshiva students, but the court temporarily blocked it from taking effect while its legality is reviewed.
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Pfeffer emphasizes that the party is speaking not of “equality,” but of “partnership”: in his view, Israel can retain a significant number of serious Torah scholars in yeshivas while expecting service from other Haredi men.
Women on the list and education changes
Two women are among Haredi Public's first four candidates: Nechumi Yaffe, a researcher of Haredi society and a lecturer at Tel Aviv University, and Ziva Glantz. This distinguishes the party from Shas and United Torah Judaism, which do not include women on their candidate lists for the Knesset.
The party also advocates for children from Haredi families to have access to mathematics and English from primary school, for the development of state Haredi schools, yeshivas with general education subjects, and higher-education programs adapted to religious requirements. Leitner said he wants to see an economically stronger community able to support Torah study while also participating more actively in work, defense, and state institutions.
To enter the 120-seat Knesset, a party must clear the 3.25% electoral threshold. Nationwide polls in late September and early October did not show it entering parliament.
