The Battle for the Modern Chareidi Vote Reaches Likud: What's Happening Behind the Scenes?

A broad organizing effort has taken shape among Chareidi communities seeking to establish themselves as an ideological influence group within Likud, bringing together Chareidi party members across different communities and groups. The initiative, operating under the name "Chareidi Kehilati" And launched several months ago, marks a shift in how Chareidim organize within the ruling party. Previously, numerous Chareidi groups within Likud operated independently, focused primarily on their own interests. The new effort, however, has drawn hundreds and thousands of members from the "modern Chareidi" Community to the party, with an explicit aim to advance the interests of working or modern Chareidim.

The initiative is led by Simcha Bernstein and Yisrael Schweibel, public activists previously identified with Degel HaTorah. They aim to prioritize Chareidi public needs including state-Chareidi schools, girls' education, and employment while maintaining political support for the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

A series of meetings have been held in recent weeks across several communities ahead of the primaries, with numerous communities across the country joining or expected to join. More than 1,000 previously registered Likud members have already joined the new organization.

The group operates on a community-based "matching" Model, in which each community recruits its own members and acquaintances who are already registered Likud members. The initiative represents the first unified attempt to create an ideological Chareidi influence group within Likud working on behalf of the entire Chareidi public rather than specific groups alone.