Rav Yitzchak Brand was the moving force behind what was a short-lived haredi version of building illegal settlements. A group of avreichim had set out from Kiryat Sefer, under the direction of Rav Brand, and established a unit on top of some nearby hill to protest the lack of construction. It was only short lived as after a few days the government sent in a few poliemen to remove them and tear down the structure.

Rav Brand is now part of another campaign, perhaps at odds with the rest of the haredi community again. Or perhaps I should say he is setting himself up at the forefront of a movement in which haredim are more involved with the country and less isolated.

Now. his people are behind a new campaign to convince people, specifically targeted within the haredi community, to go up to Har HaBayit. Rav Brand himself already ascends the Temple Mount, which is unusual for a haredi rabbi. He says the reason the haredi rabbonim have not until now is two-fold:

1. haredi rabbonim do not like getting involved in anything new
2. their preference to not antagonize the Nations.

Rav Brand considers that hypocrisy as, he says, they consider ok to antagonize the nations when they need to so they can live in the settlements (such as in Beitar and Modiin Ilit), so using that as an excuse is just hypocrisy.

You can watch the new campaign video on the Haredim website..