While there is not much in the regular news media about this (other than Hamechadesh as of this writing), all day long there have been updates flying on the Haredi news Whatsapp groups about a shakeup in the Degel Hatorah faction list of representatives. Supposedly the leading Rabbis of Degel are considering replacing MKs Gafni and Maklev with some fresh names, but it keeps going back and forth.

I have a hard time believing it will happen, but even if it does, I am not sure why it would be such a big deal. They all supposedly just do what the rabbis say anyway and dont really do anything on their own, so why should it matter which people are the reps? Change the rabbis and maybe it will make a difference. All the noise there seems to me to be just noise and may be just a power struggle between the different factions (even within the factions there are more sub factions). In the end I dont think anything will happen, but even fi it does it wont be a big deal, and maybe it is not so bad to freshen things up a bit, get some new people in...

A party led by Ofer Vinter and Yoseph Haddad is one that could be very popular in the right wing side of the electorate. As a new party it will surely struggle with the minimum threshold leading up to the elections (so far they are refusing to even consider joining together with another party) but if it can get in and establish its base, it can grow into something big. That is a big if as they are and will draw a lot of opposition as opponents look for them to fail. 

Amcha Yisrael just had a wrench thrown into its works. 

Rav Shlomo Aviner, one of the leadng rabbis of the Religious Zionist sector, was asked during a shiur if one is allowed to vote for this new party, Amcha Yisrael, considering the number two slot is filled by a non-Jew, Yoseph Haddad.

Rav Aviner responded that people should definitely not vote for them. Rav Aviner explained that non-Jews that are friends of ours need to be treated well but, even if he would qualify as a ger toshav, or even as a "righteous person among the nations" he still cannot be given positions of leadership in the Land of Israel. Such a person can be a citizen and should be treated well, btu he cannot be a leader in Israel.

source: Srugim 

Vinter himself has responded to this saying that when he fought under fire in Lebanon, in Gaza, and in Judea and Samaria, he was commanded over by, and he commanded over, Druze, Christians and Bedouin commanders and fighters. He referred to some specific commanders who were worthy of their command and were leaders who did not abandon their soldiers, alongside others who fell in battle defending the Land of Israel. They were worthy to fight for, get injured for, and sometimes die for, the State, they were worthy enough for us to follow them into battle, they are also worthy enough to be leaders.

The Likud has for many years, maybe always, included non-Jews on its list for Knesset and many have served as Members of Knesset and even as Minister. I dont remember hearing calls from Rabbis to not vote Likud (correct me if there were and I am not remembering correctly) so as to not be putting a non-Jew in position of leadership in Israel over the Jewish people. 

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Personally I had no interest in getting a gun, but it was not even anything to think much about because I had no way to qualify - living in Bet Shemesh, no police or army background, not working in a dangerous job, etc... it was a moot thought to even consider it as I had no way to get it even had I wanted one. Now that I can qualify just because I live in Bet Shemesh I am wondering what you think, if this is something important enough to do or not... let me know your thoughts but chances are high that I wont bother anyway, unless I hear a really strong argument.  

Like with herd immunity people who dont vaccinate are nostly safe because of everyone who does, with guns if I dont get one I and everyone around me will still be pretty safe because of the other people who have guns... but I am still interested in hearing arguments....

As far as Haredi parties go, Shas always, sice its formation, participated fully in governance by taking ministerial positions UTJ refrained form taking ministerial positions, claiming an inherent problem with being a partner in things the government might do that go against the Torah. They could be members of the coalition in the Knesset but, they felt, by not taking ministerial positions they were not really members of the government and did not bear any shared responsibility for decisions taken that might involve chilul shabbos or other violations of halacha. Eventually they started taking deputy minister positions, still claiming lack of shared responsibility as long as it is not  a full miniterial position (and sometimes they even basically ran the ministry with a puppet minister from another party holding the ministerial position on behalf of UTJ. Eventually the Agudat Israel faction of UTJ also started taking full ministerial positions while Degel continued to only take deputy minister roles at most.

And now, according to news reports yesterday, Degel is considering taking full ministerial roles just like Shas and Aguda. I have not seen any explanation as to what changed in their policy to consider this other than their ongoing competition with the Aguda faction as this would allow them to demand the top position for their faction in the next government and not let Aguda have it. Degel's rabbis might or might nto approve the change, but thew that they are considering it is noteworthy enough.

Personally I support this. Their lack of shared responsibility is a farce and just something to make themselves feel better. Fuller participation makes less of a joke of the government and more direct involvement on their side.

That being said, in recent weeks I have heard the argument (raised when talking about the draft law) they like to raise of "ten li yavneh vchachameha" - give me Yavneh and its sages - like the famous request of Rav Yochanan Ben Zakkai of the Roman general Vespasian where he said just leave us alone to learn torah and we wont bother anyone. In Israel it is used as well regarding the draft law - just leave us alone and let us learn torah and we wont bother anyone, ten li yavneh vechachameha, just leave us alone dont bothe rus and we wont bother you. You cannot really say ten li yavneh vechachameha when you are involved in running the government and deciding how the country should function and how people's lives are affected. A true Ten Li Yavneh Vechachameha argument would work if they pulled out of politics and said just leave us alone to learn torah, dont bother us and we wont bother you. When they are increasingly involved in governance, the argument ten li yavneh regarding one aspect of life in Israel when there is involvement in everything else is a false narrative. 

History was just made as the price of gasoline went up to the price of 8.25nis per liter as of today, September 1 2026. 8.25nis per liter, is, at least according tot he reports I have seen, the highest ever price of gas in the history of Israel!

For those not familiar, I asked Google's Gemini to do all the conversions of liters and shekels to gallons and dollars and the price of 8.25nis per liter is equivalent to roughly $10.43 per gallon at current conversion rates.

It is always fun being part of Israel making history!

The Rabbis discourage participation in such events and also call on the public and public offices to not arrange them or support them or fund them. They call such musical selichot "inappropriate" and in clear opposition to the actual purpose of the days of selichot being to arouse people to teshuva, to cheshbon nefesh, taking an accounting of one's behavior, for the Days of Judgement upon us. They say that these events, by their very nature, corrupt the concept of the prayers. It takes a holy and elevated concept and turns it into a form of entertainment and a show, besides for all sorts of other breeches of kedusha and tzniyut that accompany such events.

source: Hamechadesh

Far be it from me to support or argue against the above psak. I would just note from my my own experience that the "musical selichot" events I see happening (within the Haredi community at least) are all designed to be musical in the way that they think inspires the crowd to teshuva, not a form of concert or the like. 

And that being said, my shul is hosting (not arranging as it is not a shul event, just hosting) a chazzanut selichot (if that is what you might call it), this Motzash at 10pm (regular shul selichot after a shiur/sicha by Rav Ahron Pessin at 12:10) 

The event, as you can see by the logo, is sponsored by the City of Bet Shemesh. As far as I can tell this is chazanut, no musical accompaniment. I do not know if this falls into the category of musical selichot of whch the rabbis above spoke out against. I suspect not, but you can each decide this for yourselves. .

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this is a bit of a drier episode but for those interested in the details of shofar blowing (like myself), it is very good...

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