Shas Pivots to Pro-IDF Message as Election Campaign Kicks Off
In a striking shift aimed at winning back voters, the ultra-Orthodox Shas party launched its election campaign Saturday night with a video that celebrates IDF service. The clip shows a family welcoming their soldier son home for Shabbat dinner, embracing him alongside his brother, a full-time yeshiva student.
The on-screen message declares that more than 30,000 conscripts and career soldiers voted for Shas in the last election. The party framed the scene as the essence of its identity: one son studying Torah, the other defending the nation.
“One son studies in a yeshiva, and his brother serves in the IDF, each contributing to the people of Israel in their own way,” the party said. “This is the story of the Shas family: faith, tradition, unity and love of Israel. Torah students and IDF soldiers, we are all one family.”
The messaging stands in sharp contrast to Shas’s recent legislative record. The party has led efforts to enshrine near-total exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men from military service, a stance that has alienated more traditional, Zionist-leaning voters.
Why Is Shas Changing Its Message on IDF Service?
Shas, which traditionally represents ultra-Orthodox Jews of Middle Eastern and North African descent, is reportedly worried about defections. Polls suggest its base is drifting toward Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, and even Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition Yashar faction.
The party won 11 seats in the last election but is now polling at around seven. Analysts attribute much of the slide to its hardline position on the draft, a politically costly stance as Israel fights a multifront war.
Spiritual Leader’s Mixed Signals on the IDF
Last Thursday, Shas spiritual leader and former chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef blessed the troops, calling them “messengers of the Holy One, Blessed be He” in a video released by the party. The gesture appeared designed to patch up a public rift with party chairman Aryeh Deri.
Yet Yosef’s record tells a different story. He has called on yeshiva students to flush draft orders down the toilet, threatened a mass exodus of Haredi Jews if students were arrested for evasion, and blamed IDF deaths in Gaza on insufficient Torah study. He has also called a fellow rabbi and bereaved father a heretic for advocating Haredi conscription.
What Does the Draft Crisis Mean for Israel’s Security?
Some 72,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently eligible for military service but have not enlisted. The IDF has repeatedly said it urgently needs 12,000 new recruits amid the ongoing conflict.
The outgoing government failed to pass a law enshrining mass exemptions. Two hurriedly passed laws, one making Torah study a basic law and another freezing arrests of draft dodgers, have been halted by the High Court. The issue has drawn fierce opposition from reservists, Knesset legal advisers, and much of the public.
Will the New Image Hold?
Shas has not announced any changes to its platform, which remains geared toward preserving Haredi cultural and political independence. The party’s new campaign appears to be an attempt to soften its national image and appear more Zionist, even as its core policies remain unchanged.
For now, the party is betting that a family dinner and a soldier’s homecoming will resonate more than its legislative record. Whether voters believe the message remains to be seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Shas courting soldiers and Zionist voters?
Shas is losing support among traditional, Zionist voters upset over its hardline stance on IDF conscription. Polls show the party dropping from 11 seats to around seven, with voters defecting to rival factions.
What is the current status of Haredi military exemptions?
Around 72,000 ultra-Orthodox men are eligible for service but have not enlisted. The High Court has halted recent laws that would have frozen arrests and enshrined Torah study as a basic law.
How has Shas’s spiritual leader spoken about the IDF?
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef recently blessed troops as “messengers of God,” but has previously called on students to flush draft orders, blamed soldier deaths on insufficient Torah study, and threatened mass emigration if arrests occurred.