In recent days, a broad initiative involving Chareidi communities has been taking shape behind the scenes, seeking to organize as an ideological influence group within the Likud and bring together Chareidi Likud members from across different communities and groups, Kikar H’Shabbat reported on Monday.

The initiative, which began operating several months ago under the name “Chareidi Kehilati,” represents a significant change in the way Chareidim organize within the ruling party.

Until now, there were numerous different Chareidi groups within Likud, but they primarily looked after their own interests. Now, however, a large group belonging to the “modern Chareidi” community has begun joining the ruling party by the hundreds and thousands, with a clear goal: to look after the interests of working or modern Chareidim, or however else they may be defined.

The heads of the new ideological group are Simcha Bernstein and Yisrael Schweibel, well-known public activists who were previously identified with Degel HaTorah. Their stated goal is to place the real needs of the Chareidi public — such as state-Chareidi schools, girls’ education, employment and other issues — at the top of the agenda, while maintaining clear and unequivocal political support for the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Kikar HaShabbat has learned that a series of quiet meetings have been held in recent weeks in several communities ahead of the primaries, and that numerous communities across the country have joined or are expected to join the initiative.

More than 1,000 Likud members who had previously registered as party members have already joined the new organization.

Kikar also learned that the group is operating according to a community-based “matching” model, under which each community recruits its members and acquaintances who are already registered Likud members and brings them into the initiative.

The initiative represents the first attempt of its kind to create a unified ideological Chareidi influence group within the Likud that will work on behalf of the entire Chareidi public rather than only specific groups.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)