If the clans in Haredi society, and the main 2 parties, are trying to sabotage Moti Leitner's new one, that's wrong

A rabbi from Afula named Yehuda Oppenheimer, who's supporting the Haredi Public party, tells how there's a fearmongering factor that undoubtably has what to do with the would-be supporters of the 2 main Haredi parties in the Knesset, but is also a problem in the most socialist segments of Haredi society in general, as they got a party meeting cancelled:

My friend was frightened, and I understood why. He tried to find another home. People barely connected to the shul also worried about becoming involved. Several people told him that many families would stay away because their children attend a particular school, and their parents feared consequences for the children if they were seen at the gathering.

Eventually, another friend, whose family is involved in our party, agreed to host. I announced the meeting on a general mailing list, not a synagogue forum. The calls began almost immediately: Why was I publicizing politics in the community? Why was I putting the entire community at risk? Another influential rabbi called with the same message, and my host received repeated calls urging him to cancel.

The gathering has effectively been shut down. The host has been intimidated, and potential attendees have been frightened away. A handful of people wanted to meet in a home for a civil discussion. That was enough to put municipal support, community standing, and children’s schooling into the conversation as threats.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, nor is it unique to Afula. It reflects a broader phenomenon throughout the charedi world in Israel. A woman employed in a non-political office role by our party recently received a letter from her children's school stating that, because she worked for us, her children could be expelled unless she resigned.

Nor does this affect only HaTzibbur HaChareidi. In many communities, those who depart even slightly from the mainstream fear ostracism, whether through consequences for their children's schooling, family shidduchim, or their standing in schools, shuls, and the wider community.

The pressure takes many forms: a venue suddenly becomes unavailable; a school threatens a family; a shadchan refuses to arrange matches; a rabbi is warned to stay silent. At times, even prominent rabbanim are physically attacked, and their homes or institutions vandalized. The message is clear: even attending a private discussion can come at a cost.

See, this is why they have to start considering there are those who've left the fold, and for all we know, found a better life that way. So while it's certainly appalling this is happening, that's why those who could've been targeted should ponder whether it could be better to stop practicing the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle if they're vulnerable to the effects of a clannish environment. The time's come.

I don't know if the Haredi Public party will make it into the Knesset, but they did hold a conference, interestingly enough, at a Tel Aviv center with a mostly secular crowd:

The English-language event, hosted by the Tel Aviv International Salon, drew a modest crowd, but it bore little resemblance to a traditional Haredi political gathering. Apart from Leitner himself, there were no men in black suits and hats, although some attendees wore kippot and tzitzit.

The setting was itself unusual: Tel Aviv, with its predominantly secular population, is hardly a traditional campaign stop for an ultra-Orthodox party.

Many attendees came to learn about the fledgling party’s platform, with some even considering voting for Charedi Public despite not belonging to its target demographic. [...]

Charedi Public has assembled a candidate list that breaks with several longstanding conventions of ultra-Orthodox politics. It includes several native English speakers and two women: Glanz and Dr. Nechumi Yaffe, who is placed third on the party’s slate. They are the first women to appear on an ultra-Orthodox party’s electoral list.

“In Israeli society they expect a certain cookie-cutter person from the Haredi community,” Glanz said.

Charedi Public’s candidates challenge that image. Glanz described how her son serves in a Haredi unit in the IDF, while Leitner recounted reporting for military duty following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror onslaught.

That was very patriotic of him, of course. I don't know if appealing to secular/non-Haredi society will work out in the end, but his effort is admirable, and he did the right thing to add women to his list.