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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Israel
Index
During the prestate period, Agudat Israel, founded in 1912,
opposed both the ideology of Zionism and its political expression,
the World Zionist Organization. It rejected any cooperation with
non-Orthodox Jewish groups and considered Zionism profane in that
it forced the hand of the Almighty in bringing about the redemption
of the Jewish people. A theocratic and clericalist party, Agudat
Israel has exhibited intense factionalism and religious extremism.
From 1955 to 1961 Agudat Israel formed a part of the Torah
Religious Front
(see Appendix B).
Traditionally, the party's
Knesset delegation has consisted only of Ashkenazi factions,
although ultra-Orthodox Orientals also provided it considerable
electoral support.
In preparation for the 1984 Knesset elections, grievances over
a lack of representation in party institutions caused Orientals to
defect and establish Shas. As a result, Agudat Israel's Knesset
representation declined from four to two seats. In the 1988 Knesset
elections, as part of an ultra-Orthodox electoral upswing, the Shas
Knesset delegation increased from two to six seats.
The Council of Torah Sages, a panel of rabbis to which both
religious and secular decisions had to be referred, contained
representatives of each faction in Agudat Israel. The main factions
represented two Hasidic (ultra-Orthodox) courts: the court of the
Rabbi of Gur, which dominated the party and the Council of Torah
Sages; and the court of Rabbi Eliezer Shakh.
Agudat Israel engaged in ultra-Orthodox educational and social
welfare activities, as well as in immigrant absorption. It usually
took the lead in initiating legislation on religious issues. The
party has obtained exemptions from military service for its
adherents.
Data as of December 1988
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