Inside Israel

No Resolutions

The year 5779 will go down in Israel’s history as the year of elections. Nothing like it has ever happened. We had three election campaigns — one for the municipal elections and two for Knesset. After months of campaigning and the investment of billions of shekels to win the hearts of voters (not to mention the NIS 4 billion it cost the Israeli economy as a result of three lost work days), nothing very dramatic happened. There were no big surprises.

In the municipal elections in chareidi cities, the pre-agreed representatives were duly elected. In mixed cities like Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, the election campaigns were very emotional and led to a deep rift between different communities and factions. Elected officials had to spend the first few months after the municipal elections just healing wounds and restoring peace.

United Torah Judaism advanced to the Knesset elections with the greatest possible unity. While the first round of the general elections centered on economic and security issues, the second round, which began five months ago and ended last week, featured unprecedented incitement against the chareidi community. The results of this incitement will become clear in the next few months.

The issue of halachic conversion was not resolved in 5779. That which is most holy for us, which has kept us as a nation for thousands of years and for which the most basic compliance with halachah is required, is not yet enshrined in Israeli law.